Barefoot and hoof growth

[guest@endurance.net]

karen standefer hrschk@yahoo.com
I've read all the post recently from both sides of the house with concerns
over hoof growth.  I haven't really seen anyone give a good explanation of
why this is.  Here is what I've learned from my studies this year of the
horse's system as a whole, and hooves in particular:

The horse's body uses toxins in the system to produce horn material (hoof
and sole).  In order to get that material down to the hooves, there has to
be good circulation.  Shoes prevent good circulation.  That's why a shod
horse's hoof growth is so much less than a barefoot horse.  A barefoot
horse that is getting used a lot, produced more toxins and the hoof
receives more blood and thus faster hoof growth.

I think that's also the reason that some people are seeing their barefoot
horses sweat a bit less than they did when shod.  I haven't gotten to a
point that I'm at that level of training with mine yet, so I can't
comment.  But, I've seen some posts from people stating this and it makes
sense from the perspective that the horse doesn't have as much toxicity in
the system to shed through sweat, so they can simply sweat just enough to
cool the system, but not in the excessive amounts required by a horse who
needs to shed excessive toxins from his system.

I know that most us of are seeing a major decrease in working, resting and
recovery heart rates.  I would imagine it's also because the hooves are
helping the heart, like nature planned, by pushing blood out of the hoof,
which means the heart has to work less hard to do all the circulation.  My
CHCS told me to watch and expect much lower heart rates.  That was after I
had already documented a 30% lower resting heart rate.

If the trim is correct, then there should be less abrasion from hitting
the ground, because everything is level and can work as it's suppose to
(spreading, contracting and giving with each foot fall), and then you
throw in the fact that the horn growth is at a much, much greater rate
because they're barefoot, trimmed propertly, hoof mechanism working and
getting the hoof the proper nutrition from the blood supply in the body.

The kidneys and liver should all benefit immensely, also because they're
not having to deal with the toxins in the system that are going to the
hoof to produce horn.  In a shod horse, the kidney and liver are overtaxed
because they have to process those toxins (it's not that there are NO
toxins being used by the hoof, just not near the amount that should be,
hence the slower hoof growth).  In an endurance horse I would expect that
the blood testing that is done at some of the larger rides (Pride project)
would be drastically different for a barefoot horse.  I would really be
interested in getting in on this type study.  From everything I've learned
about the hoof, from this last year, and how the horse's body works
together and what those dang shoes do to prevent the system as a whole
from working properly, I'm thinking that barefoot endurance horses can
overcome some limitations that shod horses cannot.  Anyone interested in
funding the blood research?  <g>

Karen