Re: RC: Re: Re: Barefoot Performance Horses

[DreamWeaver <dreamweaver@gbis.com>]

At 11:52 AM 10/24/2000 -0600, shelton wrote:
>Am I completely off base here, what are other's thoughts on why a shod horse
>can plow over rocks thicker than the thickness of a horseshoe without
>apparent discomfort?

The wild mustangs in Nevada are all barefoot (last I checked) and many 
around here would have a hard time passing a vet check at an endurance 
ride.  If the wild horses can't stay sound over this territory, how crazy 
would it be to even expect an endurance horse to stay sound barefoot and 
carrying a rider.  You might pull off a few rides if you were careful, and 
I know certain parts of the country have rides with good footing the entire 
way, but I doubt you'd get a horse thru a whole endurance career of say 
5,000 miles barefoot.

k