Trimming History
I began trimming in 2003 when my horse, Gavilan, staged a sit-down strike (literally) when we tried to shoe him after a 6 month vacation barefoot (read the story!) . I was initially coached by a local barefoot trimmer, and later by Martha Olivo (January to August 2004). I received a United Horsemanship certification in August 2004.

I was trimming 40+ horses even though I wasn't able to devote myself to trimming. I began studying Pete Ramey's trim in September, 2004, (www.hoofrehab.com ) and after an extended phone conversation with Pete, I began applying his techniques.

My professional & personal references are available on request. I'm available to discuss Barefoot Trimming and can demonstrate my trim to potential clients, vets, farrier's or curious horse owners.

Business Focus

I focus on preparing horses for optimum performance either barefoot or in hoof boots. I will work with colts & untrained horses using Natural Horsemanship techniques to teach horses to stand quietly for trimming, but charge an additional $30/hour training fee if the horse becomes a hazard.

I'm eager to help rehabilitate neglected, navicular and foundered horses, preferably working with your vet. I successfully transition horses from shoes to barefoot soundness, and routinely resolve conditions like white line disease, contracted heels, under run heels and long toes.

List Of Rates - See http://www.healthyhoof.com/services.htm

The objective of my initial or Setup trim is to balance the hoof while improving the horses level of soundness. This first trim is strategic, because a newly re-balanced hoof will change as the horse uses it. Those changes can be dramatic in severely imbalanced hooves.

My setup trim process is:

scrape shedding sole with the dull edge of hoof knife or nippers & remove loose frog
remove excess wall to 1/16 - 1/4 inch
lower the heel to 1/16 - 1/4 inch above the sole or to the level of a healthy frog
bevel the edge of the wall
trim bars that overlay to be at the level of the sole (with exceptions)

What I DON'T do is often more important than what I do!

I don't trim into the live sole (there are rare exceptions)
I don't open up the heels" to de contract heels
I don't clean up the sole unless it's shedding
I don't clean up the frog except for trimming flaps, pockets and crevasses that attract thrush

MAINTENANCE TRIM

scrape off shedding sole with the dull edge of hoof knife or nippers as required
remove excess wall to 1/16 - 1/4 inch
lower the heels to 1/16 - 1/4 inch above the live sole
bevel the edge of the wall