Each and every horse has an inherent right to be healthy and happy. We work to help you achieve this goal for your horse through natural hoof trimming. Our work is aimed at re-establishing the strength and form and perfection of your horse’s hooves which is not lost, but is merely concealed.

The model of the perfect hoof is found in the semi-arid high desert of the western United States, as well as the Steppes of Mongolia, the deserts of north Africa and other harsh areas of the Middle East and Asia . In these places horses live “wild” – virtually outside of man’s influence. Their hooves are short, hard, efficient things that permit nearly constant traveling, day after day, over some of the harshest terrain on the planet. Lameness is unheard of there. Even the newly born foals are born capable of staying with the herd despite covering 15, 20 miles, or more each day in the search for water and food.

An examination of these horse’s hooves show that they are very different from the typical hoof found on a domesticated horse. Why is there a difference? Can these tough healthy hooves be replicated for your horses? Have domestic horses had their feet bred out of them?

If you want to learn the answers, read on. If you seriously contemplate these questions you may find yourself on the beginning of a wonderful, eye-opening journey from horse shoes to barefoot and the associated freedom and health which come with this change.

Natural hoof care, as we understand the term and as we practice it, is the effort used to bring hooves into a condition that most closely replicates that of the wild horse hoof, and to maintain them. We accomplish this through judicious trimming coupled with an understanding of the perfect model. You, the owner, have a crucial role to play in this equation, too. More on that shortly.

This is not the traditional “pasture trim” provided by traditional farriers. Great care is given to removal of shoes during the first trim . Trimming is performed based on what each hoof “tells” us as to what it needs. The current hoof condition dictates the exact course of action for that particular hoof. The ensuing trim sessions will come as required by the growth of hoof material. Generally this will range from 4 to 6 weeks. We work with you to determine when to schedule again.

No pain is created by the trimming process.

We do not make invasive cuts into healthy tissues. The horse is never hurt and often feels an immediate relief with the new found freedom.

If you can allow your horse time to adapt to this new, natural condition, so much the better. There is likely to be a period of a time for the hooves to become conditioned to being unshod. This is to be expected and should not be a hindrance. Gradual exposure to harsher terrains is the order of the day. It is not unreasonable to expect a time of adjustment, or conditioning to be required. Human nature, being what it is in this day and time, is expectant of immediate, permanent fixes, - instant gratification - so, if you simply must ride your horse right away, for showing, or whatever reason, use consideration and wisdom. Recognize that although Nature designed the hoof components to be tough and hard and durable, your horse’s feet are soft and tender right now. The solution is the use of hoof boots when the horse is worked on any surface that obviously causes undue discomfort. We can fit your horse and provide these boots if you like. They are not a source of income. We offer them simply to aid you through your horse’s conditioning period! They are extremely durable and will outlast several sets of shoes no matter what kind of surfaces you ride on.
Our goal, yours and ours, is to have your horse out of the boots as quickly as possible. They are NOT a end in themselves. They merely provide a legitimate and practical form of protection as the hoof readapts to being barefoot.

Not all horses will require boots. But, you should not be dismayed if yours does.

The life style your horse experiences contributes significantly to the duration of the conditioning required as the hooves grow out and strengthen and toughen, or become more dense, as Nature intended. This is where you play such a vital role in your horse’s success.

The ingredients which you provide to your horse for success are:
Movement
Diet
Exercise
Patience
Love

Let’s look at them individually.

Movement is a natural thing for a horse – obviously! But, how many of our horses are kept in a box stall for most of the day? A 24 hour turn out is much more beneficial. Those that have a pasture to roam can benefit from herd mates, or companion horses, to stimulate their play and running. The more movement, the more circulation and growth is stimulated in the hooves.

Diet for a horse in the wild would seem to fall short of what we all have been taught is a “healthy” diet. Wild horses eat sparse, dry grasses and seasonal vegetation. They don’t stand in a corn field nor do they eat cereal grains. Oils and supplements are not found in their environs. So there is the direction we need to take our horses. Free choice grass hays of the best quality we can get is called for to mimic as closely as possible the natural feed. Again, this may represent a major change for the horse, so the modification of it’s feed must be done gradually without shocking their system. Some small amount of natural grain may still be useful if the horse is really working hard and on a regular basis. A reduction of high protein feeds and rich legume hays will reduce the likelihood of the distresses that come from over eating , or the eating of concentrates – neither of which a horse in the wild will do. You may find, too, that your horse’s attitude may benefit from not being on a sugar rush!

