Re: RC: Maggie's survey

[Trishmare@aol.com]

Jeeze Maggie, give me a break here, would'ja?  I'm currently WRITING an 
article for Equus on this, and yeah, I do expect they'll pay me!  LOL.  You 
go writing my articles, and I'll never get that horse trailer, Nelson's help 
notwithstanding! (I'm teasing you jes' a bit, here . . .)   Four weeks of 
research, the generous aid of a veterinary neurobiologist, a veterinary 
lameness expert, two farriers, and a voo-doo shaman have thus far been put 
into the writing, and I hope to have the article done soon.  Have been too 
busy with the gawl-dang astrology to wrap it up, quick.
     Too busy just now to tell you all about it, but let's just say that what 
I've found out is; assuming that the hoof is properly trimmed, and barring 
extenuating circumstances, barefoot is always best.  And even more 
fascinating . . . genetics has a lot LESS to do with a horse's soundness 
potential and hoof integrity, than does what happens to a newborn foal, in 
his first 24 hours of life.  Read; stalls are very, very, very bad.  Getting 
up and running with mama (and not just in the confines of a tiny paddock) is 
more important than you would ever imagine, and doing this . . . or not . . . 
can affect the baby's entire future.  So I've been told, so I've been shown, 
so I've come to believe.  Incredible stuff.  Nature knows best, and never 
ceases to amaze me.
    Yak at ya more about this stuff later. Gotta run .  .  . 


 <<  Hi Ridecampers,
  If you will reply privately to avoid cluttering up ridecamp, I promise to
  make the results of this little survey public.  This is what I am curious
  about... I find myself looking at any and all ride photos trying to get a
  peek at the FEET and see what they look like, angles, length of foot, type
  of shoe, etc.  Not a very easy "feat" (hahaha).  I am dying to know what
  you guys DO with your horses' feet.  So, I thought I would just ASK!!  For
  those who know, what angle, length of toe, etc. do you use?  How many go
  barefoot?  How many just have shoes in the front?  All the way around? 
  What kind of shoe do you use?  Do you prefer shoes with or without clips
  (and why)?  I really am interested the most in the angle and length of toe
  that you are going with.  Everyone has their own opinion on that but boy
 we
  see a lot of horses with little or NO heel...did you know the 4-H horse
  book still says that 45 degrees is the ideal angle?  They also teach this
  in FFA (at least 45 degrees is the correct answer on the written test in
  the Horse Judging Competition!).  Please make whatever comments you like,
  keeping in mind I may use some of them in my "report".  I may even put
 this
  together and put it in my newsletter.  Hey, Trish Mare...do you think
 Equus
  would PAY me to publish an article about this???  :)  Thanks in advance
  guys!!
  Maggie
 Michigan
  P.S.  Have finally heard from the owner of those horses with swollen
 feet...she
  opted to go back to her old farrier (who, she complained about vigorously
  when she begged Nelson to take her on).  Waiting to hear from the vet yet!
 
  Thanks for all of your support and encouragement!! >>

Love,
Trish


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