> >> No, if they need protection I put on boa's, very rarely does this > >> happen.. > > You ride a lot through 12 inch deep clay mud? You know a boot that > will stay on in that??? PLEASE, tell me!!!
If I am riding in that kind of stuff, I don't need boots... Why would I need boots for that???? I take boa's on my horse, in a bag, on his saddle, and they usually stay there... my horses all have great feet NOW... it took time, patience and study, life style change for them and me, to get them all sound barefoot... it works for me... I do not see myself going back to shoes in the foreseeable future, I will restate though that if I had to put shoes on, for what ever reason, maybe transition to barefoot if I bought a new horse, I would use the natural balance shoes that Gene O has, however, you really need to get them on correctly and change them out every 4 weeks, If my horse needs shoes/protection, I figure out WHY they are NOT SOUND, cause to me that is what I believe, if they are not sound, then there is an underlying reason that they are not sound on any terrain I ride on... It can be Metabolic, trimming style, ground they live on 24/7... not enough movement, stall bound ETC, there are many possible reasons... I figure out why they are not sound and Change it... If I have to put on the boots, I question why too??? Cause as far as I am concerned, with the amount of riding I DO, they all should be sound barefoot... I try to ride 3-5 days a week 2-6 hours at a time on various terrain... This summer that did not happen, but most summers it does... So yes, to clarify, if you have to put shoes on, Then your horse is NOT SOUND for the environment you are riding on... I prefer to have very SOUND horses... who live on the environment I ride on... Here is my question to those of you who feel shoes are important... Do you know what a sound foot looks like, how many of you can pick up a foot and say, this is the live sole, this is the white line, this is a round foot with a tight white line, this is a foot with a stretched white line, which is like a finger nail on us that has PULLED away from the quick, DANG that hurts, well shoes can cause that to happen, the mechanics of it, pulls the Hoof wall away from the Coffin bone, the white line pulls away, the greeblies get in there, and cause the white line to stretch more.. if the hoof wall is to long, the mechanics of it, causes the white line to stretch, It is kind of a mechanical founder, it is painful.. so most people just throw a shoe on... if your horses foot has a DIP or curve, flare, then that area is not connected correctly to the coffin bone, the coffin bone can drop, the foot becomes flat, a sound foot is NOT FLAT... a Metal shoe does not correct that, it can cover up the pain, but it can not correct it... My husband always says, humm, why do you think a 1/4 inch piece of metal works??? what is it doing??? I also can not stand knowing that nails go up into the white line... bringing in bacteria and fungus, the round Robin continues... it weakens the white line, the very spot I am trying to heal and keep tight... it is like, putting the little shoes on the poor China girl babies, I just cringe when I see shoes on horses, at least with boots for protection... Do what feels right for you, I did the shoe thing.. for 25 years... or more...I know where you are coming from... I understand.. I once believed it too.. but then I changed... it was an easy change once I understood the hoof... Once I understood how a hoof is suppose to look, the light bulb went on... it simply made sense... There are many sights out there with pictures to show you if you want to learn... it really is amazingly interesting... I am not as fanatic about it as I first was, It has become simpler for me, easier, no nonsense.. it is a lifestyle for me... and it works... I am more then happy to help anyone take this journey... I have many people who have read my words.. then they have researched it for themselves and switched... I can guide you, any of you, I can not Explain it all, it would take PAGES, books, TONS... I can just tell you that it works for me, as well as MANY OTHERS all over the world... and send you to some of the MANY pages of info, books, video available today... oh, and for the barefoot is a fad, it will go away comment that Pam made, I have heard that before... the number of people on the barefoot lists has gone from just a handful to 1000's and the number of lists available has gone from 2 to many, many, many... over the past years.. the number of Guru's has gone from 2 - countless... the number of Dollars going into research has increased... I don't see riding barefoot going away oh and the NUMBER OF BOOTS, well, I have boa's because 5 years ago, they were one of the 3 types I had to choose from, they work.. but there are NEW BOOTS being designed yearly... Easy care has 5 different kinds available I think right now... maybe one of those will work in that deep clay you were asking about... I know that some endurance riders are using boots and testing boots... so, they will just get better and better over the years... I better get to work, please know that I am not trying to fight.. honestly I am not, I am trying to smile when I reply to the list.. I am trying to show you with my words that I have successfully taken gaited horses barefoot... -- I and my horses love our track system, take a look~~~ http://picasaweb.google.com/dakota.charm/TrackForHorses
