Barefoot? My Horse? Invite Comments!

[Susie Wimberly <suzieqc1cr@yahoo.com>]

Barefoot Your Horse?

Bear with me through this submission (all puns intended).

I apparently have a subscription to a magazine called "Equine and
Mine" although I have no idea how I became a subscriber.

Equine & Mine is a holistic type publication, lots of ads for
homeopathic remedies.

Their Vol.2 1998 edition has an article in it that caught and held my
attention.

Now, before I get to the point, I have a request.  Would you all
kindly consider the subject matter with completely open minds?

When I read the article discussed below, I thought "Not My Horse!" 
Then I read it again and I really thought hard about what the author
is presenting and how the alternatives to the writer's thesis could be
affecting my horse.

Author David Derringer, an outfitter from Quemado, New Mexico, says
that it is NOT true that "to have a sound horse hoof requires horse
shoes."  I have included several paraphrases and quotations to
illustrate his point that horses, especially working breeds, are
better off barefoot!

Derringer:  "Modern horse owners are told and conditioned to believe
that any horse used for work or pleasure requires shoes."

He contrasts the popular concept that 19th centure American cowboys,
the U.S. Cavalry, wagoneers & travelers always shod their horses. 
Whereas the Native American Indians did not shoe their horses, and as
a result the Indians frequently out-ran the Cavalry "in terrain too
steep and rugged for our cavalry to continue".  He further states that
during the 19th century, shoeing was mostly done on an injured or
damaged hoof until it healed.

Derringer: "Any mustanger will tell you that most often the wild
nustang will run away from the domistic shod horse in rugged country. 
The shod horse simply can't keep up over rocks and steep slopes.

Derringer: " If you talk to the modern farrier, you will find a way of
shoeing and trimming that is different today when compared to what was
done when horses were the only means of transportation.  Has the
farrier's art drastically improved with our modern technology?  Not
really.  In fact, a lot of ideas currently taken as fact don't even
make sense."

Derringer: "What affect does the horse-shoeing process have in
preserving the functionability of the horse's foot?  Putting shoes on
the horse is mainly for one purpose.  This is to obtain the maximum
possible wear on the lower part of the foot just as people use tough
rubber soles on their shoes to get more life than going to work
everyday ina thin pair of moccasins and to transfer the weight of the
horse only to the hoof wall. The other parts of the horse's foot are
ignored, and sadly, often cut away.  The modern farrier often cuts the
frog well up into the sole, often trimming the bars cosmetically, so
the frog and the sole no longer touch the ground."

"Worse yet, the outer hoof wall is damaged by the nails penetrating
the outer layer into the sensitive areas of the foot, allowing
dehydration and bacterial intrusion.  All of this for extra wear?"

Derringer: "I have felt that the modern farrier ideas in many cases
are antiquated and unrealistic and have looked for other ideas for
many years.  I have tried many types of trims and in all cases used NO
SHOES.  I have now developed a trimming technique that uses several of
these ideas."

Derringer: "We are full-time year round outfitters and guides, having
a herd of about 23 horses, all of which run barefoot at all times.  We
work the most difficult slopes, rocky terrain and NEVER have a horse
lame from a foot injury."

"We find the barefoot horse is quiet, climbs bare rock better, does
not tear up the trails or forest, and is cost efficient, requiring the
proper trim every 3-6 months.  All o four horses have gone barefoot in
this demanding business since 1981."

On taking a horse back to barefoot, "After proper trimming, the hoof
wall starts to grow and the hoof starts to become healthy.  Sometimes
it takes 6 months to a year for the hoof to become fully sound, but
the horse can be used during this period."

"We ride our horses 9 or more hours a day.  They sometimes get tired,
but they never get lame.  We raise some of our own herd that have
never seen horse shoes (and never will)."

RideCamp, does any one out there ride a barefoot horse over rocky
terrain?  Did anyone ride barefoot on the Tevis Trail last weekend?

Derringer is suggesting that we who frequently ride our horses 9 hours
a day over rocky terrain would be better off NOT SHOEING OUR HORSES,
or putting pads on them, but simply trimming them properly.  My
farrier appointments cost me $110 per, and I have always felt the
money was well spent.

Experts?  Vets?  Farriers?

Susie & Tez

Please do post your replies to RideCamp only & I'll check 'em later.


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