Re: RC: barefoot horses

[DreamWeaver <dreamweaver@gbis.com>]

At 07:37 PM 10/24/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>But Karen what about barefoot with eboots over them? How much
>more protection is afforded a horse with shoes than without when
>you put eboots on?

I guess that it would probably depend on a lot of variables -- the horse, 
his/her feet, the terrain your are riding in, the speed that you travel, 
the distance......all that kinda stuff :+)  (helpful, aren't I?)

Some people do seem to have better luck keeping easyboots on over shod 
feet.  In my own experiences, I have found that as the horses developed 
better feet, they kept the boots on better.  My horse Rocky, has good 
quality feet, but he is definitely flawed -- it took until he was past 
2,000 miles (seriously) until his feet finally got to where we wanted them, 
and then keeping easyboots on him became a cinch.  The club foot fits a 
boot just fine, while the other deformed foot holds a boot on with a wrap 
or two of vetwrap, the hind both need the heel straps tightened (shortened 
in length) while the right hind needs the cable a little tighter than the 
left hind.  When he's barefoot I have to use more vetwrap, and for awhile I 
was even used old socks (human socks, ankle length).  He's done a few LD's 
and at least one 50 barefoot with easyboots.  (most of the LD's weren't 
sanctioned, so aren't on his record)

My horses don't live in natural enough conditions to keep them barefoot as 
much as I would like.  If so, I'd definitely ride them barefoot with 
easyboots (and have done that quite a bit in the past, when they weren't 
doing a lot of endurance miles).  I have no doubt that their feet would 
hold up well with just easyboots on rides....it's the rest of the 
time....... :+(

Happy Trails,

Karen
in NV
& Rocky, 3,180 miles
& Weaver, 3,415 miles
http://members.nbci.com/ridephotos