Re: Re: Re: hoof soreness

["Cheryl Shelton" <toltallyice@onewest.net>]

Well I don't know this Cheryl Newbanks person either but I have a question
for her...

Do you know the difference between a horse and a motorcycle? Just curious
because if you did you would (possibly) understand that any biological
living organism (as opposed to being a machine, although even a machine
generates wear and tear through the course of normal operation, which you
can excellerate by pushing the machine to higher performance) creates wear
and tear (can we call this damage) on some level to it's cells when
generating movement, even merely by the act being alive and maintaining body
functions. IMO an endurance race is a huge leap beyond what is normal for
the horse (a living organism) and way beyond what would be a normal amount
of wear and tear on his structures in a day. Luckily living organisms are
able to repair damaged tissues or you'd never be able to do a second race on
your horse, if you made it through conditioning. If you truely think an
organism can put out the effort needed to complete a 50 or 100 mile
endurance race without occuring any wear and tear you are, IMO, in denial.
If you think wear and tear generates no soreness, well I'm just at a loss.
And if you believe there is wear and tear but that this phenomenon
miraclulously stops at the conanary band and the hoof is exempt from damage,
the structure likely taking the most stress from the effort, well then
again, IMO, you're in denial. But hey if denial is neccesary for someone to
feel comfortable asking so much of their horse, and it works for you and
your horse... if it ain't broke don't fix it. But personally I feel
accepting that damage IS done, when a horse is asked to travel 100 miles at
speed, would be in the best interest of the horse.

Also please show me where I said a "horse" can mask pain.

Cheryl

> I don't know this Cheryl Shelton person but I have a question for her,
have
> you ever even done an endurance ride of any length in a REAL competition?
> Just curious because I think if you had Heidi wouldn't have to be
explaining
> what she did to you below.  Horses can't mask pain, it's really that
simple!
>
>
>
> > > If you think your
> > > horse's feet are any different, IMO, you ARE in denial. Plain and
> simple.
> > If
> > > you say your shod horse's feet are pain free after a long endurance
> > race...
> > > for me this only proves the theory that horse shoes are masking the
> > horse's
> > > ability to feel the pain, soreness, damage, what ever.
> >
> > Horses are notoriously honest.  If they have pain, they compensate for
> > it--by limping, by shortening their stride, whatever it takes to move
with
> > less discomfort.  If a horse moves out willingly in a big flying trot
> after
> > completing a 100-miler, you don't need ANYONE to tell you he is pain
> > free--he is telling you that himself.  And once again, if his nerve
> endings
> > are intact (neither surgically altered nor drug altered), there is no
> > "masking" of pain--if he isn't feeling it, IT AIN'T THERE!!  (Refer back
> to
> > the definition of "pain.")  What the shoes have done is PREVENT DAMAGE,
> not
> > mask pain.  These two things are NOT one and the same.  And riding the
> horse
> > without causing him damage is precisely what endurance riders try to do.
> >
> > Heidi