# Working On Concrete



## KissTheRing (Aug 2, 2011)

Shoes/ full coverage booties would allow more tolerence- But then you run the risk of slipping/skidding. Honestly all around not the best Idea, though.

Any particular reason you have to ride on concrete?

EDIT: It is damaging to ride on concrete- If it werent appearent =)


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Concrete has no give, like earth does. So it's quite stressful/impacting on the horse's tendons/ligaments and joints, etc.

So you need to slowly condition the horse to walking on the concrete.. but I would NOT trot or canter or anything else. 

Stick to softer ground.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

*riding on concrete*

In the UK we have to mostly ride on hard roads as we don't have the easy access to so much open space - it just isn't there. There are areas of forest & common land where riding is permitted and bridle paths across farm land but other than that it is roadwork which is a mix of tarmac, concrete and grit on top of hard surface which to me was the worst for unshod feet. You get your horses legs gradually hardened off in a fitness programme, trotting is fine but cantering not advised. A horse with good feet will cope unshod cope with smooth hard surfaces if you are a considerate rider and dont expect to do too much mileage, otherwise shoes are better for the horse and on slippery roads its best/safest to also have road studs.


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## rascalboy (Jun 30, 2007)

It is easy to slide on rodes with shoes. My friend's horse started to misbehave while riding on the road and he almost went down on the concrete. His shoes were making sparks in the road as he tried to stay upright.
Seriously wouldn't recommend using shoes on concrete. You also have no brakes on concrete even barefoot, so I'd stick to walking.
Obviously the concussion causes issues with the horse so try and walk next to the road.
If you're going to be doing a lot of road riding, get hoof boots. I'd suggest Easyboots. (easycareinc.com). You still can't run in them, but the horses won't slip as much because rubber has more traction on the concrete.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

A horse should be able to walk and trot on concrete without to much problem, why do we think that they will be damaged when we do it all the time?

There are some benefits to a hard surface, it doesn't move, so you can work on getting and maintaining a steady rhythm, no hidden gopher holes to fall down etc etc.

As Jaydee says in the UK it is common place to ride on hard surface, we just don't go for speed, and nice walk, and a good working trot, no cantering or racing.

I think a horse should be able to handle a mix of surfaces, some do better than others in a particular environment, so listen to your horse, condition them to new surfaces slowly, and if they are really unhappy, rethink.


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## Kootenay (Nov 7, 2010)

I think walking is fine on it. I boarded my horse for years in Vancouver and we walked on the roads every day with no ill effects. Her shoes probably wore down a little faster than the otherwise would have, but that's about it.
I did trot the odd time too, but wouldn't really want to do much fast work. I know my knees start to hurt if I run too much on concrete, I imagine it's the same for horses.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

*riding on hard surfaces*



Kootenay said:


> I think walking is fine on it. I boarded my horse for years in Vancouver and we walked on the roads every day with no ill effects. Her shoes probably wore down a little faster than the otherwise would have, but that's about it.
> I did trot the odd time too, but wouldn't really want to do much fast work. I know my knees start to hurt if I run too much on concrete, I imagine it's the same for horses.


 Provided you put in the right amount of work in a fitness programme there is no reason why trotting on the roads will hurt a sound horse, its what the horses used to do in the days before vehicles were used to transport everything from place to place, they would be working day in day out, carriage horses frequently trotted everywhere. 
We had a pony that worked on roads all his life with plenty of trotting, he showjumped, competed working hunter & became a hunter for real when he was in his 20's, he died in his late 30's and never had a lump or bump on his legs or a days unsoundness


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## OwnedByAlli (Nov 8, 2011)

Its ok to walk and trot on hard surfaces! But only walk for the first 3 weeks/ first month to allow the legs to condition themselves. After that, introduce trotting. 

Some trainers and eventers actually start their fittening programmes riding on the roads to harden up the horses limbs. It helps make the legs stronger so the horses are less likely to damage themselves across country/ show jumping.


