Padding - Good or Bad?

["Kristene Smuts" <Ksmuts@sarcc.co.za>]

This may or may not be endurance related, but I think you guys are the ones who use padding the most.

I recently put leather pads on my horse simply because of two rides with major stones on certain sections of the course.  He normally goes without but I felt for these two rides he needs them.  Now my questions are : how bad is it to keep pads on the feet from one shoeing to the next?  Is there any danger of rubbish getting lodged and rotting?  And what about thrush?  Can I re-use the pads if they aren't too damaged?  Would using pads cause the sole to soften - he is AYRAB with good hard feet?

Thanks
Kristene