[Charlie Piccione]

Pharoah,

When you take your horse barefoot, make sure that the farrier does not remove any sole whatsoever. In fact, for this first time, just have the shoes removed and the edges of the wall beveled. Nothing more. And, start and continue using Durasole as indicated by its instructions. Again, I cannot emphasize enough that the farrier should not remove any sole at all.

Do this!!

[FineAlready]

OMO/IME more of a concern for the fronts. (extra credit: why?)

Is it just because the horse naturally bears more weight on the front end?

[dmj]

Just moved from Southern California where I paid $150 for a full set of basic shoes (and that is cheap for the area - I think I got a special price because I had used my wonderful farrier for so many years) - I now pay $65 for a full set, will be paying $35 for a trim when I take my horse barefoot this winter (been watching Rick's suggestions for this closely).

[Rick Burten]

Is it just because the horse naturally bears more weight on the front end?

We have a winner.

[Fharoah]

I had another farrier look at his feet last week and there comment was that none of them matched. I guess my question is should they match?

I have very limited options of farriers by location and am concerned about choosing the right one.

[FineAlready]

I had another farrier look at his feet last week and there comment was that none of them matched. I guess my question is should they match?

I have very limited options of farriers by location and am concerned about choosing the right one.

I don't think I've ever had a horse whose feet fully matched. Some are closer to matching than others. My current horse's feet definitely don't. Sometimes, making feet match can cause more problems. I was just talking to my farrier about this general subject last week (because of this thread) when he was working on my horse. His comment was that most horses don't have matching feet, and that that is sometimes just how it is and how it will always be.

[Fharoah]

New farrier, trimmed so far horse seems really happy and comfortable. He stood like a perfect gentlemen. Farrier will shoe him if we decide I am cautiously optimistic that he will be comfortable barefoot. He has no thrush but his souls are alittle soft.

[goodhors]

I don't think I've ever had a horse whose feet fully matched. Some are closer to matching than others. My current horse's feet definitely don't. Sometimes, making feet match can cause more problems. I was just talking to my farrier about this general subject last week (because of this thread) when he was working on my horse. His comment was that most horses don't have matching feet, and that that is sometimes just how it is and how it will always be.

Guess it shows my age, but when I was young, learning how to look at horses, having matching pairs of hooves was HIGH on the desirable features you wanted. I know talking to Farriers, that they don't see many matching hoof pairs in most practices these days. A lot of the Farriers, especially the older ones who have seen the less perfect hooves getting more common, think the changes are due to differences in how young horses are raised these days.

To me, not having matching pairs of hooves, means the horse has some kind of issue going on. He doesn't use both sides of his body equally for some reason. Hooves change, modify to horse in short order when there are problems or horse gets trimmed correctly so he is using himself well. If horse consistantly shows two hooves of a pair mismatched, then he has some issue, which may or MAY NOT be fixable. How useful he is or can be, will depend on how high your ambitions for him are aimed. Goal might have to be modified if horse is physically not capable of the job you want to do, but still quite useful at lower levels.

I have owned ONE horse with mis-matched pairs of hooves. She had true body issues, which caused the problems and I knew this when I got her. She had an excuse for her feet. We trimmed or shod her feet individually to suit her body, keep her happy in work. She was usable for a long time, before arthritus got into the picture. I would not knowingly have another such horse in a working partnership, there were no end of ideas we used to keep her going over the years. Nothing ever was a permanent "fix" for her.

We certainly keep "matching pairs of hooves" high on our list of things we want in choosing new horses to live here. It was a good tool when I was a kid looking at horses, evaluating them and still is.

[Fharoah]

I could not bare how sore he has been each and every single time we shoe him.

I had a new farrier pull his shoes and trim him. He is not sore at all he was actually more comfortable after his feet were done. I have no idea if what we did was correct but all I know is he is my mother watched him for an hour after the trimming and her observation was that he is WAY more comfortable. So I am cautiously optimistic that this might work out. So far I am happy with the results.

[PaintedHunter]

I pay $40 for a trim, and have a draft cross with huge stinking feet.

[amastrike]

$55 for a trim, $120 for fronts, plus $2/mile travel fee.

[LauraKY]

$150 for front, $225 for all four, that's with no upcharge for special shoes. I get what I pay for, a great shoeing job and knowledgeable farrier.

[amastrike]

I had another farrier look at his feet last week and there comment was that none of them matched. I guess my question is should they match?

Each foot should match the leg it's attached to. Whether feet match each other isn't that important.

[spotteddrafter]

Here is SW Ohio I have an awesome farrier!! He charges $35 for a trim, $80 to reset fronts (hot shoes her, both shoes have side clips), $90 for a new front set (hot shod, with side clips), and $120 for new set on all 4.

[candyappy]

Wow!!! I couldn't afford that!!!!
Average price for a trim around here is 30 plus tax and I use two main farriers and one other expert when needed and they are all 30 for trim and between 70 and 90 for fronts only and 120 - 140 for all around shoes. If I get pads there will be a slight extra cost.
Mary-Anne

This is what I pay as well. I have never used the shoes, but I did inquire when I started using him 2 years ago.

[candyappy]

I could not bare how sore he has been each and every single time we shoe him.

I had a new farrier pull his shoes and trim him. He is not sore at all he was actually more comfortable after his feet were done. I have no idea if what we did was correct but all I know is he is my mother watched him for an hour after the trimming and her observation was that he is WAY more comfortable. So I am cautiously optimistic that this might work out. So far I am happy with the results.

That is a good sign when they walk off comfortably from the start. Just keep your eye on him day to day, if the ground gets hard, frozen or he steps on a rock it will make a big difference.

[Fharoah]

That is a good sign when they walk off comfortably from the start. Just keep your eye on him day to day, if the ground gets hard, frozen or he steps on a rock it will make a big difference.

Yes and I have no hesitations to shoe him for life. It was just that every time we shod him he was super sore afterwards despite bute or previcoxx. This time he was more comfortable after than he had been before. I do not know why it is just nice to see him walk off comfortably right away that never happened with the previous two farriers.