barefoot

["Seamstob" <seamstob@telusplanet.net>]

My mare has had white line separation since I bought her 7 years ago. Not enough to make her lame but getting bad enough to cause concern.

I changed to the natural hoof trim, quit shoeing and started conditioning her feet at the beginning of the season. My hoof care specialist Susan Jaeger was amazed to find about 2 inches of healthy white line at the toe the last time she trimmed. Still have a ways to go to get the entire white line back in shape but we are thrilled with the results so far.

I have not been racing her this year but have been pleasure riding .

I have not shod my other mare in the last 3 years. She had great feet. Very thick walls good cup and hard soles.We did a LD barefoot with some road. She was great.

I took her into the mountains barefoot and had terrific results. After 8 days her feet still looked great. She was still sound and the quarters had broke out as I was told they would.She still had lots of foot left. We covered very rocky rivers, shale and all other types of trail. She was traveling as good as the shod horses and better then some of them. Unfortunately my experiment came to an end when she broke her leg and had to be put down. I miss her .

It did convince me that a horse properly conditioned to the terrain can run barefoot and stay sound. I will use EZ boots if I need hoof protection. I have rode in them alot and have had no problem with them. I do find they slip in mud and would rather be barefoot. I carry them with me just in case I need them if I am not sure of conditions.

Paddi