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> I have heard that padding a horse helps them push through the sand,
> rather   like fins help a swimmer.
I'm not sure the analogy fits, since fins stablize aerodynamically, and
feet are the means of propulsion.  I would suspect that an unpadded horse
would be better in sand, and that shoes might give a slight edge as well,
as the cupped nature of the hoof will "grab" the sand better to propel the
body forward, just as swimming with a cupped hand is better than swimming
with a flat hand.

Heidi



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