barefoot endurance

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

stacy  stacy.a.berger@intel.com
When I lived in Gilroy, CA I pulled my horses shoes every winter,
no problem.  Resulted in great strong feet.

Now I live in the Sierra foothills - lots of granite.  I told my farrier that I pull shoes in the winter.  He cautioned me about doing so if I will be riding.  I said my horses have good feet, and never has been a problem.  The farries said that when the feet are soft (its been wet) they may wear down too fast as they are soft.  I decided to pull 1 horses back shoes...did a 4 point trim - turned him out.  4 weeks later, I had the farrier back putting the shoes back on.  This horses feet have worn down to hardly anything.  He was so sore on his back feet that he would
stand all day on the hill, facing downhill to keep the weight off the back end.  Poor guy - the granite just whittled the hooves down!

Barefoot anything is not in our future while we live in this area!

Stacy