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[RC] Riding with hoof boots in the mud - Dream WeaverPersonally, I think that there is more involved in riding in mud than what is on a horses foot. I could put ice skates on Chief and trust him to get up and down anything slick safely. We have ridden in some gnarly steep climbs up and down in Renegades and Bares in mud and snow and ice and I was never scared - while other people were off on foot and their horses were sliding all over with every kind of hoof protection. I know how people get scared when their horses slip in mud, but until the horses go and "do it", they don't know how. It takes a lot of mud experience before I trust a horse in the mud. That's why this year on a couple of rides when it rained - I changed who I was riding from Bo and took Chief instead.When things are seriously slick, horses are going to slip regardless of what is on their feet. I think that my horses do better in mud with boots than they do barefoot. That is in the mud here where I live - there are lots of different types of mud and I might have a different opinion on that if I lived elsewhere. To me, it's kind of like having mud and snow tires on the horses. At some rides in Utah when it's been slippery'r'n'snot I've seen shod horses fall while my booted horses never did on some rides. I really can't say that it was a particular boot, or boot tread but I have found that usually when shod horses are slipping bad, my horses aren't - that again, could be due to their experience. Karen http://www.enduranceridestuff.com/blog =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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