# Barefoot Eventing?



## Ambers Echo (26 September 2018)

I have evented Amber this season with shoes but no studs. 5 of the 6 were on dry ground and it was fine but it was wet and slippery at Kelsall and Amber slipped in the dressage and did not feel entirely sure footed  on the SJ or XC phases either.

Studs would be one solution to that but I am also thinking of transitioning to barefoot after reading Barefoot Performance. I was a barefoot runner and the logic of the hoof (or foot) being perfectly adapted for its job and shoes interfering with that makes sense to me. 

BUT the science of their take on studs is unconvincing. (Husband has a PhD in Physics and works as an applied physicist - he read what they say about studs making no difference on soft ground because of the weight and momentum of the horse and it is simply not true  in his fairly expert view).

So I still need to be convinced that eventing in all conditions is fine without shoes/studs. I am sure it's fine in the dry but I don't want to be limited to good conditions given the British weather! Anyone have any personal experiences of jumping XC barefoot in wet/slippery conditions. Is it really possible?? TIA


----------



## MissTyc (26 September 2018)

I've only gone up to BE90 barefoot, so more experienced people will be along. We also hunt and pure dressage. 

The XC has never been  problem. It's not even crossed my mind that we have less grip than others. The dressage is fine as long as horse nicely collected and weight back on hocks where it should. Shoulder-heaviness becomes more costly on slippery ground without shoes (but less costly that with shoes but without studs which always seems to the worst options to me). The SJ is generally my problematic phase when the ground isn't great. We do normally go clear, but we might pop in extra strides, I have to be waaaay firmer on the half halt than I'd like which limits the boldness at times. When jumping on a surface, my horse is so so bold that the sky is the limit. When on slippery wet grass, we don't have the same magic wings and have hit the occasional pole as the footing just isn't as secure. Would he be any different with shoes/studs? No idea as he's never had any! Might be that we'd experience the same or even different problems.


----------



## be positive (26 September 2018)

I usually have a variety of horses in the yard that do some low level eventing among other things and tend to shoe once they are competitive so they can wear studs for the dressage and sj phases, if on grass, I am less concerned about studs for xc as the turns at low level are less tight and momentum tends to allow for the odd slip to do no real harm, a horse can so easily lose confidence if they are slipping on turns and in my view confidence for both horse and rider is key so they get the help when required by having studs. 

I have had a few go barefoot but even the ponies can struggle at times, one fell while sj on grass so in my view while it is more than possible when everything is going well we can rarely rely on perfect conditions so I will continue to do as much barefoot, they are often fully fit and competing on a surface unshod but shoes go on when we are ready to go out and compete rather than just school round for the experience, each horse is an individual and must be the priority in the decision.


----------



## Ambers Echo (26 September 2018)

Actually that's a really good point - the SJ on wet grass is likely to be the biggest issue. Amber even had time faults SJ at Kelsall because we trotted all the tight turns SJ. And daughter had a very sure footed unshod pony who lost his footing and almost came down in the warm up ring on grass at an unaff ODE a couple of years ago. I'd forgotten about that till just now.


----------



## Ambers Echo (26 September 2018)

BP would you take shoes off at the end of the season for winter SJ and dressage (all on surface) and replace them in Spring for eventing? From what I have read transitioning from shoes takes a while so once they are fine unshod you'd want to keep them that way?? But your post seems to suggest that you can take them on and off and it's ok? Unless I have misunderstood?

Sorry these are probably very basic questions! Mine have all just either been shod or unshod depending on what they wore (or didn't) when I bought them so I have never really considered the issues and options much before.


----------



## MissTyc (26 September 2018)

Ambers Echo said:



			BP would you take shoes off at the end of the season for winter SJ and dressage (all on surface) and replace them in Spring for eventing? From what I have read transitioning from shoes takes a while so once they are fine unshod you'd want to keep them that way?? But your post seems to suggest that you can take them on and off and it's ok? Unless I have misunderstood?

Sorry these are probably very basic questions! Mine have all just either been shod or unshod depending on what they wore (or didn't) when I bought them so I have never really considered the issues and options much before.
		
Click to expand...

