My QH & my
friend's Arab both have excellent, thick walled hooves. They had both been
barefoot for at least 3 years & going on sand, gravel & stone when we
did our first 25 mile ride. They did fine. It was sandy, NJ soil but
you could see that their hooves were sanded down. Two weeks later we went
for a 25 in the PA mountains. Both horses were worn sore &
were close to foundering.
That was the last
time we tried to do a ride barefoot.
They go barefoot
during the off season & do great. When it's time for rides they are
in Ground Control shoes.
Wild horses
did fine barefoot but they were not out doing 25, 50 or 100 miles at a trot
all in one shot.
