There is a lot of debate about whether horses should be left barefoot and 'natural' or shod. Natural trim practitioners believe that no horse should wear shoes--ever. But for horses that must travel over rough terrain, are jumping, turning tight corners or preforming other maneuvers in the course of their work, shoes have traditionally been considered a requirement. There are horses that go barefoot that appear to be able to do all a shod horse can without problem.

There are horses that don't seem to be able to leave the pasture without shoes. The question that most horse owners have is, which is best, barefoot or shod?
Latest Developments

Over the last few years many hoof care practitioners have been promoting the idea that no horse should wear shoes and that any horse can preform any task without needing shoes. This has met with resistance from various horse owners, veterinarians and farriers who feel they have had success with corrective trimming and protective shoeing techniques.

There are several different types of barefoot trimming methods including the Strasser trim that includes the 'radical trim', wild-horse trim, whole horse trim, four-point trim and mustang roll amongst others. While most farriers would agree that most horses can perform barefoot, many disagree with some of the methods used. Even barefoot advocates have widely varying opinions about the best way to trim and maintain hooves.

History

Riders have been putting protection on their horse's hooves for a very long time.

About Inventors Guide Mary Bellis outlines the History of Horseshoes beginning with the early Asians who strapped plant material on to protect their horse's hooves. There is speculation that metal horse shoes were being used by the early Middle Ages and before. Hot-shoeing became common practice in the 16th century. No doubt those first shoes were not applied because of fad or fancy, but because those ancient horse owners felt there was a real need.

Discussion about correct hoof angles began very early as well. Xenophon comments on hoof angle and the ideal composition of the hoof in On the Art of Horsemanship .

"For soundness of foot a thick horn is far better than a thin. Again it is important to notice whether the hoofs are high both before and behind, or flat to the ground; for a high hoof keeps the "frog,"[ as it is called, well off the ground; whereas a low hoof treads equally with the stoutest and softest part of the foot alike, the gait resembling that of a bandy-legged man."

The 'Barefoot Movement' is not new. During the late nineteenth century horse owners and veterinarians of the time were arguing the pros and cons of barefoot or shoeing as you may read in Sporting Magazine, Volume 22, 1828.