two more newbie questions (i swear this is it).

[marta]

first, the hunt has a little spread on sundays. i believe each member takes turn in putting it together. i’m not a member but would it be acceptable to for me to bring a box of breakfast pastries or would i be violating some kind of an order?

second, how do you guys determine whether you need studs or borium in your shoes? we’re not jumping. so far we have not had any traction issues (despite all the rain) but she is scheduled to be shod in a couple of weeks and i have an option of having shoes with carbide tips put on or shoes w/ carbide tips and heel stud mounts put on. should we just continue with plain shoes (she uses Eponas) until we have a problem?

[JSwan]

It is always ok to bring food. Not only ok, but good manners. Some folks cook something, some folks bring store bought.

It’s all good.

Traction - that’s a hard one and geez - it’s really just a personal decision in which a lot of factors come into play. Your best source of information may be the other club members. They know the territory and the weather patterns and may be able to advise you better.

I tend to use rim/full swedge until we start getting frosts/freezes - then go with borium. Studs are a PITA. (to me) If the footing is hard I use pads. (I don’t think with Eponas that’s an issue for you, is it - they’re more forgiving.)

Sorry I can’t help - but definitely bring food. In my hunt - some people are known for certain dishes or being a reliable bringer of treats and everyone is happy to see them! That and the person that always has napkins, plates and toiletries in their trailer.

[Elghund2]

Food is always good.

As far as footing goes, it depends on territory and horse. When I hunted in Nothern VA, we used borium because of the number of times we were on pavement. The downside was that my horse would get bruised toes from the borium.

When I moved to central VA I switched to studs. Here we are never on pavement and the borium really wasn’t effective in my opinion. I don’t find the studs difficult to deal with at all.

Next week when the farrier is here I will have him drill the rear shoes for studs. I have found that the fall conditions of heavy due on the grass over hard dry ground tends to be very slick.

When we hit November they will get drilled front and back. As far as the type of studs, again it is personal preference. I never use big studs. I figure if conditions warrant those then I don’t need to be hunting. Most of the time, even in dry conditions, I use a #6 ice stud. Its worked well for a long time for me. So no reason to change. I use the same stud all the way around.

[SLW]

Food, and this time of year bottled water, would be thoughtful!

I’m the General Of Cheap. My two horses hunt either barefoot or one is shod in front and they hunt from Sept through March. If the footing is really slick, no one jumps in either flight. If the roads are icey or snow packed, I don’t hunt. So, that leaves all the other twice weekly hunts and barefoot, or fronts only, works out well for my equines.

I am so excited because I get to go roading tomorrow!! One day closer to cubbing…

[Hunter_s_Rest]

With either studs or borium, it hardly matters if the footing is “deeper” than your traction device. Borium only works on full-on ice (or pavement); NOT on sort-of but not-quite frozen ground. And the studs won’t help you a bit if hte going is deeper than the stud. That would mean you’d need 1-foot (or more) long studs to get a hold of some ground. I don’t bother except with borium when its fully frozen. Otherwise, ride cautiously and carefully. My opinion.

[Mach_Two]

Take food, leave borium.
There is a reason football players and baseball players and golfers have shoes to put on with studs in them, instead of having stud installed on their feet. Borium makes for a lot of wear and tear 24/7 on your horse’s legs. Drill and tap for studs on metal shoes (and I beleive that epona makes a shoe that will take studs…I could be wrong, it happened once before :winkgrin:)
You can get very short borium studs for icy roads, but epona shoes should do the trick alone for other paved surfaces, with no ice. For traction in mud, a small mud stud, or borium stud behind, and a road or borium stud in front does the trick. If your hunt travels on roads a lot, though, the larger the studs, the harder it is on his feet and legs to travel on a solid surface. Go with the least you can, and use your good instincts to be safe.

[Beverley]

@Elghund2;4306366

The downside was that my horse would get bruised toes from the borium.

I’ve always used borium (or more recently, the borium-tipped pins that are tapped into the shoes before shoes are affixed to hooves). But- I only use it on the heels of the hind shoes. The horses very quickly learn where the traction is, and there is sufficient traction without undue strain on toes or front legs. This has worked well for me on ice, asphalt, and really scary slickrock mountain trails where a slip means you might need the parachute that you don’t have. And, note, I’m crazy. Have jumped coops with blue ice on takeoff and landing, played chicken with semis on U.S. 15 south of Gilbert’s Corner, and, well, I do these mountain trails!

In Virginia, the ‘snow tires’ were on for the duration of the season, Sept to March, because when whipping in I could usually count on a lot of road duty. These days, I only put it on for relatively brief periods- when I know I might be hunting on ice or rock, or for the annual Pony Express re- ride in June (and parades in that same time frame).

Food- always good.

[marta]

the Eponas gave me plenty traction during roading.

no slipping. she moved confidently on the roads, up and down the hills and around turns, even at canter.
so far they have not given me any traction issues on trails either.

you’re correct they offer them with both carbide tips and with stud mounts at heels. but sounds like i should maybe try to use just plain Eponas and see how we do.

thanks again everyone!

[jennifersw]

I’ m w/ you, Mach 2

What’ s not to love about studs? They come in every size and shape imaginable for every sort of footing. I wouldn’ t imagine hunting without them.
They are no more a PITA than anything else we do with a horse.

Just DO NOT let anyone talk you into shoes with the leave- in cleats…unless you want to give your horse some serious body discomfort and soundness issues.

[system]

Borium?

Don’t you guys have road nails in the States?

In UK almost everyone has road nails to prevent slipping on the roads - we mostly take our chances with the footing on the country and sometimes it is very deep - it pays to have a horse with good feet and a good farrier.

[Beverley]

Howdy Pat.

I do believe road nails exist- but I’ve not personally known anyone who uses them. My present farrier doesn’t like them, reasoning that the extra traction/pressure on the nails themselves has a greater potential for undesirable consequences than the borium (either beads or what we use, the tap in pins).

[MapleMeadows]

I’ve used road nails! Here in New England we only hunt until around the beginning of December because we get a lot of snow. I usually avoid Borium until it’s really necessary (November?). My farrier has suggested road nails with my husband’s big draft cross. Gives him traction but are a little less aggressive. Helps a great deal with pavement. I tend to only ask for them later in the season as well when it’s cool, damp, or frosty.

[Saskatoonian]

Oh rats, MapleM, I thought you were going to clue me in on the food apt to bring to GMH, if I ever manage to join you. I just didn’t feel good about bringing Reacher last Sunday when it was 90…