Logic tells us that a kick from a shod horse is going to hurt a lot more than one from a barefoot animal. That’s why some farm managers insist on horses going barefoot on the hindlimbs if they’re pastured with other horses. But there’s never been any science to confirm this logic—until now.

A recent study by Swiss researchers has confirmed that a kick from a horse with metal shoes comes with a much greater risk of fracture to another horse’s long bones than a horse with plastic shoes. And that risk is significantly minimized if the horse has no shoes at all.

“Kicks by shod horses are clearly more dangerous than kicks by barefoot horses, so the concept of keeping horses barefoot on the hindlimbs in group pasture settings seems justified,” said Michelle Jackson, PhD, of the University of Zurich Vetsuisse Faculty Equine Surgery Clinic.

Proper herd management using behavioral clues and recommendations by behavior specialists can also help reduce injury risk in group pasture settings, regardless of shoeing status, she added