>>> Perhaps not, but the Plantation classes are allowed to use shoes that are 3/4 of an inch thick and 1 1/2 inches deep...for perspective, most keg shoes are 3/4 of an inch DEEP and 3/8 inch THICK.
Yes. And if you want to talk about that on this list, may I ask what have YOU done to help that deplorable situation? I bought two TWH to get them out of that rat race, 19 years ago. They were not the best choices for us as novice owners, but by golly, we stuck with them and worked out their past issues, making them into fine trail horses. They are in my pastures, sleek, healthy, barefoot and sound, even in their old age. Janice has bought several from deplorable conditions and paid to rehab and train them - even took on a 30-year-old TWH stallion in his final days. I believe Raven owns a sound-humane gaited horse list, is a vocal activist in behalf of gaited horse abuse, and Judy owns the largest gaited horse list on yahoo. I've worked with my local farrier's association to educate horse owners and farriers to become aware that gaited horse feet need the same sound care as any horse's feet. I've given awards at the local horsemen's banquet to honor people who do good things with SOUNDLY trained and handled gaited horses. I've donated Lee's book to several causes, and I sponsor a Liz Graves clinic here - last year arranging for her to speak at a free local educational forum. There are abuses in way too many equine sports, and by way too many owners. It's sick and it makes me want to cry sometimes. Some of the gaited people who do that crap must have no conscience and must be the scum of the earth. Have I done a lot? No, but I've done a few things. Others on this list have done much more than I have. I don't even want to hear comparisons to those people. Being better than the lowest scum of the earth is hardly anything to be proud of. I want to aim for the highest level of humane care and treatment we can manage, not to be merely better than the very worst. We can do much better than that in this breed - if we don't settle for some minimum by making up excuses. I'm sorry if this seems abrupt, but I get darned tired of the abuses in our breed being passed off as ok this way, simply because a few people do worse. It is not ok, no matter what other people do. It makes me remember the days I used to hear, "But MOM, ALL the kids are doing...." I didn't fall for that from a 12-year-old kid, and I'm not buying it now in this situation.. Karen Thomas, NC [EMAIL PROTECTED]