My farrier has a lot of clients who take shoes on and off depending on need.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

I tried eventing my little mare barefoot this year and after a few slippy events I have just accepted she needs to be shod while in competition. She lost a bit of confidence in dressage if the ground was slick, the sj was lethal at one or two of them as well . In xc At one event we even slid down a bank as the conditions that day were so slick.  I'm gutted having to shoe her as she copes perfectly barefoot all year apart from that. 

Ambers Echo, im hoping I can take the showes off and on her as needed. She came to me with shoes on and transitioned fine.


----------



## be positive (26 September 2018)

I do take them off for the winter and continue as normal, the work is reduced at that time anyway and they do more on a surface, I have never had one take time transitioning, even the racehorse did all his pre training work barefoot, went racing came back and was out doing RC stuff unshod until he needed studs and his feet were as bad as they get when he first arrived, by the end of the first few months of roadwork he had 4 decent feet although by then had been turned away for a few months unshod  so transitioned with no real input other than regular trims from my farrier.
I think if they are on a sensible diet, have a half decent frog and heel most will be fine if taken carefully, we only had one that wasn't totally happy but he was older and the owners could not afford to take the time he would have required so he only went through one winter but even that did his feet good.


----------



## Leo Walker (26 September 2018)

Good feet should step in and out of shoes with no issues. Barefoot takes time for transitioning in horses with issues, but those with decent feet can have the shoes off and carry on pretty much as normal


----------



## ycbm (26 September 2018)

When you are remembering horses which slipped when barefoot, please try to remember the many which slip when shod, but nobody comments because the horse has shoes on. 

The only horses I saw fall due to slipping when I was hunting my barefoot horse were shod. There's a show judge in a wheelchair because a shod horse slipped and fell when she was riding it in the ring as a judge.


----------



## ester (26 September 2018)

So, if you are running early there is no getting away from the fact that dewy grass on hard ground is very slippy especially for dressage and show jumping. If you can ride them very balanced it helps - Frank on his own forgets this and I have watched him wipe out at the turn at the bottom of the hill in their field many times in winter when others are fine.
My main consideration for XC would be any stoned take offs and landings as I know my own would have struggled with two many of those and it wouldn't encourage him to keep jumping. I wouldn't be worried about the ground XC and mine has also certainly had better grip than those shod when hunting.

If my horse had an issue that meant barefoot really had to be best for it I would prepare to not run if ground conditions were difficult. 
If I wanted to do a full season I would shoe for the season but take them off out of season. If they have been transitioned barefoot properly initially then shoeing for a few months should not compromise them enough that they find steppng out of them too difficult.


----------



## Ambers Echo (26 September 2018)

ycbm said:



			When you are remembering horses which slipped when barefoot, please try to remember the many which slip when shod, but nobody comments because the horse has shoes on. 

The only horses I saw fall due to slipping when I was hunting my barefoot horse were shod. There's a show judge in a wheelchair because a shod horse slipped and fell when she was riding it in the ring as a judge.
		
Click to expand...

Amber does slip shod so I need to either stud, take shoes off or choose when I run more carefully. Do you mean they slip studded as much as they slip barefoot? Or that they slip in shoes without studs.


----------



## Michen (26 September 2018)

Nope, wouldn't do it.

It would be absolutely fine if nothing goes wrong. Or if my riding was spot on and I could trust myself to keep my horse balanced and collected at all times, but I can't and my horse is young. I made the decision to shoe in order to stud for this season and haven't regretted it at all, not so concerned for the XC but I think particularly where we are both green SJ jumping on grass sensible studding has been the right decision.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

ycbm said:



			When you are remembering horses which slipped when barefoot, please try to remember the many which slip when shod, but nobody comments because the horse has shoes on. 

The only horses I saw fall due to slipping when I was hunting my barefoot horse were shod. There's a show judge in a wheelchair because a shod horse slipped and fell when she was riding it in the ring as a judge.
		
Click to expand...

were they studded though?  I wouldn't have an issue hunting my girl barefoot, but its a different kettle of fish to be doing trickier technical turns on slippy grass.


----------



## Scarlett (26 September 2018)

My horses are BF and I have never had an issue jumping/xc on grass. 

