Forwarded Barefoot Post

[Dbeverly4@aol.com]

Barney requested that the following be posted to RC approximately a week ago. 
 Possibly with all the virus stuff it didn't make it through.  If it doesn't 
make it soon, it will no longer be pertinent, so here it is:

Please post this on Ridecamp.  Thank  you
> >  >Barney
> >  >
> >  >TO: Robin Levash in response to her comments on  RC.
> >  >
> >  >Robin, GIVE IT UP!  You have gone too far  now.  You made a mistake
> >  >when you miss-quoted me.  You apparently  heard only what you wanted
> >  >to hear.  I am sending this to RC so that the  people you have been
> >  >telling your story to can hear my side of the  situation.  I will go
> >  >back some time ago when
> >  >you asked me my opinion on riding Endurance  barefooted and I said
> >  >"I wouldn't do it.  Some people have tried it and  some mules have
> >  >done fair, but I believe 50 miles and hard rocky trails at our  pace
> >  >is too much for horses with no hoof protection"  I also said that it
> >  > was a "RIDE Rule for some rides, not an AERC rule and that my
> >  >responsibility was  to uphold AERC rules.  You called Claire (RM for
> >  >Las Vegas ride) and told  her "I said it was OK to ride her ride
> >  >barefooted and she waived her rule for  you.  When I got to the ride
> >  >she told me what happened and I told her there  was no way I would
> >  >or could override a ride rule, but we decided that instead of
> >  >sending you home we would let the trail solve the problem.  Your
> >  >horse did  fairly well for the first loop.  I suggested you put
> >  >easyboots on to lessen  the foot soreness and you did and later I
> >  >heard someone say you left camp and  took them off just out of
> > camp.
> >  > When you came in to finish you took the  full hour and presented a
> >  >grade 2 lame horse for completion.  You were not  very well liked
> >  >around camp for what you were doing and I was told that  repeatedly,
> >  >but as you know I am fair and follow the rules.   You qualified for
> >  >your completion by presenting a horse that was  metabolically fit to
> >  >continue and less than grade 3 lame.  I suggest you  stop bragging
> >  >about it and admit the trail was too much for a barefooted  horse.
> >  >I never said the lameness was NOT due to the feet, as it was
> >  >apparent to ANYONE that the horse was foot sore.  You asked me if it
> >  >could  be his sore ankle that was contributing to the lameness and I
> >  >said  yes.
> >  >
> >  >Robin, hear this,  I believe Endurance Horses  NEED hoof protection
> >  >and you can quote me on it.  If I see my name in an  outside
> >  >publication agreeing and\or supporting your cause I will rebut it.
> >  >Don't let that happen.
> >  >Barney
> >  >Barney Fleming
> >  >Deming, New Mexico
> >  >www.equinedoc.com
> >  >