Welcome |
Going Barefoot |
Services |
Examples |
Links |
Contact |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
I provide a "natural" trim for the horse which is not invasive, but allows the hoof to heal and produce healthier stronger growth from within. I strive for comfortable feet and proper movement for the individual horse and their conformation (landing slightly heel first is ideal).
In many cases, I can help you create a more natural lifestyle for your horse to encourage healthier hooves, working with your individual situations and resources. I understand the restrictions of domestic horse keeping, as a horse owner myself, but working as a team, we can often find creative solutions for difficult problems. Remember, the more natural you can make the environment, the healthier your horse's feet will become.
I treat each horse I trim fairly and calmly, which not only sets the stage for a pleasant trimming experience for your horse, but keeps me safe as well. Being under the horse, close to their feet, is a dangerous enough position and so keeping the horse calm and accepting of me handling of their feet is very important to me.
Some horses have trouble either accepting hoof handling or focusing enough at the task at hand to keep still, which can risk my safety. I cannot tolerate kicking, hoof yanking, biting or nipping, excessive leaning, or fidgety behavior from any horse I trim, and I always appreciate your cooperation in correcting these behaviors. Offering the horse some hay or more comfortable surroundings (including horsey buddies) very often solves a lot of these problems, a circumstance of which I would be happy to take advantage.
Some horses may act out to a degree where I would be uncomfortable risking my safety with them; in these cases, I may refuse to continue trimming, for my own safety. If you know your horse has trouble accepting hoof handling or is new to hoof handling and trimming, please let me know prior to the appointment. I am willing to work with difficult or young horses and teach them to accept hoof handling, but my work is made easier and safer knowing what to expect in advance.
The healthiest hooves are those kept on a regular schedule which more closely mimics the daily wear wild horse hooves receive, and so I insist on keeping each horse on a regular schedule (every 4 to 6 weeks is the average). My fees are reasonable to help make this schedule feasible for you as a conscientious horse owner.
My normal service area is Southeast MA (Bristol County) and parts of Eastern RI, but I am willing to travel within a reasonable distance. A long-distance-trim fee will apply to those horses outside of Bristol County, dependent on the distance traveled. Please contact me if you are interested in setting up an appointment or to inquire about your particular trimming fee.
What I need from every horse I trim is the ability pick up each foot willingly, hold it up for a length of time (longer than the typical picking-out stretch of time) without stomping the foot down, and to hold the foot steady without yanking it forward or back. Pulling the foot and leg out toward the front is also a necessary step for the horse to learn; try pulling a front foot forward and placing the hoof on your thigh, above your knee (please, do not place the hoof on your knee!), or holding the leg quietly in midair. This is the position I need the horse to accept to finish trimming the hoof. If your horse has difficulty with any of these positions, please ask me how to teach him to stand quietly for hoof work. Most horses come around quickly with just a few minutes every day of calm, sensible hoof-handling exercises.
A problem many horses have with hoof handling is proper balancing. A strong, balanced stance for the horse is to have the diagonal foot be the furthest away from the lifted foot, while the other two are directly underneath the horse. By practicing moving the horse's legs into proper position before lifting a foot, the horse gains confidence when lifting feet and helps keep them from pulling or leaning (which often result from a horse feeling off-balance).