Silverspring
Well-Known Member
since the shoes came off! I got lots of advice on this forum prior to deciding to take my girls shoes off at roughly this time last year and thought I'd just do a little update for those who helped and maybe for those who are interested.
My girl is pure bred Arab and has never had any issue with her feet other than being a bit of a pansy walking across hardcore. When competing she used to wear pads under her shoes, not ideal as it made her feet even more sensitive when they came off. But on 50 mile plus endurance rides you couldn't really slow up every time you came to a rough bit.
Anyway the shoes came off and I cringed as i asked her to walk across the slightly rough yard to her field. She didn't bat an eyelid. She was off for a week while I got boots ordered, I walked her in hand on smooth tarmac in this time.
Boots arrived for the fronts and we started venturing out. Again she didn't bat an eyelid. We have a hardcode provate road which I avoided like the plague when she was shod as she just stumbled her way across it. So early this year I thought her hinds should be conditioned enough to give it a bash, if all else failed we'd turn round.
Yet again she didn't bat an eyelid at walking on the hardcode, I could actually feel her back of the first few strides, clearly waiting for the discomfort then realised she had full protection on her front feet and could walk on anything! We now use the track as a much shorter and safer route to the forestry.
Then summer came and I started to worry, the ground hardened up and I thought her feet will start to chip/crack or bruise. Nope nothing!
My farrier is great, he trims her feet ever 5 -6 weeks not that there's ever much to come off but it keep them balanced (plus she has very snug fitting Easyboots so to much growth and she turns into an Ugly sister!)
Anyway, thank you to all those who gave me advice and support. It's the best decision I have made in a long time
Cookies and ice cream for getting this far.
My girl is pure bred Arab and has never had any issue with her feet other than being a bit of a pansy walking across hardcore. When competing she used to wear pads under her shoes, not ideal as it made her feet even more sensitive when they came off. But on 50 mile plus endurance rides you couldn't really slow up every time you came to a rough bit.
Anyway the shoes came off and I cringed as i asked her to walk across the slightly rough yard to her field. She didn't bat an eyelid. She was off for a week while I got boots ordered, I walked her in hand on smooth tarmac in this time.
Boots arrived for the fronts and we started venturing out. Again she didn't bat an eyelid. We have a hardcode provate road which I avoided like the plague when she was shod as she just stumbled her way across it. So early this year I thought her hinds should be conditioned enough to give it a bash, if all else failed we'd turn round.
Yet again she didn't bat an eyelid at walking on the hardcode, I could actually feel her back of the first few strides, clearly waiting for the discomfort then realised she had full protection on her front feet and could walk on anything! We now use the track as a much shorter and safer route to the forestry.
Then summer came and I started to worry, the ground hardened up and I thought her feet will start to chip/crack or bruise. Nope nothing!
My farrier is great, he trims her feet ever 5 -6 weeks not that there's ever much to come off but it keep them balanced (plus she has very snug fitting Easyboots so to much growth and she turns into an Ugly sister!)
Anyway, thank you to all those who gave me advice and support. It's the best decision I have made in a long time
Cookies and ice cream for getting this far.
