barefoot and booted - cantering on roads??

Skippys Mum

Skippys Mum

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Would you let a barefoot horse wearing hoof boots and pads canter on a road? Is the concussion the same as it would be for a shod horse? Surely it is much reduced??:confused:
 
I'm on the fence with this.

A fast trot would be just as concussive as a canter However can a slow collected canter be as concussive as a slow collected trot?

I don't know. I personally rarely go out of walk on the road.
 
I was always told and taught NEVER to canter on a road or hard surface, regardless of shoes/boots etc. Not only is it very bad for their legs and joints, what happens if you come across a car?! If I was driving and saw a cantering horse coming towards me I would worry,....and I am horsey! Also, if the horse spooks or if you come off, you're going to do a lot more damage to yourself than falling on grass/mud track. I really could never see a reason to want to canter on a road, no part of it makes sense.
 
I read this and instinctively thought "No never canter on the roads" but whether this is based on anything worth knowing or just the fact that I had it drummed into my head by my riding instructor at a young age I wouldn't like to say.

I wouldn't do it because I just wouldn't, sorry not much use in your thread but I'm very intererested to hear other peoples' responses!

BTW A friend's horse flatly refuses to trot on the roads and if asked to does a couple of strides and then breaks into the most amazingly collected canter. He never seems any the worse for it and now you've got me wondering if he does it because it's less concussive than the fast trotting!

ETA Said friend always pulls up asap!
 
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I wouldn't have thought cantering would be less concussive than a fast trot, as in the trot the weight is taken on two legs at each step. In canter, two out of the three beats involve all the horses weight landing on one leg. I wouldn't be trotting too fast on the roads either tbh.
 
I think that shoes cause concussion, [think running in socks and crampons], but I feel much safer barefoot and canter occasionally on a safe horse and also trot, but walk if traffic around, might trot if desperate to get off a busy road on to a quiet lane.
Not sure about boots, it would depend on feedback from horse.
 
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It would still cause concussion but not nearly as much damage as if the horse was wearing shoes. The only time I have done it is when hunting etc and horse didnt give me any choice as they were determined to keep up with the group!

I think a hand (slow) canter is probably less bad than a fast trot tbh but neither are ideal.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
It would still cause concussion but not nearly as much damage as if the horse was wearing shoes. The only time I have done it is when hunting etc and horse didnt give me any choice as they were determined to keep up with the group!

I think a hand (slow) canter is probably less bad than a fast trot tbh but neither are ideal.
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Ditto this, shod or unshod.
 
I often canter on the road with my hunter because he canters on far worse out hunting (concrete) and I want his legs to be used to it.

But I would never canter a horse who needs pads in his boots on the road. If he still needs pads he isn't ready for that kind of concussion, in my opinion. He must, to be safe from concussion, have a fully developed back of the foot with the spongy frog and heel bulbs taking the first impact in a definite heel-first landing.
 
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I was told by an British endurance team member that it is far less concussive to canter steadily on a road than to trot fast.

With regards boots/barefoot, I once read somewhere the concussion in a shod horse walking on a road is four times the concussion of a barefoot horse trotting along the same stretch of road.
 
Mitchyden said:
I was told by an British endurance team member that it is far less concussive to canter steadily on a road than to trot fast.

With regards boots/barefoot, I once read somewhere the concussion in a shod horse walking on a road is four times the concussion of a barefoot horse trotting along the same stretch of road.
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:eek:
 
I wasnt sure. I never canter him shod on a road (by the way, when I say road, I mean private - not on a road used by other cars ;) ) but he got all sorted out with boots last night and I couldnt hold him - he was full of himself. Now I wont let this become a habit but I was curious about concussion - did the boots reduce it or not.

Bit of a bummer mind you - he was having a whale of a time ;)
 
Oh, heck, if he's that happy let him, bless him :) The boots will certainly have reduced the concussion, they are plastic by name and by nature.
 
First thoughts are Eeek no :O

I have a barefoot pony and wouldnt dream of cantering on the roads :o

Can't see the point in it myself- I rarely trot on roads but as for this less concussive thing- maybe but the tendons are put under greater strain in canter than trot (or so I have researched and observed by looking at the pastern angle, did a project on it- No expert Im probably totally wrong but might aswell say it as not :P ) and at a greater speed there is going to be more force exerted?

I don't know, I also wouldnt do it as it seems more dangerous in the event of an car and a spooky object- from my experience horses are less likely to spook so violently in walk or trot and can see it coming a bit better ..

I also find it strange how people go crazy at working on 'hard ground' yet will canter around on roads ??


Just my opinion
 
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