Many people ask about whether they should shoe their horses or leave them barefoot. The answer will be different for each horse. When considering shoeing or leaving your horse barefoot, consider the following questions:
1. Will my horse need added protection if the wear of the hoof exceeds growth? The genetics of the horse, the strucure of the hoof, the surface on which the horse is worked and the purpose to which the horse is being used, and the horses's diet are all factors that influence the wear of the feet and whether or not your horse can be maintained barefoot.
2. Will my horse need added traction in the activities it is participating in? What activities do I use my horse in? Does these activites require that my horse need additional traction? Does this traction increase the safty of the horse and rider?
3. Are their theraputic reasons or hoof corrections that might need to be addressed?
As you can see there is not a standard answer to the question to shoe or not to shoe but must be answered for each individual horse. There are many instances when shoeing is unnessessary even when the horse is being used extensivelly. Make sure you become educated on the topic and don't just make a decision based on what has been done traditionally. Seek the advice of a expert farrier, veterinarian, and professional trainer to find out what is best for your horse.