Horses hooves are not solid like many people believe.  They are made of a very hard skin and are flexible.  The sole of the hoof and the frog are designed to move and flex when the horse walks or trots. The frog is called the heart of the foot because it will pump the blood into the microvessels of all the tendons and tissues inside the foot.

When you put a shoe on your horse, you are stopping the hoof from flexing.  The only way the foot will get those necessary micronutrients into the microvessels of the hoof tissue is from actually moving and creating circulation.

Many horses are not allowed out to roam like they used to.  And many horse owners have been told they need to have shoes on their horses feet to keep them sound.

A balanced foot is the most important way of keeping your horses feet healthy and sound.  Balanced means the sole of the foot should flat and level, and the toe should be brought back into alignment with the coffin bone. This will give your horse the proper break over they need in order to stay sound.

An imbalanced foot will cause the horse to walk or move improperly and could cause back and shoulder soreness and possibly bowed tendons or buck shins.

The saying that goes, “no foot no horse” is very true.  It is much easier to find a good farrier that will know what a balanced foot is than to maintain an unsound horse.

Many horsemen agree that horses can go barefoot without any problems as long as they are maintained and balanced properly.  Horse shoes were designed by cowboys to save the foot from wearing down after long miles of riding over rough terrain.

It’s very popular now for people to try and use shoes to correct the foot, but in reality if you just balance the foot properly, the rest will take care of itself.