[HairOfTheDog]

Too bad about the boots!....

I've been curious about your test. I hate to say this, but I predict as hard as you work horses, you are gonna have to find a farrier you can live with and go back to shoes. The amount Bay works, maybe, if he were just ridden lightly in the pasture. But not out in rocks, gaming, or any kind of regular use. Just my feeling on it.

You might prove us all wrong, but if and when you go back, at least you'll know more about it than you did before!

[mountaineer]

Hi, horseloving freepers. I'm no horse expert, but a friend of mine is and he's developing a major equestrian center not far from Pittsburgh in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. Horse aficionados in the mid-Atlantic/northeast might be interested. Two of the barns - with 26 stalls each - are completed thus far, as are a few show rings. He hopes to hold the first event this fall. Here's the website. Come by and see us some time!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL....I'm afraid you're right:). But I'm going to give it a shot. A friend of mine is trying it too. That's the biggest draw back that I have seen so far for me going barefoot, is it makes it difficult to ride with others. I don't like holding riders up while my horses pick they're way. But Celia is taking the barefoot route too and she rides with me alot. She's been doing alot of research on it too, and she has come up with that it can take 1-2 years to get them adjusted. I'm not sure I have that much patience, or desire to have my horses ouchy for that amount of time. Seems a bit cruel. Just playing it by ear right now. If they really sore up, I'll go back to shoes.

Becky