RE: RC: Endurance, Barefoot - style!

["Anna Larson" <hobo14@earthlink.net>]

 just read your Sig block.  I live in Thoreau, NM., have 5 barefooted
equine and have been training for CTR and Endurance for a couple years.  I
have ridden in 2 novice two day CTR's on my barefooted mare.  Thoreau is
along the continental divide and very rocky to include lava rock and sand
stone.  I have not had a single problem with any of my barefooted horses
although they have been barefooted most of their lives not like some who
have just pulled the shoes. My mare has not been to any rides this year as
she was recovering from a severe vaccine reaction and seizures however, she
is back in training and I'm planning on a couple short rides at the end of
the year. My trails at home consist of hard pan clay and sandstone and lava
rock with occasional areas of sand, or along the paved road which is
basically hardpan clay and paving gravel.  The two rides we went on, one
was nearly solid sand stone for most of the two days (40 miles) and the
other was basically nice decomposed forest soil with a little rock. 

Before moving to NM, I lived in Sierra Vista AZ and rode the Huachuca
Mountains at Ft. Huachuca.  My guys never has a problem on that fragmented
rock up there. 

I also have several friends who (though not competing in AERC) have
barefooted horses and do trail ride many miles all around Santa Fe. It is
not at all impossible to have a barefooted horse in the rocks.

  
> 
> I think it's a very good idea for people who are pushing
> the barefoot idea to make sure they post where they
> are from and how long they have been conditioning their
> horses hooves for barefoot.
>
> There is no way I'd subject my horses to being barefoot
> at our new place here in Santa Fe.  There are areas in 
> and around Santa Fe that have more moisture and top
> soil than our rugged beautiful land.  Here, I have rock.
> Fragmented, solid, sharp rock.  Made it very interesting
> to get any kind of fence up.
> If you are going to push "barefoot", please make sure you
> specify what kind of ground is normal for your horse's day
> in and day out living, what kind of trails you ride (gravel on
> soft dirt is different than gravel on 1" hard pack over solid
> rock), and what kind of surfaces you do your AERC miles on.
> 
> Kathy Myers
> Santa Fe, NM
> AERC # 14992
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--- Anna Larson
--- hobo14@earthlink.net
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