I have not put shoes on my mare yet this year because yesterday was the first day that I could ride this year due to a medical issue. I do a lot of dirt road and rocky trail riding and I would love for my mare's feet to be tough enough to stand up to it but I don't think it's going to happen. I was recently talking with a longtime traditional farrier who also now does barefoot trimming and he said that if you ride on a lot of rocky trails about 50%, if not more, of horses will need shoes. And when done correctly, as in correctly fitted shoes on healthy to start with hooves and a 4 month or so break from them annually, it's not as horrible as some make it now sound.

When I can only go 6 weeks on one set of front shoes and my fiancé can almost shave with them they are so worn, no I don't think my horse can go barefoot. And since there is only so much you can do to the natural hoof angle he didn't feel that she could be trimmed so she would not wear as much. I don't think there is a boot on the market that will hold up either, but please let me know if you think there is one out there because I'm willing to try. However, she twists her back legs funny so I don't think I will ever be able to put hind boots on her.