front feet short - hind left unshod

Question
QUESTION: hello sir, at our thoroughbred racetrack, few good trainers shoe the fore hooves with an aluminum shoes whereas they leave the hind feet unshod. i mean, horse runs with aluminum shoes on forefeet and hind feet barefooted. may i know? doesn't the hind hooves crack as it is getting exposed more onto environment without any support it?

ANSWER: Just because a hoof doesn't have a shoe, doesn't mean the hoof will crack.

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QUESTION: thanks for the answer. sir, even the forefeet can be left unshod as per your answer. why the forefeet are shod while the hind left barefooted? it would be much better i believe with all four feet barefooted for a horse.

Answer
It really depends on your reasons for deciding to shoe or not shoe the horse. Some people don't shoe the hind feet because it is cheaper to just use two shoes on the front. If you are trying to increase traction for a horse and speed is important, like it is for a race horse, then I would shoe all four feet. A horse can run a race without shoes but it won't have as much traction as a horse with shoes. This could mean the difference between winning or losing. It's not better or worse to have feet barefoot or shod, it's just different. This is true unless there is a medical reason for the choice. The expected use of the horse and the cost of shoeing generally determine how many shoes if any will be applied.