"The greatest advantage is to hoof health. By leaving a horse barefoot, one allows the hoof's natural functions of shock absorption, traction, and biomechanics to perform at their optimum. Shoes inhibit natural function and the horse's natural way of going, and limb interference with shoes can cause injury." ---Debora Ash, American Farrier's Association (AFA) certified farrier, BHS assistant instructor, and co-author and publisher of Study Guides (to aid farriers for AFA national certification examinations)
"The foot was designed to be unshod. Anything that you add to the foot, like a horseshoe that is nailed on, is going to interfere with the foot's natural process. Most horseshoes have six to eight nails, possibly one to three clips, all of which constrict the foot's ability to expand and contract. Add pads, packing, any number of alternatives to the shoe, and you create a gait alteration. It all interferes with the natural process of the mechanism. Ideally, for the foot to work the way it's been designed through evolution to work, you'd rather do less than more to the foot. But that may or may not be a realistic wish."---Emil Carre, AFA president, AFA certified journeyman farrier, and a consulting editor for Hoofcare and Lameness magazine. _________________________________________________________
"Trimming barefoot riding horses demands a higher level of intuition and competency. A horseshoe or a hoof boot can hide even the most serious errors in judgement (for a while). A mistake on a barefoot riding horse will tell on you in a heartbeat!" --Pete Ramey, "Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You"