Should You Pull Your Horse’s Shoes for Winter?

As temperatures drop and riding schedules slow down, many horse owners start thinking about winter hoof care. One of the biggest questions is whether to leave a horse shod or pull the shoes and let the horse go barefoot for the season.

For some horses, removing shoes during the winter can be a great option. It may give the hoof a break from nails, allow nail holes to grow out, and work well for horses that have a lighter winter workload. For others, keeping shoes on—or using specialized winter shoeing—is the better choice.

So, should you pull your horse’s shoes this winter?

The answer depends on your horse.

Why Do Some Horse Owners Pull Shoes for Winter?

Traditionally, many horse owners have removed shoes during periods when their horses aren’t being ridden or worked as heavily.

If your horse spends much of the winter turned out and only gets occasional light exercise, there may be less need for shoes than during competition or trail-riding season.

Going barefoot for part of the year may also allow old nail holes to grow down and gives the farrier an opportunity to manage the hoof without having to accommodate shoes.

But simply removing the shoes doesn’t automatically mean a horse will have healthier feet. Hoof quality, conformation, terrain, diet, trimming, and the individual horse all matter.

Which Horses May Do Well Barefoot During Winter?

A horse may be a good candidate for having its shoes pulled if it has generally healthy, strong hooves and isn’t doing work that requires additional protection or traction.

Horses with a reduced winter workload are often the most obvious candidates. A horse that spends the colder months primarily in a pasture or paddock may have very different hoof-care needs from one continuing to compete, trail ride, fox hunt, or train regularly.

The surfaces your horse encounters also matter.

A barefoot horse living primarily on relatively forgiving footing may be perfectly comfortable. A horse regularly traveling over frozen, rocky, abrasive, or uneven ground may need additional protection.

When Should You Think Twice About Pulling Shoes?

Not every horse should automatically go barefoot simply because winter has arrived.

Some horses have thin soles, weak hoof walls, hoof abnormalities, chronic soreness, or other issues that make shoes important for comfort and support. Horses wearing therapeutic or corrective shoes shouldn’t have them removed simply to follow a seasonal routine.

A horse that continues working throughout winter may also need shoes for protection or traction.

If your horse is wearing shoes for a specific veterinary or farrier-related reason, discuss any change with your farrier and veterinarian first.

Don’t Wait Until the Ground Is Frozen

If you and your farrier decide that your horse can comfortably go barefoot for winter, timing matters.

Removing shoes before the ground becomes deeply frozen may make the transition easier. Your horse has time to adjust while footing is still relatively forgiving rather than suddenly going barefoot on hard, frozen terrain.

Talk with your farrier ahead of time so you can determine the best point in the horse’s normal trimming or shoeing cycle to make the change.

Expect an Adjustment Period

A horse that has been shod continuously may need some time to adjust to being barefoot.

Some horses transition with very little trouble. Others may initially be more sensitive, particularly when walking over gravel, frozen ground, or other hard surfaces.

Pay attention to how your horse moves.

Shortened steps, reluctance to walk over certain surfaces, repeatedly seeking softer footing, or obvious soreness shouldn’t simply be dismissed as something the horse needs to “tough out.”

If your horse appears uncomfortable after having its shoes removed, contact your farrier. Persistent or significant lameness warrants veterinary attention.

Barefoot Doesn’t Mean “No Farrier”

This is an important misconception.

Taking off your horse’s shoes doesn’t mean hoof care stops until spring.

Hooves continue growing during the winter, although growth rates may change. Barefoot horses still need regular evaluation and trimming to maintain appropriate hoof balance and prevent excessive growth, cracks, flares, and other problems.

Your farrier may adjust the trimming schedule based on your horse’s individual hoof growth and environment.

Winter Creates Its Own Hoof Challenges

Winter conditions can be tough on feet whether your horse is barefoot or shod.

Depending on where you live, horses may encounter frozen ground, snow, ice, mud, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, or a combination of all of them.

Mud can soften feet, while frozen and uneven ground can create hard impact surfaces. Rapidly changing conditions can make hoof management particularly challenging.

Regularly pick out and inspect your horse’s feet throughout the winter. Look for cracks, bruising, tenderness, thrush, loose hoof wall, unusual odors, or anything else that has changed.

One Potential Advantage of Going Barefoot: Less Snowballing

Anyone who has owned a shod horse in snowy weather may be familiar with “snowballs” or “snow stilts.”

Snow can become tightly packed inside the hoof and shoe, sometimes building into a hard ball that leaves the horse awkwardly elevated and potentially unstable.

Barefoot horses can still accumulate snow in their feet, but traditional shoes can create conditions that allow snow to pack inside the hoof.

For horses that remain shod in snowy climates, farriers have several strategies available to help reduce snow buildup. Ask your farrier which options are appropriate for your horse and local conditions.

What About Traction?

Traction is one reason the decision isn’t as simple as “barefoot is better in winter.”

Ice creates a hazard for any horse.

Depending on the horse’s work and environment, a farrier may recommend specialized winter shoeing or traction options. However, adding traction also changes how the hoof interacts with the ground and isn’t appropriate in every situation.

This is another decision best made with an experienced farrier who understands your horse, footing, turnout conditions, and workload.

Consider Hoof Boots

Hoof boots can sometimes offer a middle ground for horses transitioning to barefoot.

A horse might be comfortable barefoot in its pasture but need additional protection for trail riding or traveling over rocky or frozen terrain.

Properly fitted hoof boots may provide temporary protection when needed without requiring the horse to remain permanently shod.

Fit is important, so ask your farrier for guidance before choosing boots.

Don’t Forget About Your Horse’s Workload

One of the biggest factors in deciding whether to pull shoes is what your horse will actually be doing this winter.

Ask yourself:

Will you continue riding regularly?

Will you be riding primarily in an arena or outside?

Will your horse travel over roads, rocks, or frozen trails?

Does your horse compete throughout the winter?

Does your horse need additional traction?

Is your horse comfortable barefoot?

If your horse essentially gets a winter vacation, pulling the shoes may make sense. If you’re maintaining a full training and competition schedule, the decision could be very different.

Every Horse Is Different

It’s tempting to look for a universal rule about winter shoeing, but there isn’t one.

One horse may comfortably spend every winter barefoot and return to shoes when riding increases in the spring. Another may need shoes year-round. A third may do best barefoot permanently.

Even horses living on the same farm can have completely different needs.

The goal isn’t simply to have a barefoot horse or a shod horse. The goal is to have a comfortable, sound horse with healthy, appropriately maintained feet.

Talk to Your Farrier Before Winter Arrives

Your farrier is one of your best resources when deciding whether to pull your horse’s shoes for winter.

Ideally, have the conversation before winter conditions arrive. Your farrier can evaluate your horse’s hoof quality, sole depth, conformation, workload, environment, and current shoeing needs and help determine whether a barefoot winter is realistic.

If your horse has an existing hoof problem, history of lameness, or therapeutic shoeing needs, your veterinarian may need to be part of that conversation as well.

For the right horse, a barefoot winter can be a simple and practical choice. For another horse, keeping shoes on may be essential.

As with most things involving horses, the best winter hoof-care plan isn’t based on what everyone else at the barn is doing.

It’s based on the horse standing in front of you.