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[RC] Almost Totally Sound Barefoot - Don Huston

My horse Datezz has been on R&R with a re-injured old splint since Feb. He never was lame but the tendons below the big lump were swelling after a 50 so it was time for a rest and xrays and vet opinions. 10 days ago I trimmed up his hooves with a grinder, file and knife. Then Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue and Wed we took nice easy 2-3 hour walks warming up on good footing then on into the dry hard rocky trails. He occasionally gave a head-bob when stepping just wrong on a rock but 95% of the time he just kept crunching those rocks. There are also many long sections with good footing where he started trotting on his own and felt very solid and even but I pulled him up right away. There will be plenty of time to go faster later. I took some pictures of the rocky roads he walked on and he did keep it up at least an hour and sometimes two every day in the rocks, also a picture of my horse and pictures of his hooves.

Horse posted here,
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/?action=view&current=Datezz-Saddled-Up.jpg

Trails posted here,
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/Hard%20Rocky%20Trails/

Hooves posted here,
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/Datezz%20Barefoot%20LF/
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/Datezz%20Barefoot%20LH/
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/Datezz%20Barefoot%20RF/
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u229/Fasterhorses/Datezz%20Barefoot%20RH/

This horse has been barefoot over 4 years and has completed over 30 50's using various types of boots but mostly Old Macs. I do not use Old Macs anymore, I have just started Easyboot Bares and will glue them on for endurance, no more clunking or straps or gaiters to rub raw spots. He has never been barefoot sound on these hard rocky trails before so his hooves are much improved (but not perfect)...it just took him a long time. I always wondered what good sound hooves would look like so I took these photos after riding barefoot for 5 days to show what is working for this horse.
Datezz still does not have a 30 degree hairline (about 25) and the coronet band is pushed up above the quarters. I'm thinking that scooping the quarters might help straighten that out, would that be correct?
I am open to any and all comments. I only trim my 3 and make no claim to be a pro. If I was to make a claim it would be for "perseverance" even tho I was sorely tempted to go back to steel shoes. My only advise would be to get your horse out barefoot and just spend time walking everywhere and gradually increase the amount of time on the nasty footing. Their hooves really will go sound with a barefoot trim and walking time, not speed. For speed I use the boots.



Don Huston at cox dot net
SanDiego, Calif




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