To shoe or not to shoe…
MEET THE EXPERT
MARK JOHNSON Dip WCF qualified as a farrier in 1983 and vowed to never stop learning. Today, Mark’s hoof care philosophy embraces the whole horse concept and functional anatomy, leading him to his approach of barefoot first, hoof boots if needed and finally composite shoes as permanent protection.
WHEN IT COMES to parts of the body that inspire the most debate, concern and expense for the horse owner, their horse’s feet are right up there. Not just the feet themselves – their shape, size and quality – but how we choose to shoe them, if at all.
It’s a fair question. Most of us have a widely differing choice of footwear lurking in our wardrobe, from wellies to slippers, flip flops to trainers and, of course, the option of bare feet. Most likely we switch between these several times throughout the day according to
