2023 SHOWJUMPING SPECIAL
MENTION the term “barefoot” and it’s sure to spark heated debate among riders. It was not too long ago that the unshod horse would be the one turned out and roughed off, but now world champion and Olympic team gold medallist King Edward and the two-time Olympic individual silver medallist H&M All-In are just two of the elite showjumpers winning at the top of the sport without a shoe between them.
World champion Henrik von Eckermann says taking King Edward’s shoes off was the game-changer that took the superstar where he is; Germany’s Christian Kukuk says his European team silver medal-winning ride Mumbai is faster and lighter barefoot. A recent study on the way horses move found movement in the barefoot hoof is “freer and larger” (see box).
“He’s lighter, his stride is bigger, the whole horse feels lighter without shoes,” Christian says of Mumbai. “The gait is different, he moves differently; but the best thing is that he feels lighter off the ground.”
You could be forgiven for thinking perhaps that shoe-free is the answer; take off your horse’s shoes and away you go, plus save money on your farriery bill. But, as always with horses, it’s not that simple.
Peder Fredricson, partner of the incredible unshod All In, has ridden some horses without shoes for a couple of years. But he stresses that it is just one tool in the rider’s box.
“The horses more comfortable with shoes have them and the ones more comfortable without are barefoot,” he says. “It doesn’t matter whether barefoot or shod, the more we know about how the hoof works, the better we understand the horse. This is valuable for me but also vets and farriers; knowledge is key.”
This story is from the May 25, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 25, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Super subs
Can a huntsman take on a different pack of hounds for a day and produce good sport? It can indeed happen,as Andrew Sallis explains
Welsh star is on the dot
A delightful Welsh section A leadrein contender is the best of a super-strong novice supreme on his winter championships debut
Edwards' remarkable home-soil hat-trick
The Welsh wonder Mark Edwards dazzles on home soil and a syndicate horse does his owners proud
The King retains his crown
Global superstar King Edward joins the ranks of such legends as Milton and Shutterfly as a back-to-back World Cup winner
Kittel takes thriller
Patrik Kittel becomes the second Swedish rider to win a World Cup Final, while the British favourite is eliminated
The start of something special
Royal Windsor is often a show horse's first experience of an electric atmosphere. Alex Robinson learns how the pros use the prestigious fixture to see if an animal has what it takes for the big league
Sore jaws
True pathology of the temporomandibular joint is an uncommon cause of a number of relatively common signs. Robyn Graham MRCVS explains how the problem is identified and treated
Safari guide
Natalie McComb owns Nile Horseback Safaris, leading expeditions through the Ugandan wilderness
Access all areas Tim and Jonelle Price
New Zealand's premier eventing couple are in their second season based at the impressive Chedington Estate. Pippa Roome finds out how they work together and their plans for this Olympic year
Running at a loss, even if you win
Jodie Hall McAteer weighs up the pros and cons of jumping abroad