FW: conditioning effects

["Steph Teeter" <steph@endurance.net>]

<I'm forwarding this post from an anonymous Ridecamp weenie :)

Steph said:
>What about the feet - do hoof walls respond to conditioning?>

    I don't know about shod feet responding in a positive way to
conditioning i.e. exercise - but I do know this.
     Shod horses that are de-shod will show a great improvement in hoof
condition with exercise.  In fact, exercise, along with proper trimming, is
one of the most important parts of rehabilitating laminitis, contracted
heels, navicular, hoof imbalance and some tendon and joint problems.  Dr.
Hiltrud Strasser, in her book Lifetime of Soundness, recommends horses get
20 miles of exercise per day - every day - for optimum health.  The feet on
the horses she has trimmed and applied her theories to are incredible.  Huge
frogs, perfectly symmetrical hooves, thick walls, etc.  Some of these horses
(that she's working with) are endurance horses in Europe.
    I'm seeing this in my horses' feet now that they are barefoot - the more
exercise, the faster the feet grow and the tougher they get.
    Probably more than you wanted to know :-)  I didn't post this to the
list because I figured there would be a million replies on how dumb it is,
won't work on endurance horses, yada yada yada.  In other words, I'd get
flamed into oblivion :-)
    But, her theories have been instrumental in healing my foundered horse
and also in improving the health and hooves of the 9 other horses on our
place.  Hope you found this interesting:-)