To shoe or not to shoe?

[O'Leary]

That is the question?

It wasn't something I took notice of they couple of times I was at Keenland, observing, should have, but didn't......anyways, when the breeders on here take their yearlings to the sales do you send them barefooted or with front plates on?.....My filly doens't really need it at the moment, but I was just wondering what people on here normally do.

[madelyn]

All of the yearlings I have bought had front shoes on.

[Cathy D]

Weanlings are taken to sales barefoot, but yearlings are shod with flat race plates. Depending on the surface they are shown on, some youngsters will actually wear the foot down at the sale and get sore-footed if barefoot, and won't show well at the walk. Others tend to break the feet up before the sale stamping flies. You don't want your sales horse to arrive at the sale with chipped feet, as buyers will think he has bad feet. I once over heard an ignorant buyer comment "the feet have been neglected" when shown an unshod yearling that had a beautiful, strong foot!