Evidence-based assessment of barefoot horse management reveals welfare benefits for hoof health and circulatory function when horses have adequate diet, movement, and terrain adaptation.
Barefoot welfare evidence is context-dependent — horses with adequate hoof quality, appropriate terrain, and correct diet can achieve excellent welfare outcomes without shoes. Horses in challenging terrain, competition contexts requiring consistent performance, or transitional phases may experience welfare compromise without appropriate management. The welfare question is not categorical — shoes versus no shoes — but individualized: what does this specific horse need in their specific work and environment? Dogmatic barefoot advocacy or reflexive shoeing both fail welfare by ignoring individual variation.