The debate between barefoot horse management and traditional shoeing involves important welfare considerations around hoof biomechanics, pain, and the appropriateness of interventions for individual horses.
The barefoot versus shoeing debate is genuinely complex, and welfare outcomes depend more on individual horse management than on blanket adoption of either approach. A well-managed barefoot horse on appropriate terrain may have superior hoof health, while an improperly transitioned barefoot horse on hard surfaces experiences pain that shoeing would prevent. The welfare principle that unites both approaches is that hoof health must be actively managed through regular assessment, appropriate trimming or shoeing, and sufficient movement on varied surfaces. Neglected hooves — whether shod or unshod — cause chronic pain that is among the most common and preventable welfare problems in domestic horses.