Barefoot from Angie

[guest@endurance.net]

Angie McGhee Rides2far@juno.com
I haven't been on here lately and just dropped in to lurk but since I have
an excellent case study in that I have been spending my afternoons riding
my ponies (which are 8 and 9 years old and have never worn shoes) I
thought I'd post the results to my two rat study:

Flies:  It's true. There are fewer flies on the ponies than on my shod
horse when I ride.  This is because the pony will not stay on the trail;
he does the tenderfoot tiptoe off to the side where the footing is softer
and ends up running me through all the over hanging limbs.

Another plus with barefoot animals is that it increases the length of the
trail.  This may be important if we continue to lose trails.  When I ride
Kaboot, who is shod, I require at least 7 miles of trail for a one hour
ride.  With my barefoot ponies running me through all the overhanging
limbs I can ride an hour on around a mile of trail.

One thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is the sound.  I must admit,
I really miss the clip clop on the pavement.

I will close with my favorite poem:

The hooves of the horses,
Oh witching and sweet
Is the music earth steals
From the iron shod feet

No whisper of lover
No trilling of birds
Has stirred me as hooves
Of the horses have stirred
(unknown)

Thud thud just doesn't do it for me. >g<

Angie