Sounds like an easy question right? Not for me after reading Joe Camps Books, The Soul of a Horse and Why Barefoot, I really don’t want to shoe Nathy but with all his hoof problems, I don’t feel like I have a choice. I decided to go barefoot with him and found anCamps awesome farrier who also is experienced in barefoot trimming.

Nathy’s Hooves are looking so much better but he still gets chronic soreness on his near front hoof, so do I wait it out until his hooves are back to the way they should be and watch him with his chronic pain, or do I get his fronts shod until his hooves inprove. I believe most of his chronic issues in the near front could be because of our rock hard ground in the paddock. After last winter and way too much rain and 2 horses in the paddock there is barely a flat section of paddock most of it is hoof prints from last year.

I don’t like walking in the paddock for fear of a sprained ankle or 2 so I can imagine poor Nathy who has had sensitive hooves it can’t be pleasant. My dilema is that I want to keepmeverything as natural as possible for Nathy which includes going barefoot. My other dilema is I’m a mum and I don’t like seeing anyone I Iove in pain, constantly.

I can live with the decision to shoe my boy but only because I know he doesn’t need to be shod forever, shoeing him will take the pressure of his soft feet, he’ll be more confortable and happier and I hopefully won’t have to see him sore. It’s not a forgone conclusion shoeing him will solve the problem but it may give his poor feet time to toughen up and heal. Thankfully our paddocks are being ploughed and fixed before this winter so they have better drainage and don’t become a swamp again which will also help Nathy and is good news for us.

Joe Camps Books