I read an article recently about "shock absorption"
in pads. It had said that for something to significantly absorb shock, the
pad would have to compress and decompress with each stride. Kind of like your
running shoe sole kind of "squishes" as your foot hits the pavement as you
run. But imagine if the pad did compress, or "squish" down as the horses
foot hit the ground, what would happen with that nail holding on the shoe and
pad. Each time the foot hit, pad compressed, the distance between the head of
the nail, and the clinch on the outside of the hoof would get shorter, then as
the foot came up, and the pad sprang back in to shape and full thickness, the
distance would lengthen again. So, if the pad was indeed compressing and
decompressing, that nail, in the hoof would be sort of moving up and down
through the hoof with each stride, or, the hoof is moving up and down the nail.
This kind of made me think about what the article said. Some pads are
pretty hard plastic, and indeed, I don't think they compress and decompress. But
I remember farriers using leather pads for years, and leather does "squish"
some. So, are the nails having the hoof move up and down on them with some pads/
And is this why it seems we will see more shoes with pads off along the trail
than just shoes, because the nails are loosening up some?
;-) It was just something to consider. I really am not sure,
and am not a pad user, and can't remember the last time I padded a horse.
To me, the very best thing you can add to a horses
hoof to give additional concussion protection is a hoof boot. Putting easyboots
over a shod, or unshod foot will do more in my mind to give extra concussion
than any pad. I remember during the long XP in 2001, that I did not
remember seeing many who had added pads for those day after day rides across
America, but more were putting Easyboots on over their horses feet to give them
some protection to the pounding of so many days of trail in that 8 week
period. Just my thoughts.