Exercise for a wild horse includes covering a good 15 to 20 miles a day over tough terrain. It also includes running and playing and fighting. So, you’ll agree that they get a lot more exercise than most of our horses, typically, unless you happen to ride endurance races or steeplechase. So, whatever you can do to increase the activity of your horse, exposing them to different terrain will aid their general fitness. Besides, they are wonderful companions and fun to be with, so get out your lead and take them for a walk, or run patterns in the arena, or do whatever is comfortable for the horse. Do try to insert some exercise time on varied textures, or terrains, too. Add them in slowly and in small amounts at first and you’ll see remarkable results. Some areas of washed “pea” gravel in their paddock near their feeding area, or near the water trough is a great way of introducing this sort of element without making it cruel or harsh.

Patience comes hand in hand with the last and most important element you provide, Love. If you can put yourself in your horse’s position and think about their experience you’ll be more patient and loving. The horse enjoys being handled and worked and doing their job and being part of your herd. They take having their feet bound up with steel bands in stride ( no pun intended) and they learn to work wearing them in spite of all the detriments. Once you release their feet to a natural state it will take some time to adjust. Your understanding of this is important. Be patient. Give your horse the help and the time to heal his hooves. That’s what they are doing--- healing. Nature intended that they be able to go anywhere without harm. If they can’t then they don’t fit the definition of healthy, right?

Love is the easiest to provide and the most difficult to describe. If you have a horse then you know how to love. Enough said.

So, there you have the process in a nutshell. Provide as close to “natural conditions” as you can and you will minimize the period of changing from shoes to barefoot. Simple? Basically, yes. But it requires commitment to do it. All horses can benefit from this regimen. Horses with serious foot and leg problems respond remarkably well to this form of hoof care. Founder, laminitis, navicular, splits, low heels, long toes, flat soles, chipped walls, white-line disease, fungal infections, all are prime candidates for this process. There are many, many well recorded cases of these things being reversed as a result of this type of care. So, if you are facing frequent and expensive shoeing bills and there is no improvement, take heart!

As we said before, we feel strongly that it is the inherent right of each horse to have healthy feet capable of going anywhere they need to, and doing so without man-made “protection”. If you agree, give us a call!

Natural hoof care is as we practice it is NOT a severe, invasive trimming method.
Natural hoof care is not a once in a while thing. It must be maintained regularly. A trim once , or twice a year is not fair to your horse.
Natural hoof care is not solely dependent upon the hoof care professional. You, as owner, must participate in your horse’s progression from shoes to healthy natural hooves.

Natural Hoof Care – Any Similarity with Shoeing?
I learned to shoe horses years ago. The education included cold and hot shoeing with keg shoes, as well as custom forge work and therapeutic shoeing. The instructors made it clear that “Less is best” when shoeing. They also taught that it was best for the horse to go without shoes whenever they could, so that their hooves could heal before having to be shod again. The profession of horseshoeing is an honorable one and truly borders on being an art. That being said, however, it still is evident that it actually does more harm than good to the horse. This is a sad fact.

I have the utmost respect for farriers. They all desire to do their very best for the horses they work on. That is the only common ground that I can attest to, though, between Natural Hoof Care and traditional shoeing. I have no desire to eliminate anyone’s job, nor do I bear anyone any animosity. There are lots of horses and lots of room for good practitioners. I only know that what I have seen and learned since my traditional training works better than the old way. It is a higher, more certain, more efficacious, more sustainable form of hoof care than fixing metal or plastic bands on horse’s feet. Consequently I cannot, in good conscience, put another shoe on a horse.

I hope that common ground, that mutually shared desire to do the best for the horses, can be the place to meet and share our knowledge how best to meet that goal as we all continue to learn.