How the growing barefoot movement in equestrian sport affects horse welfare and what the evidence shows about hoof health.
The barefoot movement in horses reflects a genuine and evidence-based argument that shoeing alters natural hoof function in ways that may not serve horse welfare. The expanding and contracting hoof capsule provides shock absorption and circulatory function that metal shoes restrict. However, the welfare of barefoot horses depends critically on the quality of the transition, the horse's individual hoof characteristics, and the management conditions provided. Horses pushed too quickly into barefoot work, or asked to compete on unsuitable surfaces without adequate hoof development, may experience discomfort that the approach is meant to prevent. Welfare is the goal — barefoot is a means, not an ideology.