Last month I finally quit using kevlar pads on every horse

For 20 years I swore by kevlar pads for hot shoes, thinking they were the only thing preventing burns. Then a client brought in a horse last Tuesday with thin soles and I tried a leather pad with cork instead on a whim. Has anyone else found that leather lets them work slower and actually read the hoof better?

3 comments

3 Comments

hart.sage18d ago

That "read the hoof better" part is exactly why I switched too, it's like you can actually feel through the leather.

robinf5118d ago

Man I saw this happen with my buddy Dave. He's been riding English for years and he got a pair of those sensitive sole boots and swore he could feel a rock in the deep shavings before his horse even flinched. @hart.sage is right about that "read the hoof" thing, Dave told me he actually felt the horse's weight shift and knew exactly when to ask for the lead change. He used to miss half his cues on his old stiff boots, now he nails them every time.

the_spencer18d ago

The first time I put on my new pair I actually felt the ground different in the stirrups, almost like I could tell when the horse was about to change leads. Does that sensitivity hold up after a few months of wear, or do the soles get stiff and lose that connection over time?