Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

One other point I'd like to bring up with the shoes vs boots (NOT a barefoot
debate............PLEASE) is that boots are much more bulky and for a lot of
horses (not all of them) the stress they cause to the internal structures is
greater than that or a correctly applied shoe.  I have one horse that fits
into this category.  It seems (I've talked this over with Dr. Hilary
Clayton) that the hooves that tend to grow underrun heels are affected
adversely the most by the extra bulk of the boots.  It's the extra at the
back of the boot and the extra at the toe (which can be somewhat mitigated
by grinding a better breakover at the toe of the boot).   For the rear
hooves it's the extra at the sides, since there is no rear pattern boot,
that affects the foot fall the most.

People just need to realize that anything you put on the foot will change
the flight pattern, loading and breakover of the hoof/limb.  To that end,
you choose the product that works best for the individual.  For a lot of
endurance horses shoes will be a MUCH safer and healthier choice than boots.
And, even within the selection of shoes, a specific shoe can be chosen to
help a horse out that has "issues".  It's difficult to work through "issues"
with the very limited selection of boots on the market.

Just my $.02 after trying to get barefoot, boots and shoes to work for my
horses (and doing lots of research into all of the options).

Karen



-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of neariver@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:33 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Charlene Large; Dyane Smith
Subject: Re: [RC] Old Mac versus EasyBoots

I don't want to start up a barefoot vs shod debate... but maybe I'm missing
something here....but with all the problems associated with Old Macs,Easy
Boots and the like.What's the matter with good old shoes?
With all the miles put on by a distance horse it seems something actually
attached to their feet is alot safer in the long run.Carry an easy boot(s)
if horse loses a shoe.
I've seen numerous horses literally tripping over their boots as they go
down the trail.Just seems dangerous.
                                             -Nancy


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.2/442 - Release Date: 9/8/2006



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

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!!

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