and Conservancy of the Americas
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Q Does my pony need shoes? A What kind of work are you using him for? If you’re not going at high speed on abrasive surfaces for long distances, you probably don’t need to have shoes put on your pony’s feet. Fells, like other normal, healthy equines, have good strong horn and it seems that hooves adjust to the amount of wear they get, so long as the pony is kept healthy and fed a sensible ration. Most Fells move well and correctly, but their feet are not indestructible! Even if your pony never works on hard ground or roads, you still need to ask a farrier to check the feet are balanced. Common faults are that the feet grow too long at the toe or at one side. Unless their hooves are kept well shaped, horses or ponies can do damage to themselves when working fast; the damage may range from the obvious case of actual interference of one hoof against the opposite leg, to the less visible stress on ligaments from feet being too long at the toe or low at the heel. Shoeing can then help by improving the angle of the foot. A young pony also will need trimming and may need shoeing on a temporary basis to prevent its limbs growing crookedly at certain stages of its development. Also, if you are taking part in a sport such as carriage driving, you may be working for long distances at a trot on tarmacadam or other man made surfaces, so you may find your pony’s hooves just wear too fast for his comfort and you need to have him shod. Your farrier is the person to ask about these things, because every case has different individual points which must be taken into account to reach a decision. With thanks to Mr A W Morland for his advice. * * * * * >> Back to FAQ page.>>
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