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Re: [RC] Dare to go bare! - Mike & Kathy Kelly

Hi,

How long has your horse had his shoes off?  One factor in hoof wear is how
healthy/strong the walls are.  I found with my 2 horses (one previously
shod, one never shod but still didn't have the healthies hooves when I got
him) that with good trimming for correct hoof form, nutrition and time their
hoof walls have thickened and strengthened considerably.  I've seen their
hooves get 1/4in wider, and I think its all in wall thickness (I take alot
of photos of their hooves so I can compare them over time).

I haven't done 50s barefoot, but I have done 2 25 mile rides with one of my
horses with his hinds bare.  One of these was very rocky and included alot
of cantering and hills.  He didn't show any wear on his hinds after those
rides, but I'm sure they wouldn't wear as much as fronts would.  I have been
doing all my training rides barefoot the past few months, and my horses
hooves haven't worn too far, but I haven't had to do much trimming, either.
Also, its been wet and snowy so the ground isn't as abrasive.  I couldn't
ride this horse barefoot when I got him last summer, tho, his hooves were
contracted, heels were high, and he had to have boots on front.

Question for you bare-hoofers out there: do you ever have
problems with the hoof wearing down too much?

I have to do a fair amount of riding on paved roads.  When I had
my horse shod, he wore a set of steel shoes down to nothing in
just 4 weeks, and this was with fairly light riding.  Since then
I have kept him barefoot.  If I ride 1 - 2 times a week, he
wears his feet enough that I can go months without a trin
(fortunately, he travels stright, so they wear evenly).  But If
I were training for endurance, he'd wear his feet to nothing and
be walking on his soles (would the soles wear through
eventually?)

I doubt you'd ever get to the point that the sole would wear thru, I think a
horse just walking on sole would be too sore to go enough to wear the sole.

How do you preven excessive wear?

For me the biggest thing is doing everything I can to get their hooves in
great shape (correct trimming, exercise, nutrition - I have my hay tested
and get a custom supplement to balance the mins.)  It takes time, but I've
seen good results over a few months.  I use boots when I need to, and
although I haven't had too much wear yet, the minute I got close to that
point I'd boot.

Kathy Kelly
Parks AZ


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Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

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Replies
Re: [RC] Dare to go bare!, A. Perez