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 - Sarah Cavitt

I am pro-barefoot, but I wouldn't be if my only introduction to it had been through this thread. I'm simply amazed at the one-sided, rose-colored-glasses points of view being expressed by the barefoot people.

I've heard no one say horses shouldn't be ridden barefoot. I've heard no one say you can't do endurance barefoot. I HAVE heard people say that they've found that the wear exceeded growth, and so they decided to shoe THEIR HORSES.

What seems so off in this debate is that the barefoot side is so busy shouting their accolades that they're not acknowledging any of the downsides -- and of course there are downsides. Riding on a very limited schedule while conditioning the hooves is a downside. Wear exceeding growth is a downside. Deep bruises is a downside. Riding only a few rides a year is a downside.

There are barefoot horses who are doing fabulously. That doesn't mean all horses will do as fabulously. If Raven's owner wants to say, "Look how great Raven is doing! This might work for you. Here's what we did," then I doubt there would be any controversy. But that's not what I'm reading. I'm reading, "Look at how great Raven is doing! You too can do this well if you'll go barefoot!" And that simply isn't guaranteed to be true for every horse.

An honest appraisal of the good and the bad will get you a lot further than sugar-coating. If someone tries barefoot based on your sugar-coated views, and that person fails due to completely normal, predictable issues that perhaps could have been worked through but the person wasn't prepared for, then that person is going to become a very vocal opponent to barefoot. Why not be objective and prepare people for reality?

I'm glad YOUR horses are doing well. That doesn't mean all others will. Some will, and some won't.

Sarah

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=