Re: RC: re: barefoot

[maryann.spencer@us.army.mil]

Interesting discussion.  I don't post much due to time and pc problems 
BUT... the issue of shoes is important.  I don't have any fancy 
research but have been going 'barefoot' for some time.  Granted don't 
live where there are rocks and nasty projections coming out of the 
ground, but many horses do NOT have to have those iron things on their 
hooves.  Even placing shoes on can make a horse lame.  I know as it 
happened to me and since then have not shoed.  BUT the rider does need 
more than minimal knowledge to get by without shoes.  I use the rasp a 
lot. It also seems to take me a year to get good hooves on a newly 
bought horse.  That is how long it takes for the hoof to grow.  One 
can't just suddenly stop using shoes and then compete barefoot. It 
takes a lONG time for the frog to toughen up.  Several years ago 
someone told me she never cuts on the sole or frog.  I only trim loose 
pieces off the frog to avoid a bigger tear.  BUT I am not doing a 50 
miler every 3 weeeks either.  A horse with cardiovascular conditioning 
can't necessarily do the same rides barefoot as the hoof also has to be 
conditioned.  When one is starting a new horse is the best time to 
start barefoot. I RARELY trim the heel and mostly trim/rasp the toe and 
just tidy up the rest.  I do not have the time and money to compete 
monthly.  BUT for those starting out, shoes ARE NOT necessary.  How the 
hoof responds will tell the most.  BUT I NEVER have ANYONE do my 
triming unless I KNOW for sure the horse will not be doing lots of 
endurance.  If the hoof wall is thin, ie like many thoroughbreds then 
more protection may be needed but shoes does cause damage to the hoof 
wall.  The growth rate of the hoof wall makes a big difference.  BUT I 
do not TRIM short but instead do little filings to keep them smooth.  
It is not difficult to learn to do basic trimming but as with all 
things, common sense much prevail. AND I will probably not go rides 
where the shoes are absolutely required.  Wonder how they shoe those 
war horses in Afghanistan???? With some bad luck I may find out first 
hand.  
JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION!!!  Mary Ann Spencer
----- Original Message -----
From: Teresa Van Hove <vanhove@ucar.edu>
Date: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 6:35 pm
Subject: RC:  re: barefoot

> > Lisa LeChatton
> > Garland, Tx wrote
> 
> 
> >Some Arabs do fine barefoot on any terrain because the rider 
> knows how to 
> >ride over rough terrain and/or the horse is conditioned. 
> 
> Cant agree: Sure some horses could do fine on any terrain IF 
> allowed to walk. But
> generally endurance rides will be faster paced than a walk. There 
> are rides that
> should not be done barefoot by almost any horse. Part of being a 
> good horseperson
> as an endurance rider is finding a good hoof protection solution 
> for your horse;
> whether that means finding and using a good farrier; using 
> easyboots, or sticking
> to rides that barefoot horses can handle.  
> 
> >Also, a crappy shoeing job is worse than no shoes. 
> 
> A crappy fitting saddle is more likely to sore a horse's back 
> than going bareback
> too; but there's not many folks advocating that everyone ride 
> bareback because of
> this - we understand that for most folks a good, well fitting 
> saddle is the best
> solution; and if someone has a saddle fit problem they are 
> generally told to go to
> a good saddle fitter and get a saddle that fits; not to switch to 
> ridingbareback.   
> 
> >Shoeing is an owner/rider decision specific to the horse. It 
> would really 
> >suck if someone made it a rule to shoe in a certain manner 
> because of an 
> >inflated opinion.
> >Get over it.
> 
> YES, DO get over it!
> If RM thinks their ride requires hoof protection then USE some. 
> There are options
> to shoes in this day and age; no one ever has to nail shoes on a 
> horse if they
> dont care to, and there are rides that can be comfortably 
> completed by horses who
> are entirely barefoot; if you cant stand to put ANYTHING on your 
> horses feet stick
> to those rides. Dont insist on being allowed rules exceptions when 
> RM has a rule
> requiring hoof protection- trust me RM does not go to the extra 
> trouble of having
> ride specific rules just to be nit picky or to try to prove a 
> point.  
> 
> 
> Teresa Van Hove,
> AERC # M17417 and Long X RM (99-01) (no hoof protection rule) 
> 
> P.S.  The funny thing about this debate is that I think most 
> endurance riders do
> not believe in shoeing "just to shoe"  Many, many of us have our 
> horses barefoot
> in our off seasons (winter here in Colo) and don't shoe young 
> horses until they're
> doing enough miles that extra hoof protection is a good idea if 
> not an absolute
> neccessity. 
> 
> My post for the month, back to lurking
> 
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> =-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.  
>  
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp 
>  
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> =-=
> 
>