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Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Archive Use (boots, etc.) - Karen SullivanSome thoughts on this shoeing stuff..... I had a horse in the SF Bay Area for 7 years that only had shoes on once (conditioning for and riding Almaden Triathalon). I did the rest of all my trail riding "barefoot", and maybe had her trimmed once or twice a year. The footing in the foothills was mostly soft dirt. She did just great, never seemed ouchy and of couse, I saved a bundle of $.... Not the same story 200 miles north. Our terrain is much harder, gravelly or rocky. I am currently shoeing 3 horses (have had up to 5 shod), costs a fortune. I have not been able to go barefoot with any of them; we have tried. We cannot even trail ride, or pleasure ride barefoot. My daughers Arab is barefoot, and we were going to not shoe or ride her over the winter; but she got more and more ouchy as the winter progressed and I am guessing her feet softened from all the mud. Obviously, this time of year, the horses are on damp or muddy ground unless they are in the stalls at night on stall mats. I have tried easy boots on and off, and probably am too impatient a person to take the time to put them on properly or glue them...they might be more of an option. Again, my hopes Boa boots might work for a barefoot horse over the winter, just to be able to do short pleasure rides. If someone comes out with a protective boot that is easy to put on, wears great, gives good traction, and does not cause any soreness or rubbing; I would be right there!!!! Absolutely no way here to condition for endurance without some sort of foot protection; based on my observations of my horses and friends horses...we have volcanic soil, many areas with shards of obsidian..... However, if someone can demonstrate this; ride with us, I am always open to seeing if any kind of special trimming would make a difference. I am real curious to ride with Linda Cowles, who seems to be having success with barefoot trim and protection (Am I right here Linda?), but again, her area is probably 30-40 miles from me; different soil and terrain. I have been extremely lucky to find a farrier I think is great. His shoes stay on 8 weeks, he has done amazing things to encourage feet to expand several sizes, he explains what he does, and has brought a friends older horse back from unsoundness (20 yr horse), by giving her the right angles and bigger shoe. All in all, if I want to go out, catch up a horse and go for a ride, having him shoe my horses is overall the most cost effective way to achieve it! I have rarely, for the past 6 weeks, had a horse with downtime from a hoof problem or missing shoe. Karen ----- Original Message ----- From: <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <terrybanister@xxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <lanconn@xxxxxxx>; <jonnij@xxxxxxxx>; <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 7:39 AM Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Archive Use (boots, etc.) Ahhh, semantics - like two people who get married, and later realize they each had different definitions of the the word. "Barefoot" to those of us actually doing it, does not just refer to what the horse has on its feet when being ridden in an endurance ride, or any other time. It's a 24/7 lifestyle - it's what they DON'T HAVE on their feet when not being ridden. It's a "hoof management system" that just doesn't involve nailing things to the hoof.Actually, it's more than semantics. I still maintain that it involves actually saying what you mean. A "management system" wherein you go barefoot at home and have some other means of hoof protection at rides is not the same thing as showing up at a ride and proclaiming that you are "riding barefoot"--which indeed you are not. (Although contrary to your post, some people DO, and their success rate is not as high as they would lead us to believe.) Yes, nailed-on shoes have their limitations. But then so does putting something on the hoof only when being ridden, to which the horse does not have the opportunity to acclimate 24/7. With a shod horse, there is a "24/7 lifestyle" of having muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints used to what the foot is carrying. And that has a definite benefit. Furthermore, if one DOES opt for the benefit of having the body acclimated to what the foot is doing, then it is far healthier to have a shod hoof with nothing over the sole, so that the sole and frog still "live in contact with the environment" so to speak. Another disadvantage of systems that cover the bottom of the foot is safety and traction on some slippery sorts of footing. EasyBoots, etc. are nice on surfaces like pavement, but I'll take a shod hoof over a booted or padded hoof any day on wet grass, wet clay, ice, etc. Terry, full marks to you for at least being honest and objective about what you are doing, even if perhaps you might be better understood if you chose your wording more carefully. At least you are willing to discuss the pros and cons of what you are doing, and are not bashing shoeing with blatant misinformation as others seem wont to do, despite the fact that you personally don't care for it. In an honest and open discussion, we can discuss merits and disadvantages, and can agree to disagree with regard to our choices. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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