Re: Re: barefoot

["Terry Barrall and Felix Rodriguez" <losvagos@navicom.com>]

But, Nancy -- there are owners out there with a long-term committment to
barefooting horses. I personally know distance riders who trim and condition
the hoof for barefoot riding and compete barefoot. Their horses have
incredibly healthy hooves that regularly stood up to hard use at distance
without problems.

These people are not too lazy or foolish to shoe their horses; they are very
well-educated to the needs of the horses' feet and choose barefooting
because they believe it is more healthful for their animals. They are most
assuredly not "gimping around in the rocks" as you suggest. I have shoes on
my gelding now, but plan to begin the conditioning process, including an
appropriate trim (Strasser), soon. I would hate to think that someone who
doesn't know me or my history would categorically state that my barefoot
horse could not participate. If it doesn't work at the chosen distance, that
would be apparent soon enough; but if the rider/owner believes they have
prepared the hoof and conditioned for the ride, I would think that no one
knows better than the they if their horse ought to start.

Terry B.



>4. With all the recent talk of how we need more
>restrictions/rules/requirements so endurance "looks better" to the public &
>that we don't abuse our horses, how would we explain that ride management
>isn't allowed to try to prevent barefoot horses gimping around in the
rocks?
>
>BTW, I have only used the "strongly recommended" statement myself, the vet
>checks have always been in camp. I think only a mule has actually started
>w/o shoes or easy boots. (Went 25 miles okay.) If I had to have a vet check
>away, I think I would want to require "hoof protection" of some kind. At
any
>rate, I wouldn't want to give up that option.
>
>Nancy Mitts
>
>
>
>>From: "Sue Riegel" <riegels@cdsnet.net>
>>To: <guest@endurance.net>
>>CC: "S.K. Williams" <skwilliams5@home.com>
>>Subject: RC:  Re: barefoot
>>Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 18:46:39 -0700
>>
>>Lynda, having just come up against this very subject at a recent ride,
>>here's
>>what I have learned.
>>
>>Perhaps I have missed something, but there is no rule in the AERC rulebook
>>requiring horses to be shod.  The rules state that Veterinarians are the
>>sole
>>authority for deciding what criteria will be used in a ride, including
>>metabolic
>>and physical requirements; and their decisions are final!
>>
>>However, a ride manager it seems can place a restriction on a ride
>>requiring
>>horses to be shod with little more background other than  personal opinion
>>(i.e., "I believe it is cruel to compete a horse barefoot").  This seems
to
>>be stepping into the
>>veterinarian role, IMO.  I believe a ride manager, knowing the terrain and
>>conditions
>>of said ride course, has an obligation to alert potential riders that
>>"shoes
>>and/or
>>pads, are strongly suggested".  It's then up to the rider to properly
>>evaluate the
>>horse's experience, conditioning, and foot soundness, and make the
decision
>>for
>>that ride.  It's also up to the ride vet who vets that horse in for a
given
>>ride to make
>>the decision based on the foot in front of him, that the horse is fit to
>>start.
>>
>>Admittedly, an improperly conditioned horse that is competed barefoot has
a
>>distinct disadvantage and most likely will be pulled at the first vet
check
>>for
>>lameness (and the rider pulled for stupidity!).  However, IF a horse has
>>been
>>properly trimmed, and IF a horse has been properly conditioned for
barefoot
>>distance work, that horse ought to be able to compete...... under all of
>>the
>>requirements placed on any other shod horse in competition.
>>
>>Sue Riegel, So. Oregon
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <guest@endurance.net>
>>To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>>Sent: June 26, 2001 4:03 PM
>>Subject: RC: barefoot
>>
>>
>> > Lynda Thompson beattyrugrats@juno.com
>> > I keep reading about barefoot riding.  Are people actually doing
>>endurance
>> > rides barefoot or are they using some sort of hoof protection?  Is it
an
>> > AERC rule to use hoof protection or just a ride rule.  I have seen it
on
>> > entry forms.  Thanks for the help.
>> >
>> > Lynda
>> >
>> >
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