However if you want to jump on grass then you need to jump on grass! Only jumping on a surface at home then going to an event and expecting the horse to jump on grass without any change won't always work. When I was prepping my lad to event I was riding on grass as much as possible in all weather, he improved massively and became much more confident. I had a few lessons at my trainers where we jumped on grass too and that also helped.

It can be done, there are folk out there competing, and winning, unshod, but if you want it to go well you need to do what you can to make it successful.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

Scarlett said:



			My horses are BF and I have never had an issue jumping/xc on grass. 

However if you want to jump on grass then you need to jump on grass! Only jumping on a surface at home then going to an event and expecting the horse to jump on grass without any change won't always work. When I was prepping my lad to event I was riding on grass as much as possible in all weather, he improved massively and became much more confident. I had a few lessons at my trainers where we jumped on grass too and that also helped.

It can be done, there are folk out there competing, and winning, unshod, but if you want it to go well you need to do what you can to make it successful.
		
Click to expand...

thats interesting. I found that i school on grass all the time, but i still couldn't be 100% confident she wouldn't have a slip or a slid the odd time.  I haven't really met anyone competing over 90s barefoot, I'd love to see someone doing a higher level one barefoot, just to see the difference in how the horse lands and turns etc. , everyone just seems to stud up from what i can see . I wonder are some horses just more naturally talented at balancing? My mare is perfect on good ground, but slick ground really makes her lose confidence, no matter how much we school on it.


----------



## ester (26 September 2018)

me too, we only had an arena when on livery for a couple of years near the end, no arena at home so everything done on grass. If the ground isn't good my already short striding pony would become even more so.


----------



## Orangehorse (26 September 2018)

Being a strong advocate of barefoot, no I wouldn't event without shoes/studs.    It is one thing hunting without shoes, you are going in a natural environment, but when eventing the dressage arena is a tight area (and one lady who was "never put a shoe on again" admitted that dressage on wet grass was the worst thing), often sharp turns are required in show jumping and across country.


----------



## j1ffy (26 September 2018)

If you do a search for 'barefoot' on the Twitter eventing group on Facebook, you'll see lots of posts about barefoot horses competing. A friend of mine did Badminton grassroots at 90 with her barefoot horse and they compete at 100 now. Another horse that I know of is successfully competing at Novice, including a win. I've only done unaffiliated tiny stuff with mine (70 and 80) but never had an issue.

Barefoot should be less slippy than shoes without studs in any situation!


----------



## DabDab (26 September 2018)

I have kept and competed horses barefoot for 15 years, after working for a wonderful sj producer who did, but I would not sj or dressage on grass without studs in. I happily flat school, xc and hunt on grass barefoot, but not for a competitive dressage test where you can't just make a turn a bit wider if you hit a dodgy bit of ground.

I've had the unfortunate experience of sliding into a metre showjump in a warm up having cocked up the striding and it destroyed the confidence of the young horse I was riding. It took months to get her properly secure in her jumping again, so now I just wouldn't risk it.

Most horses have no problem slipping in and out of shoes for the season. Often at the end of an eventing season you have a month or so of just winding down and pootling around so it's not generally a problem.


----------



## ester (26 September 2018)

j1ffy what I find a lot of people aren't clear about when posting about it is whether they are competitive every time out or whether in some instances they have to pick being careful instead, or withdrawing if the ground is tricky as people are much keener to post about their successes.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

yep i had every intention of keeping my little mare barefoot, but after she slipped going down a bank xc I just woudln't risk losing her confidence or having an injury. I also just wouldn't have the confidence to do a sharp turn on a course between big wide jumps. i'd like to know the horse def wasn't going to slip. 

do the barefoot folk on here withdraw if the ground is slippy or greasy?


----------



## Michen (26 September 2018)

ester said:



			j1ffy what I find a lot of people aren't clear about when posting about it is whether they are competitive every time out or whether in some instances they have to pick being careful instead, or withdrawing if the ground is tricky as people are much keener to post about their successes.
		
Click to expand...

Yep and its not just that. Like DabDab said, its confidence. It can depend on the age of the horse, the skill of the rider, the confidence of the horse if it does go wrong, the height (whether the horse is competing at or near the top of its comfort zone). I have no doubt I could get Boggle around barefoot, we might slip and slide a bit when things go wrong, he's very genuine so probably he could still jump even if his confidence was a bit knocked. But why risk it...


