Re: Cadaver hooves (to Heidi)

["Heidi Smith" <heidi@sagehillcmk.com>]

> If you go to any rendering plant, you will find textbook well shod hooves.
> At any given Strasser seminar you will have probably 100 hooves to pick
> from.  Many of them will be textbook, well shod.  I challenge you to go
> see for yourself.  Then, come back and debate with us.  Better still, go
> to one of the upcoming seminars and get all the information as well as do
> the disections.  Then, make up your mind and judge for yourself.  They'll
> be seminars close to your area in Feb.  They're well worth the time and
> effort even if you have never intend to work your horses barefoot.

Karen, while I have not personally attended a Strasser clinic, I've worked
with several farriers who have.  My disagreements with Strasser are not from
lack of familiarity with her work.  I've seen plenty, and you bet I've
judged for myself.  I've worked horses barefoot off and on all my life, and
have always been an advocate of horses being barefoot unless they have
reason to be shod.  That said, I also appreciate the fact that sports such
as endurance and many other pursuits are simply not humane for the majority
of horses unless there is some effort given to preventing hoof wear in
excess of hoof growth.  I've had ample opportunity to see for myself
perfectly normal coffin bones, digital arteries, etc. in shod horses.  And I
hope I continue to have the wisdom to shoe my horses when their work load
exceeds their hoof growth rate, instead of becoming so prejudiced against
such a successful and humane procedure that I deny my horses the benefit
when they need it.

Our horses are raised "out" and hoof integrity is a trait that we breed for.
None of our horses are shod until they are well-started under saddle.  I
fully appreciate that the hoof is subject to conditioning and nutrition,
just as are all other dynamic tissues in the body.  That said, I would not
deny my horses properly-fitting tack, or protection in any other form that
they may need--so when their workloads in terrain that is not user-friendly
to hooves causes their wear rates to exceed their growth rates, I will
continue to provide shoes for them.  To do otherwise would be uncaring and
inhumane on my part.

Heidi