Sherri has been trimming my horses for 3 years now.  She helped my oldest Mustang to overcome a laminitic front foot  My half arab couldn't walk across the stone driveway without limping and taking baby steps.  Now her feet are no longer contracted and she has a beautiful concave sole.  She's able to run and buck with the others.  My youngest BLM Mustang was lucky enough to have started with Sherri and has the most gorgeous feet you have ever seen.

The most amazing problem solved, however, didn't seem to be much of a problem at all.  I had purchased a QH mare to be used as a trail horse.  I bought her strictly for her disposition, as she had a terribly crooked right hind foot.  The foot didn't appear to bother her.  She was not lame and she never seemed to favor it.  So, as you can imagine, having a laminitic horse and another who could barely walk, this didn't seem to be a problem.

However, this horse had the most awful trot I hat ever ridden.  Needless to say, I did a lot of walking on the trails and at my age, that was just fine.  Sherri  decided to try to straighten the foot, maybe more as a challenge than anything.  After each trim, the foot was a little straighter and now, a few years later, it is almost completely aligned.

Here's the interesting thing.  I thought this foot wasn't really a problem.  After all, she had no obvious lameness.  She never seemed to favor it.  This horse now has a lovely floating trot.  I've actually put my dressage saddle on her and started teaching her basic diagonal moves just for fun.  I think had this foot not been corrected, my Sweet Jane would have eventually "broken down".  She was obviously compensating for the misshaped foot trhough her body.  I don't know how the foot happened - if she was born with it or it was "made" that way, but to look at her now, you would never know she was once disfigured.  If you have ever asked your farrier why your horses feet look a certain way and been told, "that's just the way they are", THINK AGAIN!

Diane D. DeRosa, South Bristol, NY

Okay I ride a lot.  I really ride.  I have two Arabian geldings and I board another because they love to do the distance and they are built for it, but I live on the backside of Bristol Mtn. ski area and the terrain is rocky and steep.  Each year for the last nineteen years I estimate that each of the horses has lost at least two shoes per season which meant broken hoof walls, lost time, more expense, and more nail holes.  I felt like I was torturing them. This year I met Sherri and EVERYTHING has changed.  My horses move freely and easily and I never have to subject them to long shoeing sessions nor the dreaded burnt hoof smell.  They are always relaxed and calm because Sherri is so kind and gentle.  They now know that her visits mean a pleasurable experience.  Sherri came today and after riding fifty miles last week I was really afraid that she would scold me for riding their feet off, but instead she said, "They look great. Good job."  No bruising, no chips, and they still had hoof that needed to be trimmed off even after all those miles.  To be fair, they are occasionally "ouchy" on particularly rocky terrain which I take at a very slow pace, so Sherrie measured them for Renegade hoof boots which I hope to use on the long rides. But even without the boots, none of them had bruised soles and I don't have to worry about the horses slipping on the pavement when we cross a road. They will never again suffer an interference injury or a lameness issue caused by a misaligned shoe.  I am just chagrined that I subjected my sweet old boy to all that unnecessary work. Their feet all look symetrical and perfect, new "sneakers" for my super athletes! 

Finally, the fourth occupant of the barn has another Sherri success story to relate.  Blizzard is a miniature horse that I rescued from a pig farm in Canada.  He had never seen a farrier at four years old and his feet were always bruised and extremely irregularly shaped and flared.  Today after five months of Sherri's work his feet are round and hard enough to even stand up to his two jobs of pulling a cart and visiting nursing homes and children's hospitals as a registered Delta Society pet partner.  All my boys are happy, healthy, and better off BAREFOOT!!  Come visit.  I'll prove that horses really can work hard without shoes.  Thanks Sherri!

Beth Thomas,  South Bristol NY

Hi Sherri,

A little email to say hello and I love the picture  in the Western Chapter New York Horse Council Newsletter of you with your horses.  Wanted to send you a digital picture of Cash winning Reserve Champion in the Western Two Gait Class the fair. He is barefoot and he won.  He also won  the Championship of the English 3 Gait Class for Plantation Walking Horses. I can send that picture but it does not show his feet.  The Photographer DID NOT GET a good one of that. How are you standing the winter.  I can't wait for it to get a little warmer so I can do some ground work with Cash. I have been watching Clinton Anderson and he is good. I also love Bucky Sparks and keep reading his book over and over so I really get it into my head.  will see you Feb 24th carole said you are coming.    Hope this picture comes across to your computer.  I could no have won with out a good farrier.  No hoof no horse. 



Crazy Gaited Horse Lady

Janet