----------



## SEL (26 September 2018)

A few weeks ago i had the horrible experience of watching my barefoot draft lose his footing in the field at a canter when it was dew on grass. He slammed onto his side at speed.

My mare has gone over twice on damp grass too so I've stopped riding her on it. Watching another livery and her barefoot dressage warmblood take a tumble didn't help my confidence either.

I'm a huge fan of barefoot but not to the extent you'd risk the rider or horse's safety. I used to wear studded boots when I was a kid playing hockey on grass to not slip so in my mind fast work on horses needs extra support. Some seem to have inbuilt 4WD - mine don't!


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

can you get hoof boots with stud fittings? does anyone use them here?


----------



## ponymum (26 September 2018)

paddi22 said:



			can you get hoof boots with stud fittings? does anyone use them here?
		
Click to expand...

Most hoof boots have quite a good, non-slip tread on them. Unfortunately they are not competition legal for BE, BD or BS.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

ah pity


----------



## ester (26 September 2018)

I'm also aware that some people that have studded easyboots (as yes they do come with the option) for many it just seems to make them more likely to come off because of the forces involved.


----------



## paddi22 (26 September 2018)

yeah that would be the worry, you'd have them to trip on them or twist


----------



## ycbm (26 September 2018)

ester said:



			j1ffy what I find a lot of people aren't clear about when posting about it is whether they are competitive every time out or whether in some instances they have to pick being careful instead, or withdrawing if the ground is tricky as people are much keener to post about their successes.
		
Click to expand...

I've evented barefoot two to novice, two to 90, one to 100, and I competed whatever the ground. I once did Henbury in pouring rain and mud and heard everyone warning each other about how slippy the ground was,  but  I had no issues at all with it. 

I was on the same horse and he slipped show jumping once and everyone was tut tutting and saying how brave he was too carry on and clear the show jump we were turning for. But the horse used to slip in shoes, it was no big deal.

It depends on the horse and on the rider's ability to balance the horse and to give it confidence. I currently have a barefoot cob who is hopeless in mud - go figure 

No-one who is hell bent on winning should even consider eventing without shoes. If nowhere else,  you'll definitely lose marks on a grass dressage arena.

Of course most barefoot hunters go in any conditions.


----------



## Willow1306 (26 September 2018)

I've happily evented and hunted on a tall but very well balanced and athletic warmblood that was barefoot. He was very surefooted and never really slipped - or at least never slipped where I didn't think he would have done had he been shod. However, he was very balanced, found everything easy and didn't fight. You have to treat each horse as an individual. I personally think you have to have good reason to shoe a horse and would prefer to see them have regular breaks out of shoes, but there are times when they're necessary and there's no point riding a sore horse or risking loss of confidence - or a fall - because you aren't prepared to shoe.


----------



## ester (26 September 2018)

Yeah I know what you've done . I meant those posting on facebook eventing groups .

I love pouring rain and mud , IME the slippiest conditions were the wet on hard ones, that and when at the right dampness compacted chalk wiltshire tracks. For most conditions I'd rather be unshod than shod or booted. 

I guess I just read stuff sometimes even as a massive barefoot advocate and think that I'm not sure they are telling the whole story, it is of course doable but there are likely different considerations in place to those that are shoeing and studding.


----------



## daffy44 (26 September 2018)

I know a professional eventer who had a barefoot horse who competed successfully at BE Intermediate and 2* without shoes.  They were careful about the ground he ran on, but I remember he coped very well, but it didnt make my friend want to convert the rest of his yard to barefoot.


----------



## Ambers Echo (26 September 2018)

Thanks for so many interesting replies. Lots to think about!


----------



## wingedhorse (26 September 2018)

SEL said:



			A few weeks ago i had the horrible experience of watching my barefoot draft lose his footing in the field at a canter when it was dew on grass. He slammed onto his side at speed.

My mare has gone over twice on damp grass too so I've stopped riding her on it. Watching another livery and her barefoot dressage warmblood take a tumble didn't help my confidence either.

