Happy New Year Ridecampers!!
I hate to bring up a question even vaguely realted to barefoot/shoeing.....but I think ya'll can get through this ok.
I was keeping my mare barefoot for awhile, did my first 25 barefoot. But then 'they' added a lot of gravel to our roads (that we train on) *and* we were preparing for our 2nd LD which I was warned could be rocky. So we got easy boots for the front. Then we moved her to my home (finally got the fence up) but there are LOTS of sticks, roots, and such all over the pasture still....seemed to chip up, in the back especially, in the first week alone. Farrier comes to trim and says the fronts aren't bad, but we should start using easy boots on the back as well. They are on their way. However, I've not ridden too much at all since then and she's already got another little chip in the hind (Farrier was here Dec 22nd).
The only real reason I keep her barefoot and use the easyboots is the fact that she FLIPS out when the farrier (more then one have tried) tries to nail shoes on. Yes, I know it means she's being disrespectful and I suck as a handler, don't need to e-mail me about how I can do round-pen work with her. I plan on it as soon as I can build it. I have also been trying to desensitize her myself by tapping on her feet with the hoofpick but I haven't been getting anywhere with it. Every time I pick out her hooves I try the excersise and everytime I tap with any force at all, and way less then the farrier would, she flips out. By 'flip out' I mean: rips the hoof from your hand, has a look of terror in her eye, and won't let you pick her feet up again for at least 10-15 minutes and even then has completey lost faith in the person holding her feet and acts really scared.
Soooo....short story long......Anybody know anything about the glue-on shoes? Any good? I don't mind the easyboots that much, but I feel as if the pasture she's in is kind of rough on her feet and I want to do right by her. I'm thinking until I can get the roundpen work done (if that will even work) it's my only option to protect her feet at all times.
Thanks!
Patti