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Is it really better than this . . .
I am not anti-shoe. I am, however, pro-healthy feet. Sometimes we have to take a good hard look at shoeing and determine if it is conducive to healthy hoof structure. In some cases it may be, but in some cases not.
It is never acceptable to use shoes as a bandaid in lieu of correct, healthy hoof structure so you can continue to the work the horse. If a horse bows a tendon, tears a muscle, or scratches the cornea in his eye, we give him the needed rest and rehabilitation time before starting back in full work. So why don't we do this when the hooves are weak, diseased, or injured? A horse develops a severe quarter crack or bruised sole, but we want him back in the training ring tomorrow, and the show ring this weekend.
We can patch up a hoof with acrylic and shoe but we can't patch up a scratched cornea, a bowed tendon, or a torn muscle so we have no choice but to do the appropriate rehab.
How many stories have you heard of horses with white line disease, thrush, thin soles, breaking walls, toe cracks, quarter cracks, pedal osteitis, or navicular disease that have been shod for years, and never show any improvement? Regardless of how expensive the shoes, how many pads are used, what type of packing, or who the farrier is, the horses just never seem to heal. Or they may heal briefly, but can "never go barefoot" because their feet are so unhealthy. Why do we as horse owners, trainers, and hoof care professionals believe that hooves simply don't have the ability to heal? Is it because we truly don't understand the anatomy and function of the equine hoof? Is it because we don't want to take the time off from training and showing to the give the horse a chance? Is it because we insist on stalling horses 20 hours a day and feeding them 14 pounds of concentrated sweet feed? Is it because we truly do not understand HOW the hoof heals and regenerates? I believe the answer to all these questions is - yes.
These are questions that deserves a great deal of our time and consideration.
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