I met Tommy and current owners out for a walk today. He is now shod again and was a bit prancy. According to 'expert' owner, he is 'ruined' and it's all down to him not wearing iron shoes for the past 7 months!!

I was so mad but in my opinion it just proved how ignorant he is. Maybe he was just trying to justify the paltry 500 EURO he has to pay for the horse that he orginally sold for 2,500 EURO

This is the same fella that likened a horse wearing hoof boots to a human wearing heavy diving boots (could/would cause pulled muscles)!! 

Going from shoes to Barefoot? Here's what you need to know

As published in the Jan/Feb, 2007 issue of Equine Wellness Magazine

by Kirt Lander

'A horse must have shoes to be ridden or put to work, and attempting to do so barefoot may cause him to go lame and be ruined'

You've probably heard this more than once, but it's a mistaken belief that arises not only from our inherent impatience, but also from a lack of understanding about the natural Lifeway requirements of the horse. It often leads to barefoot transitional failure and the perception that 'going barefoot' is not possible.

I went searching the web this morning looking for details on horses ruined by going barefoot but didn't come up with much, but the above struck a chord. After reading that this morning I felt much better and more confident in myself that I didn't 'ruin' Tommy by removing his shoes. I couldn't find any references to hoof boots causing pulled muscles either, surprisingly!

These so called 'experts' always make me doubt what I have been researching (and proving with my own horses) for the past 5 years.

I just get so mad when ignorant people try to put all issues related to a horse down to whether it is shod or not. I don't beleive shoes are the answer to every problem.

Tommy had other underlying problems and was on his way to being 'ruined' when I got him but then how can I say anything when I am no expert.

My vet agreed with me during one of his many visits to do X-Rays on Tommy when we were trying to find out why he he was having soundness issues. In the vets opinion his feet were not the cause but it was something more deep seated.

But again, current expert owner, had something to say about that as well and said that vet had no idea what he was talking about. Obviously, vet had wasted all those years training as a vet and is no expert either!