Re: RC: shoeing for concussion

[Karen <karen@storallnv.com>]

At 06:39 AM 08/09/2001 -0400, Rides 2 Far wrote:
>What is the best hoofwear IN THE WORLD to absorb concussion? Describe the
>worst ride for concussion that you've done...please?

Well, since you asked :+)......that's easy --- EASYBOOTS.  You knew I'd 
give that answer.  I've ridden a lot of miles with them and they really are 
great for rides where you have a lot of hard or rocky ground.  I've seen 
people use lots of other types of special shoes or pads, and what I see 
happen with those is that when they come off (which they often do, cuz I 
see them a lot lying on the trail) the horse is generally lame and/or has 
its foot torn all up.  If you lose an easyboot on the trail, over a shoe -- 
it's really not a big deal.  You can plop another one on or at least keep 
going to the next check or finish.

The worst ride for concussion -- in terms of distance, or just one 
day?  For just one day, it would probably have to be the Virginia City 
100.  For distance, it would have to be the 2001 XP.  Riding 19 fifty mile 
rides on each horse in 8 weeks definitely put the easyboots to the 
test.  Neither horse has any bruising, and their feet are in pretty good 
shape.....which to me is amazing.  We went over quite a variety of terrain, 
from dirt roads to gravel, pavement, hard packed, old paved roads, rocks, 
sand, alkali ankle deep, mud, singletrack trails, just about everything 
you'd ever expect to see on an endurance ride anywhere.

I've been riding the horses again already (withdrawals, big time!).  They 
aren't footsore.  We generally do our training rides without easyboots, so 
their feet stay tough.  Before the XP I was riding them both with 4 boots 
on to make sure they were used them on the hinds, since I usually only use 
them on the fronts.  For the XP we had them on all 4 feet on both horses 
the entire way.

Happy Trails,

Karen
in NV
& Rocky, 4,330 miles
& Weaver, 4,370 miles
www.endurohorse.com