Olympic Showjumper Peder Fredricson: How I Took my Horses from Shod to Barefoot

Peder Fredricson, one of the best showjumpers in the world, shares the story of how he transitioned his top horses to perform barefoot without horseshoes. Read about Peder’s concerns and considerations throughout the journey and be inspired on how to take your own horse barefoot.

“Whatever you choose to do, it has to be for the benefit of the horse – the horse’s welfare must always be the main priority,” says Peder Fredricson.

The Swedish showjumping champion chose to go barefoot because his horses were more comfortable that way, and Scootboot had the great pleasure of speaking with him to learn how he transitioned his horses from shod to barefoot.

Peder Fredricson has become a key part of the fast-growing trend amongst international elite riders allowing their horses to perform barefoot without horseshoes. However, Peder has also taken it a step further and helped initiate much-needed scientific research into barefoot sports horse performance since 2021.

Research conducted by Professor Lars Roepstorff from the Swedish Agricultural University in 2022  found, among other things, that barefoot horses can move their hooves up to twice as much as shod horses.

Peder has not only taken the chance to see for himself whether barefoot was the right choice for his horses, but has also contributed to helping the equestrian industry learn more about the effects of horseshoes and barefoot performance horses.

 

Why Wait Until the Horse Gets Injured to Take Off his Shoes?

The professional achievements of Peder Fredricson in recent years are too many to summarise, including FEI World Number One, two Olympic silver medals, and Olympic team gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

When Peder isn’t travelling the world competing, he runs the successful showjumping training facility Grevlunda in Kivik, Sweden, together with his wife Lisen Fredricson.

Peder’s first experience with taking a horse barefoot happened by coincidence. One of his top horses suffered from suspensory ligament damage in both hind legs and simply wouldn’t come right.

When Peder and his vets eventually ran out of treatment options, Peder pulled the horse’s shoes and turned him out. Unexpectedly, he discovered this was exactly what the horse needed to recover.

Going barefoot as a last resort for rehabilitation is something many horse owners have experienced. While there are countless success stories involving barefoot rehabilitation and an increasing number of equine rehabilitation facilities supporting barefoot management, scientific research in this area is still growing.

Nonetheless, the experience made Peder question traditional hoof care approaches.

“If taking the shoes off a horse works so well when the horse has been injured, then why would you wait to do it until the horse is injured?”

COVID Lockdown Provided the Opportunity to go Barefoot

However, transitioning a horse from shod to barefoot takes time. As a professional showjumper, Peder rarely had the opportunity to experiment between competitions.

Then the unexpected happened. During the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, competitions were cancelled, travel became restricted, and lockdowns created an unusual opportunity.

“Because we had no way of knowing how long the lockdown would last, when it became time to reset the shoes on the horses, instead we simply chose to leave the shoes off and see how the horses were going without them. At that time, we figured we could just put the horseshoes back on when the situation returned to normal,” Peder said.

As a result, Peder suddenly found himself managing a stable of approximately 30 barefoot horses at Grevlunda.

Without prior knowledge of caring for barefoot performance horses, Peder immersed himself in research to make the transition as successful as possible.

He read books and online articles, watched YouTube videos on barefoot horse trimming, and reached out to experienced barefoot advocates such as French international showjumper Julien Epaillard, considered one of the pioneers of barefoot showjumping.

Peder’s Farriers Were Keen to Expand their Hoof Care Knowledge

Peder Fredricson knew he also needed professional assistance to help his horses transition successfully.

For many years, he had worked with two highly skilled shoeing farriers. Although they had some experience with barefoot trimming, managing elite showjumpers barefoot at the highest level was entirely different.

Trimming a horse to remain barefoot differs significantly from trimming a horse in preparation for a horseshoe. A barefoot horse requires support for natural hoof function, movement, and comfort without the restriction of a shoe.

Luckily, Peder’s farriers embraced the challenge and the opportunity to further expand their hoof care knowledge.

“The whole process has been a team effort and I could not have done it without the support and fantastic effort from these two guys. The fact that they were so open minded and keen to learn new skills have made all the difference for the wellbeing of my horses,” said Peder.

“Of course, it takes a lot of practice, and you don’t get to be an expert overnight. The management and care for my barefoot horses has changed a lot from when we first started compared to today, and we continue to learn and work hard to keep improving every day.”

Using Scootboot Hoof Boots to Transition from Shod to Barefoot

When his horses first had their shoes removed, Peder used Scootboot hoof boots to ease the transition and keep the horses comfortable while they adapted to barefoot movement.

Using well-fitting, shock-absorbing hoof boots during the transition phase encourages horses to land confidently on their heels, helping strengthen the horse’s caudal hoof structures and natural hoof function.

Peder strongly believes horses should remain comfortable throughout the process, as ongoing foot soreness can affect posture, movement, and overall performance. 

“If your horse steps on a sharp rock, of course he will feel the ache, just like you would. But that doesn’t necessarily make him foot sore, it’s just because he can feel the ground. If he’s fine when he reaches a softer surface, that’s what matters. People who have their horses shod can easily think this temporary discomfort looks bad, because they’re not used to having their own horses able to feel the ground,” said Peder.

Peder ensures his barefoot horses are only worked on surfaces they are comfortable on. When riding on rough terrain or surfaces that may wear the hooves excessively, he uses Scootboot hoof boots to protect the horse’s feet and maintain relaxation and confidence in movement.

Taking the Chance on Going Barefoot at the Olympics

As competitions resumed after COVID lockdowns, Peder faced a difficult decision. His horses were performing extremely well barefoot, but the Tokyo Olympic Games were approaching quickly.

“I was really a bit worried about what to do. My first thought was to quickly put the shoes back on the horses. But they were just going so well without them. And I had a very good horse for the Olympics, so I really couldn’t afford to mess that up,” Peder said.

After much consideration, Peder chose to compete barefoot at the Olympics.

Together with teammate Henrik von Eckermann, the Swedish Olympic team attracted worldwide attention and became known as “the Swedish barefooters.”

“If the Olympics had gone bad, I’m sure we would have said; Ohhhh, why didn’t we just put those shoes back on! But luckily, we didn’t have to say that,” Peder chuckled.

Not only did Sweden win Olympic team gold, but Peder also secured an individual silver medal with his superstar horse H&M All In.

Later that year, Peder became the FEI World Number One ranked showjumper.

Farriers and Barefoot Trimmers Need to Work Together for the Benefit of the Horse

Back home after Olympic success, Peder became even more curious about why his horses were performing so well barefoot.

Together with Swedish national team veterinarian Staffan Lidbeck, he approached Professor Lars Roepstorff from the Swedish Agricultural University to initiate further scientific research into barefoot horse biomechanics and hoof function and in early 2023 the research was published. 

As the research progressed, Peder regretted to see some division arise between parts of the barefoot community and traditional shoeing farriers.

“Unfortunately, the research has upset some shoeing farriers, who feel it’s a criticism of their work. And let me make it perfectly clear; that couldn’t be further from the truth. All we were looking to do was gain more knowledge about the internal movements in the hoof, which I believe can benefit the work of both barefoot trimmers and shoeing farriers,” said Peder.

“It’s not a constructive approach to draw barefoot and shod up against each other. Instead, I think it’s crucial we’re all open minded enough to say that what I know now, is different to what I thought was right a couple of years ago. All professional horse people, riders, veterinarians, shoeing farriers and barefoot trimmers, work towards the same goal of helping horses be sound and healthy, so we need to work together and learn more to work out what’s best for the horse,” Peder said.