Do I need a heelstrap in my Epics?
I've been looking through a lot of my hoof photos. It's really encouraging! Along the way I've learned a lot about horses feet. I'm glad that I have, it's been a good experience and while I don't consider myself an expert on the topic, I can at least tell what a healthy hoof should look like. I am always open to learning more and actively seek out the opinions of others. I am willing to try new things even when what I'm currently doing is working if I've been presented with enough evidence that it might work better.
That's how I ended up pulling shoes off of all of my endurance horses in the first place. I wanted to see if there was a better way. I found out that there is. I always remember growing up hearing my grandparents say "I wish I knew then what I know now". Well, that is how I feel about shoeing horses. Why would anybody shoe a horse in 2008? Okay okay, I know that there will be many that do it simply for convenience or because they lack the knowledge or the patience or ability to try a different way of managing their horses hooves. It's not just about a horse's foot as much as it as about overall management. I think that most horse owners want to do what is best for their horses and will do whatever they can to give them the healthiest lifestyle that they can. For my endurance horses, that means that they get to live as naturally as possible. We have to make compromises here and there but overall, they are all healthy and happy - and barefoot!
If you are thinking about the whole concept of converting to barefoot, I urge you to do more research on the internet and learn as much as you can. It isn't for everybody, or every horse. Whether or not it will work depends as much or more on the human part of the equation as it does on the horse part of the equation. In some cases, it isn't easy and it will take a lot of effort. It is worth it though, for the benefits that come out of it. Check out the educational articles section on the EasyCare website.
I find this all exciting and see the increasing interest in the topic as an extremely positive thing. Hoof boots have come a long way in the last few years. There is still work to do, but if I can do it with the amount of competition endurance miles as I do, I think that most horse owners can do it.
My horses have completed a lot of endurance miles. They have done
those miles shod, and barefoot. Actually, since I use boots for
competition - the term is more appropriately "bare-booted". Why don't
I compete completely barefoot? Click here
for my philosophy on that. Simplified: I'm not willing to risk
hurting my horse to boost my ego, like I've seen way too many
barefooters do to their horses. Strong statement? Yeah. My horses
welfare is a high priority for me. Their longevity is one of my top goals. Weaver and Rocky are both Decade Team horses. Chief is well on his way.
Here are my endurance horses ride records.
Rocky. Barefoot last couple years of competition. 12 ride seasons, 7,640 miles. Semi-retired.
Dream Weaver. Used Easyboots over shoes. 11 ride seasons, 6,295 miles. Retired; trail horse.
Granite Chief+/. Every mile since 2005 barefoot - prior to that - plastic shoes. 7,520 miles. Still competing.
Zenos. Every ride I've done on him was barefoot with Easyboots. 1,265 miles. Retired, pasture injury.
Tigger. The new kid on the block. Just getting started with 765 miles. Barefoot and using boots 100% of the time in competition!
Added up, my horses have 23,485 miles -as of April, 2008. The majority (over 90%) of those miles have been done using Easyboots - since 2005, over barefeet, and prior to that - over shoes. Pretty cool, huh?
If I can do it, you can too! ;)
Check out the latest at www.hoofbootnews.com
I am wanting to put a pad in my epic boots do I put the pad under the strap or on top of strap. I can put under strap but then the strap is high in the boot and I don't want to get it over the bulb or to high, If I lay it in then the pad sticks up in back. Thank you. Dona
Posted by: Dona Bolin | August 16, 2008 at 07:17 AM