There are a lot of good reasons to select a natural balanced barefoot trim for your horse:

• The hoof is made to support the weight and activity of a horse without adding shoes
• The foot is healthier if there is free movement
• The frog will improve in quality and structure
• The hoof wall can grow thicker
• The hoof can clean itself better when it is barefoot
• The hoof will wear more naturally
• Healthier hooves make for better movement, balance, and overall well being
• If you have ever thought "I can't wait to get these shoes off" only to find blisters and soreness - imagine how your horse feels if he is subjected to sore feet.  He has hundreds of pounds on them and he can't take his own shoes off if they hurt?  

Don't select  barefoot trim to save money!  Regular balanced trims are essential (every 4-7 weeks)

Don't select barefoot trims to avoid cleaning feet - you still need to pick feet.

Barefoot health won't  happen overnight!  Natural trimming is a process that may take several trims to achieve the best result. 

Barefoot trims will not fix all of your horse's health problems, but free movement, good nutrition, lots of exercise, and a balanced trim will get you on the right path.

Our natural trims are the result of years of training, volumes of research, and a mountain of practice.  Once I meet your horse and an evaluation is complete, I will work with you on a plan to get your horse to a healthier state and then we will work at keeping him at his peak.  We will team up with your vet and any others that may be called upon to contribute to your horse's health - all are vital to the plan!

If you wonder if your horse can go barefoot - the answer is almost always yes.  It may take a series of trims and some changes in your horse's lifestyle, but most horses make the transition without a lot of problem.  Check out our FAQ's and Price Sheet page to see that even horses that ride in rocky terraine can go barefoot!

Better Be Barefoot - the key to fluid movement, the barefoot way!

The natural barefoot trim is a gradual process.  Getting the balance back and letting a hoof have free movement is vital to success and the health of your horse.  When a horse gets his first trim, you will often notice that when the foot is picked up, the horse is stiff - almost bracing himself for what is to come.  Once free of the shoe, it is wonderful to just hold the foot lightly and move it around.  Watch as the horse relaxes.  It feels good to him - like a massage feels to you.  He likes his ankle flexed and his leg relaxed.  His ears perk up, his head drops down, and he licks and chews.  SWEET!  This feels great.

The trim itself is a balanced one - one that lets him feel the earth beneath him.  One that lets his frog move and pulse with good blood supply.  His hoof wall can flex and it is stimulated for growth.  And his weight falls naturally on his hooves.  Many horses run and play with delight when turned out after their first natural and balanced trim.

If your horse has suffered significant issues in he past, our balance will require several visits.  But each one will get better.  Each one will bring us closer to our goal. If your horse requires some support while he is a "work in process" - BBB recommends boots that can be removed and which still permit vital hoof movement and circulation.

ASK ABOUT OUR NEW SERVICE- Casting!

Hoof Castings have been around a while in the farrier industry but are recently making waves in the Natural Hoof Care realm. Many horses are experiencing benefits of casting when their shoes are first pulled and booting is not an option. For example, some who board  cannot get their barns to apply boots or apply them as required. Some horses have such tender feet that  boots are not a solution. 

We all tend to think of a cast as being very stiff, hard & brittle. the cast is made of a fiberglass & resin blend which will harden to the shape of your horses foot while it is WEIGHT BEARING. It will not constrict the horse's foot. There are several  ways to apply casting material: 

•  we can use just the cast if your horse has pretty "good" feet;  
• we can use one of the many hoof packing materials under the cast or use the pads we would normally use in the hoof boots under the cast.

Regardless of the method, the hoof casting  acts as a "permanent boot".  It stays on for 3-5 weeks at which point your horse would be re-trimmed and re-casted or fitted for hoof boots for riding. The cast material is fine for light riding on soft ground but is not yet wear resistant enough for abrasive conditions.

If you consult me for the purpose of pulling shoes and transitioning your horse to a more natural barefoot life, casting is just oe of the options I have at my disposal as a result of my new HEALTHY STRIDE endorsement!

CASE STUDY:  Meet the hooves of Fallon, a 16 year old morgan who I was called to see.  Once a show stallion, he wore heavy, weighted shoes for many years.   In fact, he has worn shoes almost all of his life.   These first pictures show what I saw when I arrived to evaluate Fallon:

I proceeded to pull his shoes and trim him - and as one might expect, he was a touch tender.  So casting was delected as an option for him.

  Notice the casting material in this picture.

Fallon is doing well with his "new feet".  He is no longer casted.  I continue to work with him and he is doing well as a "barefoot boy".  So even horses that have worn shoes for most of their lives can make the conversion.  Some will need casting.  Some will need trail boots.  Others will be barefoot for all activities.   But one thing is for sure:  The difference in horses like Fallon within just two months time is truly inspirational!
 

  Sherri applying a cast.

Better Be Barefoot is a tranquil, picturesque retreat for your horse so he can get well.  If your horse needs special attention for navicular sydrome, founder, contracted hooves, or "mystery lameness" - we may recommend that you allow him a stay at the ranch.  There, he will enjoy 24/7 movement; exercise according to his needs; fequent trimming; minerals and vitamins; soaking as needed;  organic feed; massage; chiropractic and accupuncture; homeopathy; and even the services of an animal communicator when required.  We can concentrate on getting him back on track totally and completely.  Remember, fixing the feet is not always just a  trim away - sometimes underlying causes must be corrected as well.  Rehab at the ranch is sometimes just what is needed.

It is always my hope that you can plan ahead and keep your horse healthy.  But I meet a lot of folks and horses when they are in crisis - they don't know what to do or where to turn. I am prepared to help with such situations as

• founder
• navicular syndrome
• thrush
• abscesses
• ring bone
• mystery lameness
• deformities

I am happy to offer advice on activity, nutrition, natural supplements, herbals and the like - all with the ultimate goal of getting your horse to a healthier place.  If necessary, we can move your horse to the ranch for rehab.  When required, I will work with your vet.  I will work with you to the best of my ability to get a good outcome.  I have done so when most would have bet against it.  Check out the testimonials and tributes page and see if any of the stories sound familiar!

Foundered Hoof - Right front