Slip-Sliding Away

[Amanda Perez <amandaperez@ureach.com>]

  I have to do a fair amount of road-riding to get to trails,
and don't like the way my horse sometimes slides on the asphalt 
in his steel shoes.  We also very nearly fell yesterday when 
riding on steep, frozen dirt (on a hill-side) - the ground was 
packed and frozen enough that with the steep slope he started 
sliding and had to scamble madly to avoid falling (VERY scary!)
I have only been able to ride on the weekends lately, so I 
planned to pull his shoes and figured that would help with 
traction.  However when I checked his shoes I noticed that they 
had worn and AMAZING amount in just four weeks.  I had his 
shoes pulled and the farrier was amazed at the ear, and did not 
think he should be ridden at all until he grows out some hoof. 
If the steel shoes have worn so badly, I can't see how he'll 
hold up barefoot, so it looks like he'll have to be reshod at 
least in front.  

So - my question is: does anyone have experience with that 
offer good traction on hard surfaces?  I have seen ads for a 
rubber shoe shaped like an egg-bar that has trad ont he bottom 
like hiking boots ('Sneakers for Horses'), but I wonder how 
eell rubber holds up?  I am also thinking about using EasyBoots 
in lieu of shoes, but wonder how much of a drag the putting on-
and taking-off gets to be.

Any suggestions much appreciated, especially based on personal 
experience (as oppesed to 'I've seen the ads but haven't 
tried...")

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