Going barefoot successfully is a lot more than just removing the shoes. It involves you taking overall responsibility for your horse's hoofcare. A barefoot horse with the correct environment, nutritional and exercise regimes will appear happier, healthier and more relaxed, and should enjoy a longer working life as there is far less strain and concussion on joints and have much better traction on most surfaces than with a shod horse. You will almost certainly notice an improvement with horses showing signs of arthritic joints. A horse with healthy hooves can walk, trot and canter over even the roughest ground, day after day, mile after mile.