Re: RC: Prejudiced? Mare or Gelding? White hooves or black?

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 01/16/2001 6:38:39 AM Pacific Standard Time, harpy@io.com 
writes:

<< And did anyone ever prove that hoof color was not connected to softness?
 White hooves on all four feet aren't necessarily bad for an endurance
 prospect arab, are they? 
  >>

 Personal experience says that white hooves are more likely to crumble than 
black ones.  And white hooves means white markings, at least as far as the 
pasterns.  White pasterns (underlying pink skin), you may have been reading 
on ridecamp recently, are more prone to scratches than dark ones, with black 
skin underlying.  Particularly susceptible is the chestnut horse with white 
feet.

As for difference between mares and geldings, I've ridden only one mare for 
endurance, but I have a hunch that mares take better care of themselves than 
geldings.  This may be only this particular mare, however, but she is a 
survivor!

Barbara