> On Nov 26, 2007 11:16 AM, Mic Rushen > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > The three miles of tarmac roads, half a mile gravel and rock > driveway and stone path to get to it (it´s part of a bridleway leading to the beach). > > We are not all lucky enough to ride on nice paths, or keep our horses in areas where there´s a dry season for hooves to get hard. Mic Debbie wrote> > Well, I am sure if you wanted to figure out a way to go barefoot, > that with some brainstorming we could figure out a way for you to do it...my horses could ride this with no problem I am sure, and if they had a problem, I would put boots on for that part then take them off when I got to the beach... with the goal that they would eventually be sound for the entire ride... You see this is what I have been talking about Debbie...this judgment of others for not being able to go barefoot....you have no idea how your horses would do in the environment that Mic or others live in. Sally and I have what I call a unique experience as our island has 11 out of 13 climate zones and more varied terrain in a small area that I have ever seen on the mainland. Because of this we shoe and trim horses in more climate zones than any other farrier or barefoot trimmers that we are aware of. I have a feeling that Mics environment can be as troublesome for horses as the environment at 2000-4000 feet elevation towards the volcano, wet and boggy....yet the roads are gravelled and very rocky so that cars can travel on them....the wet environment is very difficult as the feet never really have a chance to really be dry and get rock hard. Most wild horses that the studies are done on do not live in environments like these. We have a small herd of wild ponies here on island, they are Waipio ponies...they are amazing, small and hardy, and some have a soft gait. They have GREAT Feet, but move miles in a day, in varied terrain and have dry areas....150 years of them living wild has given them this...Sally and I love going down to the valley and looking at the wild horses and donkeys...but they are not asked to do what a horse owner would want them to do. We have one client who has 2 of these ponies...both are just 6 miles from where they were born in the valley, but they have moved up the mountain to a rainy location in deep pasture with a pond and hills....in order to ride on the gravel and rocky roads they must have front shoes or be booted. PERIOD. They live in a cush pasture and are asked to carry weight on a rocky road....wild horses do not have to do that. What we ask of our horses is not natural.... it is hard, but please know that some of us have gone through great expense and time to try to transition...for some it just can not be done. We have flown Sabine Kells over , Gene Ovnick...studied everything that Pete Ramey and Jaimie Jackson has ever written...Sally is a Physician so endless reading comes easy and is enjoyable for her as she absorbs and can really understand the vet studies. And some of us want to keep our horses in a more natural setting in a large pasture with their herd yet still ride them out. Our mare and babies are pastured out on a 2000 acre pasture...they are not shod there, we can ride them there in their pasture, but certainly can not take them out on the gravel/lava roads that surrounds it. At our home, they must have shoes or they will be in pain on the pasture that they love and feeds them well. Again, I am not trying to pick a fight, just trying to get across that some of us have tried, real hard, yet it does not work for us or our horses. So please have some understanding and know you and your horses are lucky to have the good feet and an environment that works well for both of you. And the fact the you have become competent in trimming your own horses feet. Most owners can not really do it...we even shoe and trim for a guy who is a retired farrier....he would rather pay us than do it himself...he is tired..its a hard job. We would be happy if we could get all the owners just to treat their feet once a week in the wetter areas for thrush.....but the fact is most owners do not want to really learn how to trim their horses feet themselves and it takes time, patience and the physical and mental ability. My hats off to you! Fire Island Eco-Treks-808-443-6085 Fire Island Professional Farrier Service-640-6080
