> Science and perception do not always agree. > > ~Nick > maybe because a lot of people hitting pavement or ice end up so gimped up they dont ride much anymore.
a consideration in my area, well, used to be before we entered into the drought of bibilical disaster proportion we are presently in--- is deep sucky mud. I would actually say it is almost as bad as quicksand at times. But very very normal to be riding along a trail and enter into a muddy area, then without knowing, go down to a drying up pond or lakebed and next thing the horse is up to his armpits and thrashing and fighting to get out. soooooo. I was told by an old timer "quickest way to permanently cripple a horse, a young one especially, is to ride him fast through deep sucky mud." so that can be a bad surface too. But I do see a flaw in your list of surfaces. for one, a gravel road will lame a horse quicker than anything because of sharp little pointy rocks. been there done that. Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