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

I use Easyboots for my driving mare because we primarily drive on asphalt and concrete as well. They are made of a rubbery material and when wearing them she is a whole new horse. I decided to keep her barefoot but her feet were wearing a lot from driving her on the road 5 or so miles a couple times a week. They give a lot more than shoes on concrete would. They are meant for rocky trails or just for horses with sensitive feet but for the price they are worth it. I would see no problem with walking/trotting on the road but cantering seems just plain dangerous. Here is the website; Easyboot Trail | The world's easiest hoof boot.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I would avoid ANY fast work, and try not to ride on concrete, if possible. You will wear your horse's legs out. Just replied to a recent post re: Amish auctions, and, if you saw the legs of their SB's and other driving horses after constant work on asphalt-paved roads, you'd reconsider any work on concrete. Their horses are played out by the time they are in their teens bc of the jarring, which I have witnessed for over 25 years.
If your horse slips and goes down to his knees or hocks on even the hardest clay, he'll be bruised but okay. If it happens on concrete you could easily break a knee.
Also, borium on shoes can prevent slippage, but, if on a QH's shoes you are bound to strain their legs bc QH like to plant and slide their feet in a turn.


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

Easy boots are a fantastic invention - but when I drove the horses had metal shoes with a layer of rubber between the shoe and the hoof, this helped soften the blow to their joints


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I walk my horses on concrete all the time and I will trot if the need arises, but I won't go faster. The main reason for that is because my working horses are shod and I don't keep borium on their shoes so slipping is a huge risk.


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

I know riding with shoes on concrete is dangerous because of sparks and the horse slipping, but it's also damaging to the horse's legs. 
ESPECIALLY if that horse has shoes.
A horse's hooves can expand and contract, so it takes some of the shock away.
With shoes, there's no give. AT ALL.
My horse doesn't have shoes, and I still won't trot on the roads.
THe most we ever do it a pleasure rack.


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## shaggy (Dec 8, 2010)

I believe Its ok to walk and trot on concrete as long as your horse doesn't have shoes on. Think of how it feels when you take a hammer and hit it against metal. You get that vibration all the way up your arm right? Well thats what the metal shoes do to a horses leg.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I like to condition my horse on a variety of surfaces, so yes I do walk on cement with him however I also work him on uneven terrain to keep his soft tissue flexible as too much road work can just make them rigid. He has not ever had a soft tissue injury and just last week thwacked himself a good one on a ligament. It was very swollen but the swelling receded completely in less than 72 hours and he was not lame. I attribute that to the conditioning and road work I do with him. 
He is shod and I don't usually have a slippage problem even though he is shod in flat shoes, not regular barstock.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

shaggy said:


> I believe Its ok to walk and trot on concrete as long as your horse doesn't have shoes on. Think of how it feels when you take a hammer and hit it against metal. You get that vibration all the way up your arm right? Well thats what the metal shoes do to a horses leg.


 Its when you do a lot of work on roads that you DO need shoes on, its the shoes that protect the horses hooves from wearing down & getting footsore and prevent tiny bits of gravel from gritty roads getting up into the hoof and causing an abcess. When my horses worked daily for anything up to 3 hours and more on roads they would go through a set of UK shoes which are heavier than conventional US ones in 4 to 6 weeks, imagine what that would do to the foot Its possible to have shoe shaped pads between the hoof and shoe if concerns but I never found I needed them. I never had a lame horse as a result of its having shoes on, no cracks, bruises etc or any stress to the legs. Barefoot is fine if it fits in with what you do with your horse but there is far too much hype about shoes being painful or bad for horses that simply isn't substantiated by facts. I have had plenty of lameness issues in young or resting unshod horses even with regular foot trims and in some instances have even had to have light plates put on young horses to protect their feet because I had concerns about them cracking or breaking up. You do what is right for your horse and not what makes you feel warm & cosy inside because you think its right.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

as someone who fox hunts, i w/t/c and gallop on roads. whats most important is getting them fit for it. starting my walking on the road for only a few minutes, working up to a light trot and canter over time. as far as going faster on the road, ive never run into any trouble with it, just dont do tight turns or sudden stops.

my horses all have front shoes only and they do just fine. 

i also want to add that this is something i dont do every single day or anything like that


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