Posted by Dave Purves CF on March 16, 2004 at 17:15:36:
In Reply to: Re: like to hear experience with removeable boots, glue on ... posted by TE Couch on March 16, 2004 at 07:24:39:
: Why are youwoumissing out? Are you concerned about traction? Check out the prelim event horse article on www.naturalhorsetrim.com These guys are very successful and were chosen for a championship team at the end of the season.
: TE
:
: : For cross country jumping.
: : I have an aged th'bred with under run heels. I am working with my vet and shoer. The horse is doing well barefoot, every couple of days, I rasp a little toe trying to help adjust his breakover, and keep rouging the point of the heel to keep the growth from running under. After several months, his hoof is really healthy, he is growing more upright heel. Since the ground is still nice and moist i'd like to stay with this program, but I'm missing out on my cross country jumping. EZ boots work fine on the trail, but I don't know anyone who has actually jumped 3to 3'6" in them. So, real experience with field jumping please. thx in advance ca.
A friend of mine works on a horse that competed in a local 2 day horse trial and won her division barefoot. Now keeping in mind the the course conditions were great but it can be done. As far as easy boots go I don't know of anything like easy boots that are safe for cross country. Glue on shoes in most cases are much more expensive and not as great as most people think, they can be hard to keep on you usually have to reset them more often and the glue actually traps any fugus that may be in the hoof at the time. If your horse must have shoes to compete I would recommend an eventer rim shoe that fits PERFECTLY that way your farrier can drive the nails high enough that they are in solid hoofwall and that way you could probably get away with only using two nails per branch. I would also recommend using clipped shoes but you must make sure the shoes fit PERFECTLY and the clips are properly burnt into the hoof. If this happens then if your horse should happen to pull a shoe the clips and nails will slide right off usually not pulling any hoofwall off with them. I would not recommend drilling and tapping for studs because the added torque of the studs may be to much for only two nails per branch. My bigges piece of advice would be to be patient and let the horses feet come around to a normal capsule before you start using him/her to much. Taking off and especially landing over a jump can put a tremendous amount of stress on the hoof and leg and could certainly slow down your progress with the feet if your not careful.
hope this helps
Dave