Hi guys,
Sorry I've missed this rousing discussion on "barefootin' ", I'd especially
like to address Steve & the quote from Henry Hemingway. In fact, I had been
conferring with Henry for sometime last spring & sent him many pictures of
my "barefoot" horses performing. I invited him to come down & take a look
when I was at Biltmore on May 4th... he declined of course... Anyway, he
kind of suckered a bunch of us "bare footer's n by keeping up a dialog with
us prior to Strasser's appearance at Tuft's University, where, I understand
he was very close to being very disrespectful to this grand lady. Steve, to
you... please read the account of the IAHA National Championship in Arabian
Horse.... Brittany Dial, my step daughter won the purebred 50 miler on a
barefoot horse who looked like a million at the end of the day, I personally
rode DJB BAB RAZZMATAZZ 65 mi. barefoot & only put ez boots (front only) on
the last 35 due to a lot of gravel roads on the last two loops. He won 1/2
Arab 100 Mi Champion.
Razz had a light case of laminitis in 1996 & up to 2000 I had always ridden
him in not only shoes, but pads to protect what I thought was probably
damaged laminar. During that time he usually had to be shod with clips as
his hoof wall was so shelly and poor u cud hardly keep a shoe on him, & if
he lost a shoe, we had to suspend training immediately as his feet wud fall
completely apart... u shud see his feet now!!!! Beautiful thick hoof
wall!!! Now granted, I use the EQUIFLEX (polysteel) shoe on the occasions
that I run on a really bad rocky course, (can't train for them down here in
the swamp), but even then, I often wait until the day or two before the ride
& yank them off immediately afterward so they can be sure & travel home
barefooted. U need that extra circulation after a tuff ride... just look at
the rings on your horse's feet coinciding with rides, if u don't believe
there is not some effect when ridden 50 mi. or 100 in shoes.
Anyway... just got in from KY, that trail beat us all up pretty good, here's
my comments to Henry back last May... gotta go to bed now!
This is a rebuttal written to Henry Heymering by me after his so-called
review was sent to 30 of the barefoot proponents. You can see the hour it
was written in. I wondered if my late night ramblings were too harsh, or
not clear headed enough. Some have criticized the response, others have
cheered. I can only say I wrote from my heart and some greater source
supplied the words. I love saying it, "We're shoeless, not Clueless".....
Arise Bare footers! Darolyn Butler-Dial 22K Competition Miles AERC #
25
Subject: [naturalhorsetrim] Henry H. Considered
Tuesday, May 21, 2002 1:02 AM
STRASSER CONSIDERED
Henry,
I just returned from two days of 50 mile races with 10 farm horses, all
Strasser perimeter trimmed... for two horses it was the first time in a year
they have finished a 50 mile race sound, I feel I owe it all to the
barefoot trim. One 17 year old (shod all of his life) was basically on the
verge of retirement having gone lame in the fall of 2000. He was barefooted
in Dec. '00. It took one year to make his feet healthy.... he has run three
50 milers since March.
The winner Sunday was barefoot, (not mine)... the horse that ran a close,
close 2nd on Saturday was "barefoot", not mine..... (Addendum since this
letter: May 25, 50 Mile Old Glory Endurance Ride - Our farm horses had a
100% completion rate out of 14 starters, DJB Raad Bey (my first laminitic
"fix", won the ride, our horses were also #2, #4, #5, and some scattered
beyond. May 26 our horses were #1, #2, #3 & beyond. Best Condition on both
days went to our Barefoot horses!)
I've been in Endurance 22 years, have ridden over 22,000 mile in
competition, (doesn't count training miles), 4 times national champion,
Medallist in Pan American & World team competitions & 1997 Gold Medal in the
World Nature Games.
I've ridden horses 50 years. In 18 months of embracing the trim I feel that
the trim has the most incredible ability to change the health and lives of
horses than anything I've ever experienced in my years of horsemanship. I
can now not only recognize a healthy barefoot, but I can hear the screams of
unhealthy shod feet when I look at them.
There are some good farriers; I have seen their work. But with this new eye
that has developed over the last 18 months, I can also recognize
pathological extremes that the farriers and veterinarians continue to
perpetrate by conventional, and outdated methods. I put most therapeutic
shoeing right up there with placing leeches on sick humans. You might note
that that was done in the 1800's, the same time of many of the quotations
you used in support of shoeing.
I think you are copping out & saying what you think your fellow farriers
would like to hear you say. I cannot even begin to tell you how
disappointed I am in your review. I actually saw you as open minded and
seeking truth and healing for the equines in this world. Now I am sorry
that any of us wasted our time trying to educate someone who is so obviously
biased and so unprofessionally sarcastic.
If you truly believe what you have written in your report, I think it is
time for you to go back to your sophomoric "farrier" huddle and console each
other with how ridiculous this powerful grassroots movement is.
I think it is time to remove yourself from all the barefoot lists and let
us "franchisers" spend our time with all the "lil ole ladies" that are going
to at least "fix" their own horses feet, regardless of how tough it may be.
And don't ever underestimate the power of these "lil ole ladies" either.
TEN YEAR PREDICTIONS
Ten years from now, I predict you'll not only be doing the "barefoot trim",
but tout that you always supported it.
Ten years from now, I predict most upscale vets will have a "Strasser Type
Trimmer" on the payroll to quickly assist navicular, club footed, laminitic
and foundered horses.
Ten years from now, I predict 95% of all "back yard pleasure horses" will be
barefoot.
Ten years from now, I predict roping, barrel, and race horses will be
allowed the choice of running barefooted, and as more and more of them win
money and have longer performance careers, the field will grow.
Ten years from now, horse museums will house metal atrocities called
therapeutic shoes on their walls, and people will look at them in disgust
and amusement that man could have been so ignorant of how the foot actually
works that they would attempt to cure those ills with shoes, knowing what
nature could heal much quicker and better left on its own.
Ten years from now, 10,000 trimmers will have saved 1,000,000 million horses
from retirement and/or death by giving them healthy feet.
I don't really mean it Henry... don't go away.... your type will only make
us all work that much harder. Just don't pretend to be our friend, or most
of all the horse's friend.
Best Regards Always,
Darolyn
Butler-Dial
Darolyn Butler-Dial & Mark Dial
CYPRESS TRAILS EQUESTRIAN CENTER & HORSEMAN VIDEO SHOWCASE
Proven Endurance Horses for Sale or Lease.
Adventure Trail Rides * Boarding * Training*Lessons *Parties
Represents: Sharon Saare Saddles, Professional Choice, Advanced Biological
Concepts, & KM (Human Electrolytes)
ADVOCATE :THE WHOLE HORSE TRIM (Barefootin")
21415 Cypresswood Dr. Humble, Texas 77338
Ph: 281 446 7232 Fax 281 446 0113 Toll Free (800) 228 8768
e mail: darolyn@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:darolyn@xxxxxxxxxx>
www://home.swbell.net/darolyn/
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