# Makeshift hoof 'boots' for a one-time thing?



## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I have seen people do a good job with makeshift rehabilitation boots (e.g. for sole bruises) made from a think piece of leather duct taped. Since you're planning to ride, though, I think your biggest problem would be that any 'duct tape' boot is going to keep your horse from getting much dig/grip with the hoof and I would be concerned with the horse slipping and stressing the tendons.
No chance you can ride along the side of the gravel? Driveway gravel is very sharp, especially over hard ground, and even with our tough, always been barefoot horses, I avoid riding on gravel as much as possible.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I would not run your horse down the gravel road. But chances are he will do just fine walking down the ride. I doubt you are going to ride 20 miles on that road. A 1/2 mile or mile long walk is not a big deal.

I've found that my horses can cross any terrain barefoot. They just cant do it for long extended miles or day after day. I often ride my horse down dirt or gravel roads inthe desert, where they are on rock for 20 miles. They do it just fine, but seem to get sore if I ask them to do it 2-3 days in a row.

I'm sure your mount will look for the soft spot to plod along, Walking the edge or deeper gravel.

We often do a spring time ride thru the San Rafael Swell and have to follow a gravel road for several miles across the back of the swell to find the other canyon to pass back through









And even when passing thru the canyons, the horses are walking on rocks


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

just ride him, dont push it fast on the gravel if he gets sore he'll start moving to the far side. I ride with a bunch of people up and down gravel roads. My horse is th eonly one with shoes, evidently they have been doing it for years. Horses feet seem fine. Pretty much all they do is walk on the gravel, probably 6-12 miles a week.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I ride on gravel roads all the time. My mare is barefoot. Granted, she's been barefoot for years and I'm trying to remember how long I had her for before I hit the roads with her. (As soon as I got her she went barefoot -- she threw one shoe on the way home actually). I'm thinking that I got her in the fall and the following summer I rode her on the road, but not 100% on that. My other mare I took on the roads well before a year was up.

Regardless, you know your horse but once the hooves are tough enough, gravel isn't a big deal. I check for stones before and after the ride jic. What I would do, is go a bit at a time on the road to help toughen the feet. Maybe the first few times, don't ride and that will allow your horse to adjust weight and placement more easily initially. Then ride short distances, increasing a bit every day or week as you see your horse becomes accustomed to it. 

Also, check the ditches. On our gravel roads here, there is usually room in the ditches or just beyond that is rideable. Watch for garbage though, esp. glass bottles and tin.


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## WalnutPixie (Oct 15, 2010)

Thanks everyone! Painted Horse, those pictures are beautiful. If I lived in a place like that I would want to ride all day long and never get anything done. xD

There really isn't much of a shoulder on this road. It is cut into a hill, with steep banks on each side. I didn't think about how slippery tape would affect traction but you're probably right PaintHorseGal. I guess we should just take it a little bit at a time until my horse's feet are tough enough. Alternatively, we could ride each day half of the distance we plan to go the next time and fall back on the dichotomy paradox 

It hadn't occurred to me that I would be preventing my horse from developing harder feet by protecting them from the gravel. If all of your horses can do it, I guess my girl can too. It might be difficult to explain that to my horse at first but at least one of us understands now. I appreciate everyone's advice!


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