I'm a huge fan of barefoot but not to the extent you'd risk the rider or horse's safety. I used to wear studded boots when I was a kid playing hockey on grass to not slip so in my mind fast work on horses needs extra support. Some seem to have inbuilt 4WD - mine don't!
		
Click to expand...

In fairness I think damp grass and unstudded shoes are just as dangerous. My morning hacking route (avoid morning traffic) has some lovely canters on short grass. But lethal when there is heavy dew which sun hasn't burnt off.


----------



## Jericho (26 September 2018)

I have to say that I am a massive barefoot advocate - it all makes total sense to me and I actually hate the 6 week farrier torture of seeing metal nailed to their hooves and will not trot on roads with shoes. However with my daughter now competing at BE 100 I would not send them out without studs even in the dressage stage. Yes he is in shoes but I can not see how the barefoot hoof is designed to not to slip on grass in a 20 by 40 arena or tight turns showjumping on slippery grass. Yes shoes and studs are unnatural but what we are asking them to do is unnatural and i for one don't look like the look of  fear on my daughters pony when he is slippy and sliding all over the place. Put studs in and he does what we ask him to do happily and with a happy disposition


----------



## Lyle (26 September 2018)

Not much help myself, as I only compete dressage barefoot these days. But when I was eventing, there was a lady going around the 2* tracks with us who's horse was barefoot. She posted the fastest time one day around a track that was seriously, seriously wet. Another lady had an enormous horse (17.2+) who was bare and evented to CCI 1*. She would time her trims so there was a little more hoof left for a big comp, and then trim notches into the wall. She went around one of our biggest CCI's, in the dead of winter like this. After the event she simply smoothed the notches off. My little WB is bare and has been his whole life, and I can honestly say, after years of eventing/schooling horses in the wet with studs, my barefoot horse so simply so much more sure footed. I love competing on wet/hard/slippery grass because he is so much more balanced than his shod counterparts.


----------



## ycbm (26 September 2018)

There was a horse called Millenium Mischief or Magic, I can't recall which, that used to event to advanced, about ten years ago. They  couldn't keep him sound in shoes so they ran him without.


----------



## SusieT (26 September 2018)

Studs are far far safer for eventing - you are going at speed ,turning corners, asking horses to rely on their footing and on short dry grass or short wet grass particulalry it can be really slippy. You don't need big ones but they definitely give an advantage!


----------



## daffy44 (26 September 2018)

ycbm said:



			There was a horse called Millenium Mischief or Magic, I can't recall which, that used to event to advanced, about ten years ago. They  couldn't keep him sound in shoes so they ran him without.
		
Click to expand...

Thats the horse I was referring to, we called him Siddy No Shoes at home!  The farrier who did him is also my farrier, he has kept my barefoot dressage horses very happy too.


----------



## Tiddlypom (27 September 2018)

I'm another one who shod to stud during the season and then gave a break from shoes over winter. It's not just when the ground is greasy or covered with dew that studs really help.

This is a pic of me riding rather badly as an individual at the RC national champs in the late 80s. The ground, at the 3 Counties showground, was dry, rock hard and slippery as heck. It was like riding on ice, and horses were skidding everywhere. I put hard ground studs (the sharp pointy ones) in behind, and my utterly genuine lad went well enough to get placed on going he hated. Without studs, it would have been horrendous and unsafe.


----------



## Ambers Echo (28 September 2018)

This is all really interesting. My preference would be no shoes but only if it is safe and does not knock her confidence. I am taking shoes off next week for the winter and I'll see how we get on. I'll do a couple of cliniics and a pre season camp which should give me a good idea of how she is managing but I'm not averse to putting shoes back on next Spring for the eventing season if necessary.


----------



## mairiwick (29 September 2018)

I'm just starting out in eventing/ODE land and mine has been barefoot for about 4 years now. She has slipped once in dressage on dewy grass... however she was attempting her own movement which vaguely resembled a banana crossed with a llama... I find as she takes on the SJ and XC fences she is more confident covering the ground and we've not really had an issue. She is absolutely more sure footed than when she was shod however have never tried studs... and yes if I thought she would struggle in the ground conditions I would withdraw - not worth either of us losing our confidence when we are only doing it for fun and not competitively.


