Ridecamp: Re: [RC] [RC] barefoot endurance

Nelson trims hundreds, even thousands of horses a year and over the years
has easily trimmed tens of thousands.  He does ALL those things you
mentioned when he trims
<which includes measuring angles and heel height, trimming bars,
scooping quarters and filing back the toe to get properly functioning hoof
mechanism>
except on the farms where he does 20-30 broodmares in a day and then he does
not measure each one.  Funny how all they all stay sound anyway.  And only
horses who wear their toes square, drag their feet or have a stumbling
problem get the toe trimmed back or rolled.  Oh, he also checks toe length
as well.
You suggest that farriers charge
<$20.00 for a 10 minute pasture trim that was just nipping off
the toe and filing off the nicks.>
Very few trims take so little time and even if they do, that is because the
farrier does what the horse requires, no more.  He takes out as little sole
as possible...it is there for a reason.  That's one of the things that
concerns us about "some" of the "natural" barefoot methods... the amount of
sole that is removed.  Obviously you haven't had the advantage of seeing a
competent farrier at work if you think that is all they do.
I'm glad that you use Old Macs but even that is "articifical".  It does show
that you put your horse's comfort first regardless of your personal views
about trimming or shoeing methods.

Maggie


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