To pad or not to pad - that is the question

[SaddleseatAngyl]

I already asked this in the Pleasure section, but since you guys might know more about padding a horse up, I decided to come here to. I've been showing my NSH mare for three years, and she has a bit of natural motion. I inhance this motion by using stretchies on her, and she can trot level with them on. Without them, though, she comes about three to four inches off being level. I was wondering if a wedge or a bit of pad could do anything for her. She has never had pads and has been flat shod her whole life. I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

[LavaJava]

depens it might help or not but im surew you could try putting some pads on her then if it dosnt really help any take em off....

[Machogirl]

Go for it! If she doesn't like it or show any improvement, etc., than you can always remove them!

[Emily-Moe]

hehe, we are all in all the forums, its like an infestation of SS riders...ill just delete that topic in pleasure

lol..*pictures lil derbys scattering into corners when you go into forums*

[Machogirl]

Yeah, this topic was posting a few times... Lol.

[Reality]

Pads will add tength of foot and just a little tiny bit of weight. It will change the way she moves and give her a little bit more motion, however if you have been doing good without them I wouldn't bother with them as they can make shoeing even more expensive, and I wouldn't turn my horses out (if you do now) with pads on as it just gives them more to step on to pull shoes easier.

Also so with pads moisture (water and pee) can build inbetween the pad and hoof and cause fungal and bacteria build up.

But that's just my opinion.

[Emily-Moe]

yea, whats the rule on turning out with pads? Can you do it or not?

[Reality]

If it is just one pad on a keg shoe and if your horse just doesn't go nuts when turned out, you'll probably be fine.
Does he ever lose shoes now? If not there won't be too much difference with a pad on.

It does give them more to step on, if you know what I am saying.

[Machogirl]

If we turn horses out with any pads for any amount of time, we always put bell boots on them so they are less likely to pull the shoe.

[Emily-Moe]

thats good to know, because everyone around here says padding is so cruel because you cant turn the horses out

[Machogirl]

You can turn some of them out as long as you are careful. Most of them get enough exercise from riding and lounging, so it isn't cruel. *some people*

[Gracie]

yeah, my baby Bella, doesnt get turned out b/c she's only 4 so she'd probly be all over the place and it'd be too likely that she'd throw a shoe BUT she gets out of her stall everyday and gets ridden/lounged/walked around, so she gets pretty tired by the end of the day. she doesnt seem to mind it at all, idk if every horse could handle that kind of schedule though with no turn out.

[Emily-Moe]

lol..piper can go bout 4 hours in her stall....

[Machogirl]

We have to be careful about the young horses too. Mocha got his head and neck caught in the fence before. He poked his head out of one gap and poked it in another. We have plastic covered wood fencing and we had to pull off the middle board to get him out.

The fence looks like this:

[SaddlebredChick08]

I dont ever turn any of my show horses out in the field because i dont want to risk them getting hurt because when they are turned out they run around and buck and act so crazy and they run and then just stop and they slide and fall on their butts and it scars me but when i turn them out in our back yard none of them go anywhere except in the back yard to eat...they dont run around at all.

i really dont know of anyone that turns their horses on pads out in the pasture.