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Hi Marilyn,
I will also add in to what Ashley said -- sometimed wet feet just need extra protection. We brought down a mare from the Western slope of Oregon. I am in Southern California, where we just don't see the kind of wet patterns she had. At first she got sore, just from her feet going into shock and drying too fast. We kept a soaking area for her to stand in, should she choose to... which she did. We booted/padded her for about 3 months to keep her riding, then dispensed with them all together. I had the opposite problem--too dry too sudden. But I know when her feet were constantly wet up in Oregon, she was quite ouchy on rocks/gravel. Boots would have provided her the help she needed when out riding. Out in the pasture, she could just avoid or traverse around the gravel--but when your out riding, sometimes you just have to go down that path. The protection boots would provide far outweighs the thought and consideration of putting shoes back on any of our horses. That's my personal choice, and each person has to weigh it for themselves IMO.
I have Mustangs here, that have never seen shoes. One of them during the spring thaw last year was a bit ouchy on gravel driveways (he was still up in Oregon--eastern slope though). As soon as the ground wasn't as soupy and dried out a bit, he was fine.
Good luck,
Denise
Marilyn wrote: i also have a question. i live in the
area. I have 2 Vancouver ,Wa
barefoot horses, one of them can't go on rocks or gravel, even after
being barefoot for 6 years. Does anyone else have this
problem? They live on gravel in their sacrifice area so it doesn't make
sense. I do everything they say to do, such as 24 hour turnout.
I talked to a farrier yesterday and he says it is too wet here and
therefore they can't go barefoot here.
What do you say to that?.
Denise Frick
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