Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

um, I don't have a special barefoot trimmer and my mare doesn't live in any special conditions. At age 5, she's never worn shoes and is ridden a lot on rocky terrain and gravel roads. Her soles are tough and her hoof walls the thickest my farrier has ever seen, and he's seen a lot of horses.

 

He's not a big barefoot advocate, but says it would be a crime to shoe this horse,, so I'm going to ride her as long as I can barefoot and see what happens. But if she needs hoof protection, she's going to get it.

 

I have two other horses that I ride shod. I think if you are taking a horse from always having shoes to going barefoot, that's a whole nother story and yes, you need to do more homework.

 

chris

Julie Pearsall <morris921@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: "terry banister" <terrybanister@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: morris921@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [RC] to shoe or not...
> Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 21:54:58 -0700
> Atually, if you need to ask, you haven't done any research or reading on the 
> subject, and haven't lined up a barefoot trimmer, and don't know about the 
> living conditions required for healthy hooves, then you should just do what 
> everyone else does and nail on steel.
> Terry
> May the Horse be with you"
>
> From: "Julie Pearsall" <morris921@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [RC] to shoe or not...
> Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 14:35:19 -0400
>
> Question:
>
> Should I have my mare shod if most of our riding will be on rural roads, ie: 
> tar and stone, lots of
>  texture??
>
> **************************************************************************************************************
>
> Actually, I am a science teacher and know that modern horses , Equus equus, 
> evolved in the deserts of Asia and the Middle East, in arid climates. I 
> know that they are designed to walk and eat all day, hence the problems of 
> colic in horses that are stall bound, and the evolution of what was a single 
> toe into a hard-walled, flexible soled, cushion-heeled foot exceptionally 
> well designed for speed, like a sprinter up on her toes during the 50 meter 
> dash.
>
> My concern was that since horses did not evolve on man-made surfaces, is 
> there a risk of concussion injury to the hoof from constant impact on 
> pavement that I could mitigate with one of the new composite shoes. My 
> other concern was that her feet might slip while trotting on pavement and I 
> didn't want to run the risk of a fall, possibly causing severe damage
>  to her 
> legs, either abrasions, breaks, or tendon damage. Again, I wondered if 
> composite shoes or steel with studs might be indicated. I do have a good 
> farrier who comes to the barn every six weeks, but he doesn't have any 
> endurance horses among his clients.
>
> In all of my activities with my horse, her comfort and well-being are my 
> first concern. I realize she is mentally basically unchanged from the wild 
> horses first approached by man and that I ride at her discretion as long as 
> she trusts me not to put her in danger, that if she feels threatened I can 
> expect her to act in her own best interests of self preservation.
>
> Thank you to those of you who shared their experience as a guide line for me 
> to gauge how she and I are doing. Thank you for the information about hoof 
> wear as an indicator of a need for some form of barrier between the hoof and 
> the road. I don't have any friends who ride endurance (yet), most show or 
> barrel
>  race (no thanks!!). You guys are my tutors, after a fashion, when I 
> can't find an answer in a book or at a web site. Thanks again.
>
>
> Julie <><
>
>
>
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