Re: Barefoot Stats

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

I have yet to consult Nelson about this question of the shoe relieving pain
from rocks...I was lucky to get his cute little joke about how sore HE was
from riding barefoot last weekend.  haha
However, I am going to venture on my own and will consult him when he gets
home later about this.
The shoes are not necessarily there to prevent pain from rocks.  Shoes with
PADS could/would do that.  I am not going to say a shod horse will not feel
pain if he steps on a rock or walks over rocks.  That is not the sole
purpose of the shoe.  The shoe is there to prevent wear and provide traction
in some instances.  It CAN help prevent bruising but it doesn't always.
Barefoot horses can/will feel pain from sharp rocks as much as shod horses.
Barefoot horses can and will get bruises from rocks or concussion.  Some
horses have more tender soles/feet than others barefoot or shod.  What may
bother one horse may not faze another.  That's just the way it is.  As I
have stated before, Malik can travel over anything I point out to him.  He
has never indicated any ouchiness or pain even on hard gravel roads barefoot
or shod.  This is normal for HIM.  It is not normal for some other horses.
If you have a horse that can go barefoot over the sharpest of sharp rocks
then you should count your blessings.  But if you have a horse that gets
ouchy over a pea sized pebble, you might be better off to shoe and pad him.
That's the way it is.  That's reality.  I am not going to waste a horse for
one to two years to see if MAYBE he could someday go ANY distance in
competition barefoot.  One could ultimately ruin a good horse who just
happens to have crappy feet...in many cases it is simply genetic and no
amount of conditioning his feet on rocks or letting his hoof grow out will
change that.   Many people only have one or maybe two horses and they want
to ride NOW.  A good farrier who can shoe properly and use common sense in
deciding what that horse needs can help owners/riders achieve their goals.
JMHO.
Maggie