HealthyHoof.comLinda
Cowles - Hoofcare & Information
for Sound Barefoot Performance SUPER Links Page |
Linda
Cowles Hoof Care
Serving the greater Bay Area and
Northern California
healthyhoof@comcast.net
Questions
about Natural Hoof Care
Q
- My horse has always had shoes -
can it go barefoot?
A - Yes. New trimming techniques combined
with improved hoof boot design &
passive hoof conditioning strategies
ensures that we can keep even the
most sensitive horses comfortable
& active as they adapt to being
barefoot.
Q - My horse is barefoot now - is
Natural Hoof Care just a barefoot
trim?
A - Most farrier's are only trained
to trim a hoof in preparation for
nailing a shoe on. There are several
great training programs that train
farrier's on Natural Hoof Care.
Do you hesitate to try barefoot because you want to ride and are concerned about your horse having tender feet as it adjusts to being barefoot? Do conventional boots seem too difficult to use?
Modern trimming techniques result in smooth transitions that are, in many cases, immediate. Redesigned EasyCare boots are so effective & easy to use that they are rapidly replacing metal shoes as the hoof protection of choice!
Thanks, Joe! www.TheSoulOfAHorse.com |
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When I discovered that Joe Camp, the author and director of the Benji dog stories and movies, was hosting the Pete Ramey clinic I was scheduled to attend in San Diego, I was thrilled. I love writing,and love a well written animal story, so I was very eager to meet Joe, who not only writes but makes his own movies. Joe was special to my whole family, because his Benji was my sons favorite childhood literary character, and Benji Come Home was the first book that Eric, an avid reader, ever stayed up all night reading - start to finish - by the light of a flashlight under the blankets on a school night. Joe taught my son to really love reading and inspired him to write. So I dropped Joe a note offering to help with the clinic, and as he took me up on my offer, a friendship began.. The more I found out about Joe and his horse experiences, the more I respected his candor and devotion to sharing his story, the saga of a man coming into horses as a mature adult, without the prejudices and expectations of a "veteran equestrian". I was allowed to pre- read The Soul Of A Horse, and like my son, became so caught up in Joe's story that I read it, beginning to end, in one sitting, reading late into the night even though I had to trim ten horses the next day. Joe helps us see horses through a novices eyes... and to see novices through the eyes of a horse. The longer you've been around horses, the more this book has to offer you. Go To Amazon.com to Pre-Order "The Soul Of A Horse"!
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HealthyHoof.Com Hoof Care Clinics I launched my HealthyHoof.Com web site in April of 2005 as a way to educate people about barefoot transitions. Transitions can be very intimidating for owners whose vets and farrier's are telling them their horse can't go barefoot, so my goal was to describe how my clients horses - a wide variety - successfully came through the process.
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The interest in Barefoot Hoof Care has skyrocketed over the past two years, and there aren't enough qualified barefoot hoof care providers to assist the many owners who want to keep their horses barefoot. Many of us with solid trimming skills have tried to fill in the gaps by offering clinics. If you are interested in more information on clinics, see Healthy Hoof CLINICS for clinic details and Upcoming CLINICS for dates & locations. I need clinic hosts to be able to offer these clinics in exchange for the cost of clinic fees, and particularly need hosts in Southern California (LA and San Diego). Please contact me if you're interested! My business priority is my regular local clients so my clinic offerings will be limited! |
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American Hoof Association is Formed ! See http://americanhoofassociation.org/ In August 2006, a large group of "pretty good trimmers" (including Pete & Ivy Ramey, Paige Poss, Kim Cassidy, several AANHCP Trainers and myself) agreed to form a non-profit organization in order to create a comprehensive list of professional trimmers who adhere to a conservative, non-invasive approach to barefoot . The group is just getting started so there isn't much information available at the moment, but bookmark the site for future reference! If you are a hoof care professional who wants to apply for membership to AHA and inclusion on this list, please go to Pete Ramey's page for more information http://www.hoofrehab.com/trimmers.htm . We are in the midst of refining and documenting what we call a "pretty good trim" it's essentially the approach Pete has been promoting in his Hoofcare Clinics. A Guru Pedestal Is For Falling Off Of Through his books and his encouraging Pete Ramey to be a committed spokesperson for barefoot, Jaime Jackson helped me find a better trim for my horses than the Strasser oriented approach I initially learned... then somewhere along the way Jaime got caught up in the practice of carving a healthy foot shape on unhealthy feet. Why? Perhaps because cadavers can't complain.... Anyone can trim a cadaver foot and make it look better, but isn't a good trim unless the horse trots off sound! Cadaver feet - mustang or pathological - are dead. Soundness doesn't happen without a pulse and a horse attached to the foot. Cadavers are great for dissection and learning more about anatomy, but I personally will NEVER trim another dead foot. This is a valuable lesson to all of us who get good at what we do.... http://www.healthyhoof.com/articles/Pedestals/
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Tough Transitions Series Many clients come to me with horses who are marginally sound in shoes, looking for a miracle cure after trying various traditional options. These transitions aren't miracles, but they can feel that way as owners watch feet remodel over the passing weeks. Successful tough transitions are the result of a partnership between the Horse, the Barefoot Hoof Care Provider, and most importantly, the Owner. I've put up a Tough Transitions article to help the owners of marginally sound horses understand how they can play an important part in getting their horses through this process successfully. Like everything else on this site, it is a work in progress, and I appreciate feedback . |
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Samson We've gotten excited about this boys progress several times in the past, to no avail... his feet would look promising and then he'd be slightly off. He may have turned a corner - find out the secret to his long term unsoundness. November 16, 2005November 21, 2005 January 4, 2006 February 9, 2006 May 29, 2006 June 15, 2006 - X-Rays July 10, 2006 August 2, 2006 September 7, 2006 |
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Nipper Nipper started out with severely distorted feet and a quarter wall crack on the rear as a result of a coronet injury. Nippers feet changed dramatically, and so did her attitude. She's now more of a "Hugger"! |
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Saddle Fitting Problems? Check Out Dr Kerry Ridgway's New Saddle Fitting DVD "Saddle Fitting from A to Z" Only $39.95 Ultimate Saddle Solutions http://www.ultimatesaddlesolutions.com/ |
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The Natural Hoof is a Product of Movement The robust hoof shape needed for today's riding is modeled after the mustang hoof found on horses wandering in hard, rocky areas like Nevada and Arizona.In this environment, the hoof is worn by the horses' constant movement. The edges of the hoof from the toe to the "quarters" (the sides of the hoof wall at the base of the hoof) become rounded by loose soil & rock. These rounded edges enhance stability in off-road conditions, deflect rocks & dirt, & enhance traction. Mustang Roll refers to this rounded edge, a characteristic that ultimately shapes the rest of the hoof with movement. New Trimming Techniques & Hoof Boots Eliminate "Barefoot Transition"! [continued with pictures] |
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Copyright 2005 Linda
Cowles
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