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<<<<sharp penny wrote:> There have been reports ....that over
time (3+ months) and lots
>of conditioning miles the expansion and
contraction of the
>shoe causes the hoof wall to break out. They say that
you
>can see the wear pattern where the nail has worked within
>the
hoof and over time the stress of the nail moving seems
>to cause the hoof
wall to weaken and breakout. In some
>cases the nail have actually sheared
off.>>>>>>
Yes, I have seen this in a client who has been
using these shoes all summer. The wall is breaking away on a horse who has
never had this problem - and that is with the two nail. She has about
competitive 300 miles and the associated training over about 4 months. The
shoes have been replaced, of course.
My suggestion, and actual practice, with my own
horses, is to shoe for the ride - in other words, use the ground controls if you
are going somewhere you know to be hard or rocky, then switch back to steel or
aluminum when you are going somewhere grassy or sandy. Here in the NE, we
have such a varied terrain, that it is quite feasible to do that, this way you
are not subjecting your horses feet to the constant expansion of the nails of
the GC, yet deriving the benefit of the extra padding when needed
most.
OK, I admit, it is easy for me, as I shoe my own -
but it is a thought.
Laura Hayes AERC#2741
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