Shoes

[fats]

have use the nails like studs and take in and out as needed just clinched long so they could be stood back out but dont use your good driveing hammer they will scar it up pretty good

[Dan Edwards]

Ya drill tech goes on just like borium but I was told its a bit easier so me being a half wit I went with the easy route years ago and never switched. I have no idea if that is true or not though.

[STUNTMAN]

Dan does drill tec go on with a torch out-fit? or is that borium? :

[horshur]

[Dan Edwards]

[gbear1]

[BAR BAR 2]

Dan Edawards for you to say that people who say a saddlehorse don't need shoes is full of shit, just shows how full of shit you are. You may get some people to believe you're some kind of guru, but I'm not one of them. I live in NE Wy. where wee have a ranch and raise our own horses and never put a shoe on any of them. This area has a lot of rock called scoria, which is a sharp hard clay rock used for road base. It was formed by ancient volcanoes. You won't find hardly any ranchers or cowboys around here who ever shoe a horse. About the only folks in this area who keep a horse shod are performance horse people and arena competitors. Most people who know very much about hooves will breed for black hooves, as they are harder. Hell, our horses don't eeven get trimmed but a couple of times a year. This is true for most horses in this region that are bred and used for working. Our horses run in a big pasture and do a good job of keeping their feet taken care of by themselves. When I look at a horse to buy, the first thing I look at is the feet. The next thing is the leg bone. If you don't have good feet and legs, it don't make a damn how the rest of the horse looks, or how he's bred. If you feel that a saddle horse needs shod regularly, then you sir, need to buy some better horses.

[fats]

a lot of things factor in to this debate would not say anyone is full of it but just better horses isnt the answer by any means either

[Black Mountain]

Im with Mr. Edwards on this one, If you dont need shoes on your horses, your not riding them very much in rough, rocky country. Sure some horses have better, harder hooves but eventually they all need shoes with consistant miles in the rough.

[STUNTMAN]

[BAR BAR 2]

To each his own boys, but I'm not going to sit by and listen to someone say that I'm full of shit for saying my saddlehorses don't need shoes. I would venture to say that I spend more time in the saddle than the average horse owner. Between the ranch, day labor and huntin, my horses stay pretty damn hard. I stand by my first post, if you breed them right and buy them right, shoes will be the exception, not the rule. It is plenty rocky in this area, but horses that are used to it don't seem to have much trouble. Y'all keep calling your farrier every 6-8 weeks. I'm sure he appreciates the business. Y'all have a good day, I'm going to eat some elk steak now.

[horshur]

Horses are shod for more then just protection.....I can build a shoe that will make a horse secure on a hockey rink.

[Rylenut]

I have had one horse that I never had to shoe, yes a horse. And I rode that horse from when we got him at 3 until I sold him at 16. All three horses we have now, I've never had to put then on the rear. If you can get away with out shoeing at all that is the best. We do have to put them on the front, but not until I've put a good 5 to 6 rides on them. Its good to get them a little tenderand let them sit for a few days, they become a little more savvy walling through the rocks learning how to place their feet a little better.

[chsnlions]

I have had a lot of horses, some with feet so hard you could hardly trim with out bending your nipper handles. After a 125-160 mile trip, 6-8 day ride in the mountains I have never seen a horse that could handle that without shoes. I have a buddy that swore he rode his horse consistanly without shoes and that his horse did not need them, we went a couple 30 mile days in a row and we had to pound shoes on in the mountains to get out. just my experience.

[Rylenut]

There Is a difference between hard feet and tough feet. Hard feet will become brittle and break off going through them rocky places, therefore a shoe will be required. A tough foot will (rasp)itself keeping its natural shape and not requiring a shoe as often.