“I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet.” Denis Waitley

Musculoskeletal pain is likely to be aggravated by poor foot balance. Team GB farrier Haydn Price contributed to my book ‘Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training’. In his piece for the book, he recommended that horses see the farrier every 4 to 6 weeks.

Think of how different you feel whether you are wearing shoes with or without a heel, with or without a flexible sole, soft shoes or protective workwear shoes. Think about how different your balance is when you walk around barefoot compared to when you’re wearing shoes.

As your horses feet grow longer, the forces that transfer upwards through his limbs into his shoulders and pelvis change. For him to work at his best and stay at his strongest, these forces need to be relatively consistent over time. This is one reason why it’s so important to look after your horses feet.

How often do you have your horse shod or trimmed? Give a shout out in the comments below to your farrier, he’ll appreciate your appreciation!

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021

Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion