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RE: [RC] barefoot horse - Libby & Quentin Llop DVMEvery winter when I pulled the shoes on my old TB mare "Bits", she would be so sore and miserable that I would put them back on after about 3 days. Until one fall I put on aluminum eventers for Ft. Valley. By December they had worn away ( we removed pieces) and she was happy barefoot all winter having got used to it gradually. Libby -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Lynne Glazer Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 1:13 AM Cc: ridecamp ridecamp Subject: Re: [RC] barefoot horse Like Nancy said. Your Mileage May Vary. I have the two rat report. What I learned is that it is all about the quality of the trim (first) and then the personal tolerance for pokey-ness of rocks. My 12 year old Ember formerly needed trimming every 5 weeks, whether doing multidays or even barefoot, not in work. I then changed shoers after more than a dozen years, and guess what? Ember has now gone *12 weeks without trimming* inspected every 6 weeks, and is good to go for 6 more weeks according to my farrier yesterday. I can't get over my horse trimming her own feet like the proverbial mustang, and the benefit to my pocketbook--he set her up for success. She is in light work and her baby is due in mid-April--she trotted all the way home on Sunday's trail ride, with sweat only at my seatbones under the bareback pad, and the other horse with us was sweating bigtime. Our ground is decomposed granite, pretty abrasive. Q, the 6 year old, was ouchy on the rocks in front even at a walk barefoot, despite a thick, barely pared sole. So after a 3 trim experiment with barefoot, he went back into shoes yesterday, the Natural Balance steels in front and kegs behind. He was barely trimmed yesterday--and is now in-between sizes in EBs, otherwise we probably would have stayed barefoot. Of course I just bought a new EB at Warners a week ago. Incidentally, my farrier is Rob Kalb, who occasionally reads this list and is an endurance rider as well; he did DVE and Warners recently. He drives all over SoCal cold-shoeing endurance peoples' horses and the odd Grand Prix dressage horse as well. I don't know any other farrier willing to drive like he does, for those of us that have learned the importance of balanced feet. <uh oh, rant warning> There's a horse at our barn that is owned by someone that just shouldn't have horses. We estimated it had been a year since his last trim. It's all about money. Yesterday some of us each chipped in $5 and had Rob trim him, Rob also pitched in $5. <sigh> I took before and after photos of the fronts; she has a local teenager ride him (which she does for free) and the sight of them tearing around at a canter and gallop made me speak up and start the kitty. When the horse colicked last year, we all thought he'd have to be put down because of the money, but she somehow managed, or our soft-hearted barn owner probably paid. I've known the gal a lot of years, has grown children now but one has spina bifida (I used to teach her at a handicapped riding program when she was little!)--her dad had horses, and was one of those minimalist cowboy types. But I'll bet he trimmed his horses' feet...sorry for rambling. Lynne On Jan 20, 2004, at 9:29 PM, Nancy Reed wrote: Laurie, Please be careful if you decide to pull shoes.? It can cause trouble.? My quarter horse mare has problem feet.? She kept getting quarter cracks, bad ones.?When I found out about Old Macs, I thought all my hoof problems were history.?Even had a special hoof and leg vet OK pulling the shoes.?About 4 days after shoes were pulled Sierra came down with laminitis.? It was a moderate case, but could have killed her.?The vet felt the laminitis was due to hoof expansion.?She has old feet that will not tolerate the expansion afforded by going barefoot.?Took several months to heal, but Sierra is fine today, 18 months later. I realize I have big trouble when I have horse trouble, so I suspect you will be fine. ?But be careful and watchful if you pull shoes.? I fixed my hoof problems with Biotin –Plus, 50mg supplement and a new farrier. Good luck! Nancy Reed Lazy J Ranch ElfinForest,California =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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