WHOA, DIXIE! & HOOF PEOPLE, HELP US OUT!

[Susie Wimberly <suzieqc1cr@yahoo.com>]

RideCamp,

Please post responses directly to dds@arkansas.net and/or post to
RideCamp.

In response to my post about David Derringer's article, Dixie
Sheemwell  wrote:

> Hi,
>   Our shooer is coming Tues.  What is the correct way to trim to not
> have shoes on a horse?  Please explain so I can tell him.  This sounds
> very interesting and much cheaper than shoes plus better for the
horse.
>   Dixie
> 

Susie Responds:

Dixie, this is beyond my realm of experience.  I got several posts in
response to the Derringer article discussion, experienced endurance
riders who are not inclined to "barefoot" their endurance horses.

First, talk it over with your farrier.  Hoof care should address the
needs of the horse first and the horse owner second (within limits of
your pocket book).

My Arab gelding has great hooves.  Hard as rocks, resilient, not prone
to cracking or flaking, no contracted heel problems, etc.  HOWEVER,
due to the environmentally undesirable & contaminated (glass litter &
metal shards, pavement, rocky roads, etc.) condition of the area in
which we train, I do keep my guy shod AND use shock tamer pads on him.
 Does he REALLY need all this expensive attention every 6 to 8 weeks? 
I am not completely sure about that.  BUT, last year I spent $4,000 in
surgery and follow-up care expenses getting him sound after he took a
deeply-embedded nail into the coffin bone of his left rear hoof.  You
be I keep him shod in my area.

You must consider the purpose of the horse.  How often ridden & under
what conditions?  Also, some horses with foot skeletal structure
problems NEED corrective shoeing.

As for the trimming techniques cited by David Derringer in his article
in Equine & Mine, you may wish to contact him directly at the Wild
Horse Derringer Ranch.

His phone number is (505) 773-4860 and you must reach him fairly late
- like after 9:00PM in New Mexico.  When I tried to reach him, his
wife explained that he was unavailable, so I did not have a chance to
question him about his stuff.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

RideCamp, any comments about trimming sole & bars, length of heel,
length of toe, etc.

Would you post for Dixie?

Best Regards,
Susie & Tez
Going for a Ride!
5:53PM EDT
Saturday Night.
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