What Crazy says I have found true, for a dozen years Buck Conner and myself had mustangs (wild ones from the programs the feds run), so like the Spanish Barbs they went back to the early stock that roamed the west. These breeds are unlike the modern breeds as far as hoof makeup according to CSU Vet Clinic folks, like Crazy says hardier, don't split out and on good ground pretty much take care of themselves. We would only trim the fronts in the spring and only then if a hard winter where they where on snow for long periods, mild winters there was no need to touch their feet, this was the same on all 5 animals, yet the 5 quarter horses always needed foot work living in the same conditions. What's interesting too is how stout the mustangs and Spanish Barbs where when compared to their brothers the quarter horse or morgan, which we also had several of. Pound for pound it's hard to find a horse that will perform like a mustang or Spanish Barb, plus they are correct for the RMFT or Native American events. Just my two cents...... Take Care, Concho - --------------------- David your right the stock of RMFT were hard footed critters. I have been working with Spanish Barbs. The type of horse used during the fur trade and the ones I've been working with have some of the best feet I've seen on a horse. Hard as hell and seem stay in good shape for the most part. So long as they are kept in a large enough area that they can move around and kept on dry ground. Their feet stay in good shape. The one horse that had here for year half never did needed to be trimmed. In fact the one time I did have shoes put on him the shoer only ran his rasp across the bottom of his hoof a couple of times to set the shoe and that was all that was needed. Out of the two two year old marries I have here now only one of them has ever been trimmed and that was because it was kept in a small muddy corral for one winter and the hooves did not have a chance to ware down. With as much as the horses were used back then I bought that trimming was ever much of a concern. Hooves being wore down to the quick was more of a concern. But as hard as their hooves are they would go a lot farther then any of our modern over breed horses of today before this would be a problem, I have read of raw hide boots being used when the feet became tender. on the trail Crazy Cyot

Later, Daniel L. "Concho" Smith _____________________________________________ HISTORICAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT_______HRD__ http://pages.about.com/dlsmith/_________HRD__ _____________________________________________ Words to live by: Sometimes you are sad... And no one sees your tears. Sometimes you are happy... And no one sees your smile. But fart just one time...
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