Re: RC: Re: Barefoot endurance

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

At 01:17 AM 11/17/00, Robyn wrote:
>My 6 year old Arab gelding has never had shoes on in his life.

I think this is the key to riding a horse barefoot.  Never having put on 
shoes, or having the horse run barefoot long enough for the *whole hoof* to 
be conditioned for it.  Many people are taking off shoes for weeks or 
months - this does toughen the bottom of the hoof, but what about the hoof 
cells above the bottom?  I am thinking that barefoot for a whole life 
influences more of the hoof structure than just the bottom surfaces.  We've 
got horses here that are going on 12 that have never worn shoes.  The 
hooves of some of them are *WHITE!!!* and still tough as they can be.  Lif

Lif Strand
Quemado NM  USA
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