Farrier vs. Trainer?!?!?!

[barelfun]

I sent my horse to a professional cutting trainer 2 weeks ago that I am just establishing a relationship with so I don't have much previous experience with this trainer to draw from. After alot of problems with several farriers I finally found a terrific farrier that really does a great job on our 4 horses and we have never had a problem. We really trust him. My problem is the trainers barn my horse is living at now is too far for the farrier to travel. I called the trainer to pick up my horse and bring her home for the weekend so the farrier could shoe her and the trainer doesn't want her to come home. She has a yearling filly here she is very close to and hasn't seen since she went to the trainers. The trainer sais she is finally settling in and doesn't want her to regress by seeing us and the other horses mostly her baby and not be paying attention for her lessons next week. He lives in a very sandy area and doesn't think she needs shoes. The farrier said he is making some corrections with her hoofs and wants her to have shoes. She always looses her shoes at least once if not twice between the farriers normal 6 week visit. The trainer sais the farrier is not doing a good job if he can't keep shoes on her. But, if he is working on correcting her perhaps she can't keep shoes on because of whatever he is trying to correct. Yikes! I am SO confused! Before we found this farrier both this mare and my son's mare had really bad problems due to bad farriers. This farrier we have now has slowly shaped and fixed my son's horses hoofs and she is no longer sore and keeps her shoes on with no problem This mare's just recently started wearing shoes but she was lame from poor trimming prior to finding this new farrier. Since we found this new farrier she has not been sore or had any problems and has gone longer and longer without loosing her shoe. The trainer wants to keep her there and have one of the farriers in his area work on her. I want to bring her home and use the man we trust, but the trainer sais I will regress her training. Any opinions or suggestions will be welcome as I try to sort this problem out and find a solution :) Thank you in advance!

[Max]

For convenience, I might consider the local farriers that your trainer recommends (but breaks continuity with your pesonal farrier) if you feel confident in the trainers judgement otherwise I'd bring the mare back home to keep continuity with your personal farrier.

[357magnum]

I THINK IF YOUR PAYIN THIS SO CALLED TRAINER " HE SHOULD BEND TO YOUR DECISION! DUH BECAUSE YOUR SHELLIN OUT THE BUCKS:o

[Vanny]

What's wrong with leaving your mare barefoot? I am a firm believer in it. I am know taking care of my 4 horses, all of which are barefoot and I have never had any problems. I had farrier problems and I decided that since I know my horses better than anyone, why not give it a try. I bought a video that showed me how to do it. It's a little more time comsuming but worth it. I trail ride alot and never has anyone gone lame. Give it a shot. :)

[84 C4]

Going barefoot is a risky proposition.

[Vanny]

Barefoot is no more risky than someone trying to over correct a problem. Barefoot is alot better than shoes if done correctly and done by someone who knows what they are doing. People are just under the presumtion that shoes are better because it's been going on for so long. It the feet were done correctly from the beginning, they wouldn't need shoes now.

[84 C4]

Barefoot is not better, it restricts the uses of the animal, and it can lead to excessive hoof wear in breeds, such as thoroughbreds, which have soft hooves, compared to breeds such as Arabs and Mustangs. I know a large group in Texas which swears by this barefoot method, but all their horses are Arabians and they do endurance racing. Barefoot works for them because of the application and the animal. Application is important, if you're jumping you better have a shod animal, in addition, it had better be iron. That aluminum crap doens't cut it. Shoes are still used because they protect the horse's hooves, and do a good job of it.

[sabre]

well said

[Vanny]

To each his own. But if it is done CORRECTLY it is perfectly safe to go barefoot. If you do your research, you will see what I mean. I am not telling anyone that you have to go barefoot, I am just saying that if done correctly it is safe. The mare in question is just in training on soft conditions. It does not warrant shoes, the mare is not being used hard.

[84 C4]

"Correctly" is the catch, there are several methods for going barefoot. None have been definatively proven to work "as advertised." The best I've seen are case studies, alot of which read like so much propaganda, and go both ways. When deciding what type of protection you're going to provide your equine's hoof, you need to determine 2 things:

1) What breed is it?

and

2) What is the application?

The most important question is the second, as it is usually the deteriming factor for the first. There is no perfect breed, anymore then there's perfect hoof care. Barefoot is not going to work for everything, and niether will shoeing. In my experience, however, having a shod horse is preferable as it allows more freedom in what you can do with the horse. The only place I've seen (successful) barefooted horses was in Texas, and it was the aforementioned group.

I'm not trying to bash any barefoot method, but it does limit what you can do with the horse. If this is something someone is considering, my advise is to consult your vet. I'd say ferrier, but they might be a little biased.

[Vanny]

I have had horses for 38 years and have never had any of my horses shod. I can say that I have never had one problem with any kind of lameness or limits to my riding with my horses barefoot. I live in Upstate NY and ride all year. But I don't do any eventing or showing of any kind. We trail ride thru the country side, thru gullies, thru creeks, streams and such. And I can say that I have had almost every breed out there. I have many neighbors who also have barefoot horses and again no problems. I am not saying it is for everyone, and don't expect to be able to pull your shoes off your horse and go out riding and not expect problems. Because if you do, I can almost guarantee that you will, because your horse has not been trimmed properly and that will do more damage than good.

[dressage_rider]

Barefoot is not better, it restricts the uses of the animal, and it can lead to excessive hoof wear in breeds, such as thoroughbreds, which have soft hooves, compared to breeds such as Arabs and Mustangs. I know a large group in Texas which swears by this barefoot method, but all their horses are Arabians and they do endurance racing. Barefoot works for them because of the application and the animal. Application is important, if you're jumping you better have a shod animal, in addition, it had better be iron. That aluminum crap doens't cut it. Shoes are still used because they protect the horse's hooves, and do a good job of it.

this is not true about thoroughbreds. i have a thoroughbred that has never worn shoes and he has perfectly healthy feet. i know this for a fact because i have a farrier that comes reguarly and gives his feet the all clear. going barefoot doesn'twork for all horses. just like people's feet, every horse's hoof is different. you should find a method that works best for you. :)also everyone has their own oppinion. just because people think different things about a subject doesn't mean there's a right or wrong answer. and i hate to brake it to you but nobody knows everything! :D