ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Sports Medicine Boots

[endurance] Sports Medicine Boots

becky glaser (eglaser@bigbasin.com)
Sun, 19 May 1996 11:49:36 -0800

I have used these with only one horse. Tio is small boned and that may be
the problem; however, on the two hundreds I rode with them, they caused
incredible rubs that took months to heal. At Race of Champions last year
one of the vets told me that she didn't think they should be used on
endurance horses for this reason. Still I have friends who swear by them,
and I suspect like many of the issues that we have to deal with, that it's
an individual issue. They will fit some horses well and not work for
others. Unfortunately, just as no one saddle will fit every horse, we are
again stuck with being perceptive observers of what will be work best for
individual equines.

Since I"m here, I can't resist sharing a quick opinion on the gaits issue:
different horses have different preferred gaits. That is gaits at which
they seem to have lower pulses (using a monitor) and more joy. I tend to
allow this to be their gait--remembering to change leads/diagonals
occasionally. One caveat, however, I have seen many promising horses
permanently injured by allowing them to go too fast too soon. No matter
how badly they want to go, it is our duty to protect them (and resist top
ten fever) until they have some miles.