----------



## Lynds (29 September 2018)

Ambers Echo said:



			BP would you take shoes off at the end of the season for winter SJ and dressage (all on surface) and replace them in Spring for eventing? From what I have read transitioning from shoes takes a while so once they are fine unshod you'd want to keep them that way?? But your post seems to suggest that you can take them on and off and it's ok? Unless I have misunderstood?

Sorry these are probably very basic questions! Mine have all just either been shod or unshod depending on what they wore (or didn't) when I bought them so I have never really considered the issues and options much before.
		
Click to expand...

 I shod my horse so I could stud. Barefoot he slipped XC with me (we weren't even going very quick but grass was short and ground hard and wet) and fell on me. Not worth the risk imo. Never slipped studded. Sure others will tell you otherwise but this was my experience.


----------



## MagicMelon (1 October 2018)

I go between barefoot (as in properly trimmed by a barefoot trimmer, not farrier) and shod with studs.  Ive found it really depends on the horse. Ive evented to BE90 without studs but with all my horses Ive found Im much happier shod purely for the studs. BUT I am dreadful at dressage, my horses have always been onward bound - balance is always an issue for us (me) so if you had a nicely balanced steady horse then you could easily go higher barefoot.  You just have to see how your particular horse copes. You can swop and change though, dont think you can ONLY do one thing - with all mine, if they did need studs then Id shoe purely for the outdoor season (for me thats April - now) then get my trimmer back so horse is barefoot over the winter again. All horses cope very well doing this, so please dont let people put you off that theres some kind of big transition period, my current one evented yesterday with her studs in and will have her shoes taken off next week and will be perfectly able to go out competing on a surface (now everythings indoor) days after.  With my current mare, I competed to BE90 but then she did end up slipping over in a XC warm up, I knew then that I had to stud her.  

Personally at the end of the day, I love my horses to be barefoot and they are usually. But studs do give me confidence in tight turns etc.  so I feel I ride a lot more confidently with them than that slight doubt without.


----------



## Ambers Echo (1 October 2018)

Magic Melon that sounds like a really sensible approach. I am glad you and others have said that the transition to unshod is not likely to cause any issues either.


----------



## Ambers Echo (23 March 2019)

Re-visiting this thread as I am now at decision time.... Amber ran unshod at Aston Le Walls and that was fine but dressage and SJ were on a surface. She was fine at a XC clinic today too on slippy ground. But having just re-read this all, it seems it is the SJ and dressage that are the issue. So I think I will shoe and stud her for the rest of the season. I have NO IDEA about studs. What should I be looking for? How many in each shoe? All 4 feet or just 2? TIA x


----------



## Michen (23 March 2019)

I have two stud holes in each shoe but usually only use one on the outside and often just stud behind. Like to have to option though, last week I studded in every hole.  


Ambers Echo said:



			Re-visiting this thread as I am now at decision time.... Amber ran unshod at Aston Le Walls and that was fine but dressage and SJ were on a surface. She was fine at a XC clinic today too on slippy ground. But having just re-read this all, it seems it is the SJ and dressage that are the issue. So I think I will shoe and stud her for the rest of the season. I have NO IDEA about studs. What should I be looking for? How many in each shoe? All 4 feet or just 2? TIA x
		
Click to expand...


----------



## The-Bookworm (23 March 2019)

What surfaces are you referring to that are causing you issues? 

Dressage should be on a flat surface and your paces are probably working trot and canter and fairly balanced. I don't see a problem here? If you are unshod surely you already school and jump on a surface at home? 

I have been unshod now for gosh I dunno how many years, but I have done everything from sj, dressage, hunting. It makes no difference either way. But an unbalanced horse will slip on any surface.


----------



## ycbm (24 March 2019)

The-Bookworm said:



			What surfaces are you referring to that are causing you issues?

Dressage should be on a flat surface and your paces are probably working trot and canter and fairly balanced. I don't see a problem here? If you are unshod surely you already school and jump on a surface at home?

I have been unshod now for gosh I dunno how many years, but I have done everything from sj, dressage, hunting. It makes no difference either way. But an unbalanced horse will slip on any surface.
		
Click to expand...


