Re: RC: re:barefoot - long

["Nancy Mitts" <mitts_n@hotmail.com>]

For those of us starting youngsters who have always been kept "naturally", I 
don't think the hooves should need anything extra, beyond the gradually 
conditioning process for the rest of the body. That is, if keeping them 
barefoot while riding long distances (often) was going to work.
The type of ground where Darolyn lives is ideal for keeping horses barefoot. 
Her main problem seems to be working out the best way to keep the horses 
going while competing outside of Texas.
So yes, for some people barefoot can work, if they live & primarily ride 
where it is possible.
This issue really doesn't correlate to man flying, or running a four minute 
mile, because those were new things that had never been done. Horses started 
out being used without shoes, which were only developed to solve a problem. 
So all we're really doing is going back in time to try again, and maybe find 
a better method. Or just reinvent the wheel, and swear it's a better wheel 
this time around.
Nancy Mitts


>From: Toni Jones <tjones@coinet.com>
>To: ridecamp@endurance.net
>Subject: RC:  re:barefoot - long
>Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 17:13:09 -0700
>
>Hi Nancy,
>
>I know that people turn out 24/7 and trim regularly. I do that. But is
>anybody
>out there conditioning their horse for endurance ACTIVELY and on
>purposely
>trying to condition their hooves also, right along with the bones,
>tendons
>etc. and giving the feet as much attention as making sure the legs are
>clean
>and tight, no cuts, no bumps, no saddle problems, etc. Obviously Darolyn
>
>is.... but she's only been at it a bit longer than others, it will be
>interesting to see where she and others trying to do this will be 2 or 3
>years
>down the road. Will all give up and go back to metal shoes? will some
>make it
>and others not? Will we all be using some of the new hoof boots on the
>market?
>
>So can a well conditioned endurance horse compete barefoot successfully,
>or as
>successfully as a shod one? I don't know. To listen to most on ridecamp,
>I'd
>have to say NO. Will that stop some from trying? Most likely not.
>However, it
>was once said that man couldn't fly (still can't but we have airplanes),
>and
>that going over 45 mph would kill you, and that humans running a 4
>minute mile
>couldn't be done, and a horse going 100 miles in one day would do him
>in....
>hmmmm.....
>
>As a side note, I do not own, but I have read the book where there is a
>translation from the writings of Xenophon from ancient Greece that tells
>of
>their stable customs to toughen their horses' feet.  To keep the feet in
>
>condition horses were to stand on stones sunk close to one another that
>were
>about the size of their hooves, and the floors slanted a bit to
>discourage
>moisture. They felt that just standing on the floors with stones in them
>like
>this would strengthen the feet. Standing on them was suppose to be as
>good as
>walking on a stony road for a portion of each day. From this and other
>things
>I have read the ancient Grecians did not have horseshoes. There is
>argument on
>whether later cultures did or did not.
>
>If you feel your horse needs shoes, then do so. If protective boots will
>do,
>great. If your horse can do it barefoot, fine. It is agreed that not all
>
>hooves are created equal. But some that thought or were told that their
>horses
>hooves were "genetically inferior" have found otherwise after starting
>natural
>care and trimming .
>
>In any case, the horse's welfare is of utmost importance and should
>always be
>the first consideration in any circumstance. On that we can all agree.
>
>later
>toni
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com