Can a horse hurt riding without shoes?

My horse is a Barrel Racing horse.. She is the best riding horse, and trained i've owned, but lately shes been acting so bad.. She rares up with me, and want let me ride her, but when i get off her shes the same as shes ever been..


The other day i noticed she threw her shoes, but i don't know how long they been off.. Could that be her problem shes never been w/out her shoes on her front feet, and she also has a spur on her right ankle.. Has anyone ever heard of that being a problem..

Can a horse hurt riding without shoes?
if she's used to having shoes on then she's going to be uncomfortable without them. Also you say she threw the shoes - have you checked for hoof damage, thrown shoes often cause splitting and pieces of the hoof wall could break off and make her even more tender or the nails could even be still in.


You should always check your horse's feet before riding.


Best bet - call the farrier and get him to reshoe her.
Reply:okay well i ride my horse without shoes all the time and as long as there are no sticks or rocks around to were they can step on them it should be fine.
Reply:if she is only acting up when you get on to ride her, it might not be her feet at all. She might be having problems with her teeth, or she might have a sore spot on her back, or the saddle may be pinching her. It seems like she is associating her pain with something that happens to her while you are riding.
Reply:She could be sore from the shoes, I mean, if she's used to having them on, it probably feels weird to her to have them off. Or it could be another issue, were there any other changes with any other tack (i.e. different saddle, pad or bridle?), does she have any saddle sores or pinching? That could cause the bad behavior as well. I'd talk to your farrier or vet about the spur... a phone call doesn't cost anything and they may be able to help..
Reply:her back might be sore but to answer your top question-yes horses can get hurt very badly without shoes. their hooves can crack and it feels like they broke their foot! it can also get infected and then its doubly bad...



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