I'm sorry but as someone with experience of five barefoot horses eventing up to Novice, I can't agree with this.

One of the worst surfaces for unshod horses is a dry flat dressage arena.  Without studs, my experience is that you can't maintain the same power on the corners and you will drop marks.

I found no issues either SJ or XC, but definitely dressage suffers slightly.

I last evented quite a few years back now, and since then the courses have become much more technical. With twists and turns inside combinations, I think it's possible that I would now want to stud for XC if I was still competing at Novice level.


----------



## Goldenstar (24 March 2019)

As a rider I know studs make a huge difference to a horse .
At one point I sort of planned to try some low level stuff without shoes a few days schooling was enough to put me off the difference in the horse shod and studdded was enormous.
I think you could try some schooling and see how you feel.
If you want shoes on put them on for the season and then take them off again once you have a horse bf itâ€™s preety easy to swop back and forth ime .


----------



## Goldenstar (24 March 2019)

Btw I completely disagree with Ycbm my horse did dressage very well without shoes I never had a issue in corners on a surface .


----------



## Tiddlypom (24 March 2019)

In addition to the hard ground pic that I posted earlier in the thread, how would this bottomless going ride without shoes and studs cf with them? I don't know btw, just putting it out there.

This was the dressage arena at a BE90 regional final that I scribed for in 2017 .


----------



## Goldenstar (24 March 2019)

Tbh all horses will struggle to decent test on that ground a bf might well manage better it really depends on the horse itâ€™s mind and itâ€™s shape .


----------



## ester (24 March 2019)

Goldenstar said:



			Btw I completely disagree with Ycbm my horse did dressage very well without shoes I never had a issue in corners on a surface .
		
Click to expand...

I think ycbm meant dry flat grass? why would it ever be an issue on a surface?

TP I think F would have been absolutely fine on that, I'd prefer that over dry ground really. Obviously he has rather an up/down way of going though in general always preferred hard ground rather than being a mud lark Love the gulls!


----------



## Tiddlypom (24 March 2019)

Haha Ester, the gulls had rich pickings that day with all the worms etc. that were brought to the surface. I tried at first to scare them off in between competitors,  but they just settled back down before I'd got back to the judge's car . They didn't bother much when there was a horse in the arena either, they just about fluttered out of the horse's way and settled right back down again after it went past.

None of the competitors whinged or complained, they were just happy that the RF went ahead. Gotta love the eventers cf the dressage divas.

Agree that a round actioned ned would cope better with that going than a daisy cutter.


----------



## ycbm (24 March 2019)

Goldenstar said:



			Btw I completely disagree with Ycbm my horse did dressage very well without shoes I never had a issue in corners on a surface .
		
Click to expand...


I meant dry flat grass. At the time I was eventing, there was no eventing dressage on a surface.


----------



## Ambers Echo (24 March 2019)

The-Bookworm said:



			What surfaces are you referring to that are causing you issues?

Dressage should be on a flat surface and your paces are probably working trot and canter and fairly balanced. I don't see a problem here? If you are unshod surely you already school and jump on a surface at home?

I have been unshod now for gosh I dunno how many years, but I have done everything from sj, dressage, hunting. It makes no difference either way. But an unbalanced horse will slip on any surface.
		
Click to expand...

When I said 'on a surface' in my post I was referring to the dressage and/or SJ being in an arena on an arena surface which would not cause anyone any problems unshod. However most ODEs have the dressage and show-jumping on grass which when wet/dewy can cause slipping according to the many replies to my original question about barefoot eventing. Hacking/hunting/XC riding are all fine unshod by all accounts. But tight SJ turns and dressage corners on wet grass are far more tricky without studding up according to many who replied.


----------



## Ambers Echo (13 April 2019)

Well that answers THAT question.... Amber slipped twice cantering 20m circles on dewy grass this morning at Eland Lodge ODE. So shoes and studs it is from now on till the end of the season.


----------



## Michen (13 April 2019)

Ambers Echo said:



			Well that answers THAT question.... Amber slipped twice cantering 20m circles on dewy grass this morning at Eland Lodge ODE. So shoes and studs it is from now on till the end of the season.
		
Click to expand...

Good call itâ€™s not worth the risk


----------

