[drivingpairs] Re: barefoot or not

    Thanks for sharing that Hardy and I would just add that hoof boots are
certainly an option if you don't know the surfaces that you will encounter.

Ansley


> I would just go along and keep them that way, and while doing so, observe
> carefully how the feet are holding up. As long as the feet are fine, I
would not
> see any need for change.
>
> My competitive pair is 10 now. When we got them as 3 year olds, they were
> barefoot. We started competitive training and soon needed to put shoes on
the
> front, but kept them barefoot behind. We only put shoes on behind when
going to
> the Eastcoast as well as Calgary to compete where we would not know
beforehand
> what conditions we would meet, and then also had holes drilled to be able
to
> put studs in if needed. After each trip at home we would pull the hind
shoes
> again. We would also turn them out once a year for about a month and then
also
> pull the front shoes.  They would brake off some, but we would rasp that
and it
> would grow out again.  A little over a year ago, after bringing them back
> home from 4 weeks turn-out, we left the front shoes off, and thought to do
so for
> a while to see on how long we could go barefoot, expecting to have to put
the
> shoes back on after a few weeks. They are still barefoot. But we watch it
> closely and take care of the feet. I rasp when I see any edges breaking
off etc.
> So it works for us, but of course it also always depends on various
factors:
> What kind of feet do they have, what kind of ground do you drive on, how
> often, how much, etc etc.   So I certainly don't advocate to go barefoot
for every
> case, but where possible, why not? Watching it closely and taking care of
the
> feet I think is the key.  Fortunately our farrier is also a vet, and it
was he
> who actually recommended it. So when in doubt, I ask him to take a look
> again, and so far, he has said, keep the shoes off, you are doing great.
We did a
> few CDE's this year without problems, although I was a bit worried before
going
> to compete at the Arizona CDE last spring, as there we usually have some
> marathon stretches on rocky gravel roads. But I was prepared to pull over
and
> withdraw if I would see them starting to get ouchy on it. But they weren't
and all
> worked well.  Their feet are looking good, the heels are spread out, the
frog
> is healthy, and, last but not least, we save some money.  So, it seems to
> work here. But again, each situation is different, and with others that
might not
> work.  But with that young Fjord pair, sure, why not try to go along and
see
> how it goes, and only put shoes on, when the need arises. And if in doubt,
ask
> your vet to take a look how the feet are holding up.
> Just my opinion. Happy New Year to all. Just back home from some weeks in
> Europe.
> Hardy (neither a vet nor a farrier)
>
>
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