United Steele Hoof History and Hoof-it II Pads By Cyndee Pryor
Composite Horseshoe and Hoof Repair Systems by Hoof-it® Technologies
If one is very lucky, a great horse comes your way once in a lifetime. We all define a great horse as something different - a horse that can tolerate our inexperience, our children, go fast, go slow, do trail work, arena work, dressage, hunter, jumper, work cattle. Regardless of the definition, the horses all share the similar ability of figuring out what we want them to do and do it well. I have been so blessed with such a mount. He came to me with lots of energy and a great spirit of competition. He was capable of listening to me, and I also listened to him. We started with NATRC, went into endurance and competitive trail riding, Iaha Sweepstake Competitions, and even tried our hand and hoof at dressage. He took me to many regional and national competitions with ribbons, plaques, titles, placing in the money, and memories.
But one issue plagued us regardless of the sport - he had terrible hooves.
We would come home from a competition, and my farrier would shake his head back and forth. However athletically gifted my horse was, his hooves couldn’t hold up in spite of our best efforts. We tried competing in boots, we tried flat pads, wedge pads, we tried taking off as much of the front toes as we dared. We tried most everything during the ten years of hoof problems. All to no avail. That horse refused nothing I asked except to grow a heel on those front hooves. He naturally wanted to have almost no heel growth, contracted heels, and flat soles. His quarters were always broken away on all four hooves which put too much pressure on the heels. I had to miss important competitions, not because he was tired, needed a break, or wasn’t ready, but because his hooves wouldn’t hold up.
Then I found Hoof-it II Pads. I was at a 100 mile endurance ride with another horse and as always, had my eye on anything new that might help US’s hooves. The riders parked next to us showed me how Hoof-it II Pads had worked for them and gave me a catalog. I couldn’t get home fast enough to make that phone call. Hoof-it II Pads have worked wonders for United Steele. After an early retirement, he is back in competition. His hooves look great - even with training and 50 mile rides. After the farrier finishes putting on new shoes, we apply Hoof-it II Pads to all four hooves. The pads fill in where quarters are weak and prevent them from breaking out. I fill in the nail holes to keep his hooves moist, and also use the Hoof-it to fill in around the heels on the outside of the hoof to give more support to the heels on the shoes. We fill in all around the inside of the shoe and the sole area.
If it is winter and the horse isn’t being used, I can take the pads off myself without worry of thrush due to the wet weather. When I want to ride, I can easily put the Hoof-it on, regardless of my shoeing schedule.
My farrier is amazed with how well U S’s hooves look now. He is no longer flat soled, his heels grow and are no longer contracted, and his quarters hold up to the work load. US hated his early retirement, and thanks to Hoof-it II Pads, US and I are quite happy and back in competition.
Story by Ms.Jennifer Nice– Successful Endurance "There is no other equestrian sport that subjects horses to the amount of concussion that endurance riding does. Top 100-mile equine athletes routinely compete over hard, rocky and uneven terrain at speeds ranging from10 to 15 miles per hour for durations of 12 to 24 hours. Add to this the horse's conformation, way of going and weight, and concussion-induced injuries become a primary concern. It is because of this that I sought out a shoe that would reduce concussion and wear and tear on my horse's joints. When I chose the Anatomics, not only did I find that they worked to reduce concussion, but my farrier was also able to custom fit them to the size and shape of my horse's feet. So far, I've competed in three races using the Marathons and then two more in the Anatomics, and I will again use the Anatomics at the Washoe 100 on May 6.
But Al Baraaq is not my only horse wearing these shoes. My endurance partner of 13 years, Oasis Shetarah, now 21, also wears Marathons. Although this horse is retired from endurance riding, he still competes in competitive trail riding with Audrey Pavia, a noted author of equine books. Since switching to the Marathons to relive a variety of mild, age-related joint and hoof problems, he is competing 100-percent sound. The Marathons are helping to relieve joint stiffness and to correct both sheered walls and contracted heels from years of wearing steel shoes. Audrey expects to have a long career in competitive trail riding with him!
Minneapolis Police Mounted Patrol -Officer Angela M. Dodge August 28, 2000 "Thank you for your help in addressing the concerns of the Minneapolis Police Mounted Patrol Unit regarding shoes for our horses. When I first contacted you, we were preparing for protests related to the International Scientists of Animal Genetics conference that was being held in our City. We were looking for a shoe for our horses that would provide proper grip on the wide variety of surfaces our horses encounter, as well as flexibility and durability. We received our order in less than a week and our Farrier had no problem putting the shoes on. We used a combination of the Marathons and Anatomic. The test would be how they held up during the protests. During the protests, we had other Mounted Patrol Units from other agencies providing mutual aid.
One of the things we noticed immediately was the fact that our horses had much less slipping than the horses from the other agencies that were using steel shoes, barium shoes, or a combination (steel with barium tips). Our horses definitely had much better footing, which was a great advantage! The shoes have been extremely durable while remaining flexible, which is healthier for the hoof. We are very pleased with the performance of your Anatomic and Marathon shoes and plan to continue to use them in the future. Thanks again Heinz! I look forward to meeting you soon."
Contact: Hoof-it® Technologies- Minden, Nevada 89423 Phone: 888-466-3483 Email: info@hoof-it.us Website: www.hoof-it.us/index.htm
