Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Hi all,

I have been reading all of these posts and as a relative outsider (trapped in the Canadian cold north of the border - although today is showing signs of spring to tease us a little), I have to laugh a little. Not to laugh at anyone or anyone's point of view, its just this whole use of the phrase "the barefoot way". Its not the barefoot part that gets me, its the use of "way". This often brings out the "its my way or the highway" mentality, as we have seen from some posts.

Where I come from a lot of people don't shoe because their horse doesn't need it or they don't ride often enough to need it and they want to save the extra expense. If they ride longer or the horse needs it, they shoe. Its no big deal, its no "way", you just do what you need to do. End of story.

I had a horse that had four white feet, of good shape and form but that wore down very quickly (Maybe we can get into the whole white feet vs. black feet debate LOL I like that one because I am still trying to figure out the answer to that). If I left him barefoot and rode on anything but pasture, I had to shoe. And I'm talking small trail rides of a couple hours a week with no rocks (not even conditioning rides) would wear his feet down in the toe so much he would be sore. Supplements did not change anything. AND he also had feet that were difficult to keep a shoe on. Even with lots of nails and a toe clip, I had trouble keeping shoes on him for six weeks. Often it would take a chunk of hoof with it when it came off. So I had a double whammy with this horse. Can't leave him barefoot but shoeing him is a pain in the butt. The whole shoeing thing got frustrating because I had a farrier that was good (at shoeing) but not very reliable about showing up and I often couldn't get him out for several weeks for a re-set. So no riding in the mean time.

Now I have a young horse who has not had any shoes yet. She has four white feet, so there, no bias on my part against white feet :)  She has a nice shape to her feet and they look good so far, but they haven't really been put to the test yet so who knows what the future holds - to shoe or not to shoe, that is the question. I would like to leave her barefoot (as much as is possible for her) and use Easyboots when I need them because to me it avoids the problems I had with my last horse - the waiting to get someone to re-set a shoe, or scheduling a visit on short notice, etc. And no, I don't really have the free time at this point to learn how to shoe myself. Using Easyboots would put more control in my court, rather than being dependent on someone else. But I will just have to try it and see how it works. Right now my farrier trims her as a horse that is not going to be wearing shoes - he trims any excess just so that her toe is not long, rolls the toe a little, and thats it. He takes a little bit of sole off but hardly anything. No fancy names or titles or ways. He just a guy who has been trimming/shoeing all his life, who is good at what he does and who has a good way with horses.

\I haven't seen any attacking of the barefoot riders or horses. I've seen it the \other way around! Most of us have said that barefoot will work for some \horses. I've even said I have some horses I keep barefoot, but others I do not. \It's very individual. Most everyone who has responded has said something \similar to me... no one has put down barefoot riding. Just the rabid way it is \presented sometimes. It's like trying to get someone to change religions or \politics. Shoving it down our throats doesn't go over well. chris

Being interested in leaving my horse barefoot (as much as is good for her, paired up with what I am asking her to do), I have been to all of the barefoot websites. They often do suggest that "barefootin'" is the only way and shoeing is the cause of a long list of problems. I agree with Chris - try to shove something at me like its the only way and I will get defensive and occasionally aggressive, depending on how overbearing the preaching is :). I like to look at different points of view logically, take what is good from all and apply it to my particular needs. And I must say some of the people who are really supportive of leaving their horse barefoot for competition, will shoe or use boots when called for - such as when they are traveling to a ride where the conditions are not the same as at home and they haven't been able to prepare for it...just like you wouldn't ask you horse to climb mountains over 50 or 100 miles of competition if you have never gone up a hill. Its all relative to what the horse is used to. More people should refer to Darolyn Butler's website - she seems to have found the balance that suits her (she will shoe or use boots on occasion) while still being an advocate of leaving a horse barefoot.

\And another important ingredient is that the mustang has developed those \good hard feet through years of the natural selection process. Any horse \without that type of feet did not live long enough to contribute to the gene \pool. This is something that is missing in the breeding of the domestic horse. \Lee

I think this is so true and it has been said many times during the debates about using mustangs for endurance and which mustang herds are better and how BLM mustangs vs. Kiger mustangs vs. Arabians vs......, etc. (Remember those?) Natural selection has a way of culling the horse with bad feet. I would venture to say a majority of breeders (outside the endurance world) do not make hoof quality their main priority in selecting a stallion and mare for breeding. I think it is something that definitely should be considered more often, but how many barrel horses or race horses (just an example, nothing more) were selected for their hoof quality? After all, you can slap shoes on those poor feet and keep going. :)  

After many years on ridecamp, I still don't get why these "wars" happen - I have seen a number of very good posts on both sides of the debate. I am not sure why this then results in a different point of view being taken personally and as a personal attack. I come from a very politically charged and divided community where I have had the chance to practice the art of diplomacy, working at viewing both sides fairly and not attacking someone for a point of view that is different from mine. I can do whatever I want in the end, but I at least respect the opinion of the person I am speaking with. Sometimes ridecamp could use a little more diplomacy. 

Lysane

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