Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] Barefoot Bias - summing up - Shari

I don't have the time to respond to each and every post on this subject, so I'm responding to all:

#1 Heidi- The first email I got welcomed ?new blood? to the arena, saying most of the barefoot advocates had gotten tired of you flaming them, so as the latest recipient, rest assured, your title is intact.

#2 I did not approach EN to write an article, I was asked to write it.

How was I to know, the person who asked me to didn?t have a clue.

#3 The article did NOT suggest everyone should barefoot their horses, it
was written as a success story from my own personal experience. In fact, I
said that it wasn't for everyone. Had you been allowed to read the article,
you would have seen that.

#4 My original post stated that I cannot and do not exceed 50 mile rides,
so all you 100 milers out there, consider yourself out of the discussion.

#5 My article did mention a particular organization, comments which I asked

before I wrote it if it was acceptable, and was told it was OK.  In a later email, I volunteered to remove the reference, but it wasn?t the problem  Again, the person who said it was OK didn?t have a clue.

#6 The article was reviewed for correctness and applauded by the part-time writer (who asked me to write the article in the first place), so it was not rejected for the WAY it was written. It was rejected because "they did not want to endorse something they did not feel was best for the majority of their members." I was NOT seeking endorsement, it was only a success story. 100 mile rides are not best for the majority of members either, so using that same logic, they should not be written about. In fact, you 100-milers are definitely in the minority, so you should look for articles about you to be discontinued.  Along with those about Pioneer Rides, the NC?s,

and the WEC.  After all, they are not for the majority of members.

#7 OK, wild Mustangs just move around casually 20-30 miles a day - they
don't do 100 miles in 10 hours, either. So, you're telling me THAT'S OK? To ask a horse to do that? Now who's dealing out "cruel and unusual" punishment?  If I?m not mistaken, that has killed more horses than going barefoot, so get off your high horse ? no pun intended. (Oh, boy, I can already feel the hot wind from that one!)

#8 Cowboys shod their horses, Native Americans didn't. Your point is?

#9 Someone referred to my farrier in the present tense.  What part of "been barefoot for 3 1/2 years" didn't you understand?

#10 My article stated it takes time, patience, and commitment, that you
can't pull the shoes and carry on as before. That you have to be willing to
give your horse a break and make sacrifices, and I knew that wasn?t for everyone. Had you been allowed to read it, you would have seen that.

#11 I was incensed because the article was dissed based solely on the
subject matter.  It's not for everyone, so we won't print it. (100 milers,

look out!  You?re next!)

#12 Thanks to all of you wrote to share your success stories; I know there are many of you out there.  

 

#13 Steph Caldwell ? Just saw your post.  Can?t disagree with most of it, but I

will disagree and make a correction at the same time.  Yes that website

is owned by Lisa, a non-vet, but I was referring to the page submitted by

Dr. Tomas Teskey, DVM, Herefore, AZ.  I believe that means he is a vet.

And the article was NOT REJECTED BECAUSE OF A REFERENCE TO THAT

WEBSITE!  I didn?t even know of the website until after all this brou-ha-ha started, and another Ridecamper sent it to me.  So it was not ?faulty sources.?  But then if you could have read the article, you would have known that. 

 Everyone?s heard horror stories about farriers; I?m sorry you had a bad experience of any kind.  I have seen farriers jab a horse in the gut with the

sharp end of a rasp because it wouldn?t move over.  Let?s not trade horror stories.  As for using boots being contradictory, most barefooters totally

disagree.  None of us want our horse to be uncomfortable, but most horses spend only a few hours a week being ridden, and if they wear boots part of that time, so be it.  Haven?t we all followed the philosophy of pulling the shoes in the Winter to ?give the feet a rest??  DU-UH!  We barefooters just happen to believe in giving our horses? feet a rest 100% of the time.

 

#14 I was not, nor am I, out to change anyone?s mind. As I have repeated over and over, my only desire was to share my success and encourage those  who may be uncertain.  Time will produce results and change minds, and when barefoot horses start beating your butts 10 or 20 years from now, that sucking sound you will hear will be all those heads being pulled out of the sand.