Re: Barefoot Endurance?

[Trailrite@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/15/00 12:31:20 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
helgeson@ndak.net writes:

<< What kind of shoe do you use? The one that my farrier uses has some give to
 it like the hoof naturally gives. >>
    We use Wide Eventers.  I think if your farrier leaves expansion for hoof 
growth, and you have a very balanced foot for that horse, then there should 
be no problem with having shoes on. 
    Don't get me wrong, and no offense I hope, but we have no problems with 
our horses using shoes.  I prefer using them in fact.  When you put on 1500 
recorded miles on a horse per year, not to mention the miles at home for 
conditioning and pleasure this is asking a lot out of a hoof.
    Both, my husband and my horse have done 4000 recorded miles in 3 years.  
So this is a lot of miles.  Some of these rides have been nothing but rocks 
and no dirt for miles.  Another thing to consider, it that my husbands horse 
carries 220lbs.  He won the Nat'l Heavyweight Pioneer Championship last year 
on this horse at 1125 miles, just in Multidays.
    So as my Granny use to say... "If the Wheel ani't broke, don't fix it."

    But, I'm still interested in following your progress of barefoot 
competition.   Because you never know...

Tammy Robinson