56 / Sport and Trail Magazine
BAREFOOT
BOOTED
&
By Carole Herder
President of Cavallo Horse & Rider
The Trusted Authority in barefoot and booting
A few weeks ago, we received a request from Hawaii..
Aloha Carole,
My name is Lori and I work for the Mayor of Honolulu. The Mayor has been riding my horses in various parades and the rule the parades have is that every horse needs to be shod. It’s so frustrating to deal with these archaic views and policies. They are stating that the heat of the asphalt is detrimental to the hooves.
Mahalo, Lori
This was not the first time this issue has come across to us at Cavallo. Of course there is the consideration of significant heat conduction and transference from metal shoes on asphalt. Have they ever seen the sparks fly when metal hits that surface or even rocks on the trail at a speed?
What about the benefits of protection that our Cavallo soles would provide?
There are not studies available, but I can tell you from experience our Cavallo soles do not transfer as much heat as metal. And if you ‘compare apples to apples’, the benefits of a properly functioning hoof that bears weight and encourages blood circulation is far superior to what happens to a shod horse moving on a hard surface. Here we do have studies! The University of Zurich in Switzerland conducted a study determining that 800 Hz frequency travels up the shod horses’ structure at a trot on asphalt. This amount is enough to kill live tissue, both within the hoof itself and further up the horse’s structure.
Obviously I offered the Mayor some boots. And here’s the response from Lori below:
Our Aloha Festivals 70th Annual Parade was this weekend and the Mayor of Honolulu rode my horse, Misty. As I mentioned before, she has never been shod before so boots were being allowed as a compromise. Your boots worked absolutely perfectly!! They all stayed in place and did not rub her at all.
They actually blended in perfectly and looked so natural. I thank you very much for your support and WONDERFUL boots!!
Mahalo, Lori Kahikina
Carole Herder has a genuine passion to help educate horse owners. She speaks on her belief that caring for horse’s hoofs naturally and keeping them barefoot is best. Carole designed and developed the range of Cavallo Boots to meet the needs of the world wide hoof boot market.
Carole's background is in holistic and alternative health care. She coauthored the book The Cavallo Barefoot Trim, and most recently authored the international best seller "There Are No Horseshoes in Heaven".
Learn more about Carole's book >>
Mahalo! A Testimonial from Hawaii
How would you like to be standing in front of seventy people about to speak on the subject of caring for the horses we love and be confronted with the argumentative question “where did you get your information”?
“What information?” I answered.
“How to trim horse’s feet?” replied the crossed-arms antagonistic farrier.
Equine massage and chiropractic treatments can be excellent ways to prevent physical issues, as well as to catch issues early on before they find major problems. Ask other horse owners at your barn if they’d be interested in scheduling massage or chiropractic appointments on the same day to see if you can get a group rate.
Maximize Turnout Time
It’s one of the simplest changes you can make, but it’s also one of the most effective. Maximize your horse’s turnout time in order to improve his health. By allowing your horse to spend more time outside, you’ll be giving him the light exercise he needs to stay fit, avoid weight gain, alleviate the pain of arthritis, and more.
Buy Quality Feed
Always buy the best quality feed that you can afford. The better the ingredients that you are feeding your horse, the better your horse’s health will be. Quality feeds have a reduced risk of issues like spoilage and contaminants, and this quality can help to protect your horse’s health.
What changes have you made in your horse’s life in order to improve his health?