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Discussion on More on Natural Trim
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 - 1:45 am:
I have been learning about Natural Trims, particularly the style practiced by Pete Ramey. I have a couple of horses with hock problems and one with a clubby front foot, so the wearing of their hooves is not as even as will be seen on horses without those problems. I found a web-site today that has very encouraging testimonies and I wanted to share it with anyone who would be interested.
www.healthyhoof.com
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Member:
Christel
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 - 10:21 am:
Thanks Holly, great website. After watching a Clinton Anderson show on RFD-TV with Pete I ordered his book. After reading thru it I ordered the tools. Whether or not I will have the nerve to actually take that first nip is still in question-lol.
I have also been to the 'natural hoof' site recommended here on Dr O's reference pages- good site too.
While I don't want to become a trimmer I would like to be able to do maintenence on my own horses between trims. I am at the stage where the more I learn the stupider I feel, I am always left w/ more unanswered questions than answered ones.
The closest natural hoof person is 6 hours away, so I am kinda on my own. I have had the same farrier for 5-6 years and have always liked him, still do, but after trimming in Dec., I had a lame horse for several days after, first it seemed she was sore on front feet, then after 3 days she was extremely lame on back feet- was lifting each back leg way up under her belly, then sliding the toe across the ground and gently putting foot down. My local vet said too much heel had been taken off the back hoofs, after bute for a few days she was fine and still is, and I am not so sure too much heel was taken off- back to the the 'more I know- the dumber I feel'.
I am very intrigued w/ the natural hoof theories and like how they try to mimick the hoof of the wild horse, seems only logical to me- now if I can just get my farrier on the same page I think I will be ok. But how does one do this in a diplomatic way- I think the first step will be loaning him the book, then asking what do you think? Hopefully he will say WOW- lets try it.
Another good site is- hoofrehab.com this is Pete's website and is a good one too, thanks again for the web site you posted.
Chris
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Member:
Cpacer
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 - 1:38 pm:
Thanks for sharing Holly! Last spring/summer my horse was having a lot of issues w/his barefoot feet and everyone kept telling me to just put shoes on him. Man am I glad I held out, his feet are now better looking than ever and I don't have to worry about him losing something that shouldn't have been there to begin with.
After reading the article perhaps I'll start using the boots less on the trail (once the leaves clear so I can see what's down there).
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 - 2:22 pm:
https://www.thehorseshoof.com/helpmethod.html
https://barefoothorse.com/
Here are two more great sites. The barefoot hoof site is really helpful to a new trimmer. Lots of pictures. which i need to understand the concepts.
I personally think ramey doesn't take enough off on certain areas or advocate it. But my situation is a little different than a good sound hoof. I need to be more aggressive since her hoof is changing, if i wasn't diligent i could see her becoming laminitic... actually she already is pre-lam... she has flaring, too long in the toe, bars are folding no concavity, white line separation, etc... So for me, i need to trim these areas. ramey advocates leaving the sole alone, and not to trim bars, etc... (my simple explanation).
Christella, i have farriers galore here, and only one AANCHP trimmer, so i am learning that if i want the certified trimmer who trims for barefoot only. i must learn to do it myself in between. to be a bit more aggressive. But its still a lot of work and back breaking labor.
Once i learned all i could, it did help me though tell my farrier what to do... But it took me years to feel comfortable saying, hey take more toe, or hey the bars could come down a bit more...
I met a man named Phil Morarre (lives in N. California) and he teaches seminars how to trim with an angle grinder. I met him down here during a laminitis seminar in florida. He has an Intrigueing concept considering i can never trim, rasp, cut, but I CAN use this tool. He left me with a smaller version of a grinder, and its been useful and does the trick. I just bought his video and it helped clear a few things up... pretty cool. His website is:
https://www.softouchnaturalhorsecare.com/aboutme.html
believe me if i can do it, anyone can...
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Member:
Sparky
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006 - 3:22 pm:
Holly - I to have been educating myself on the natural trim and have settled with a great girl that serves Washington and BC - https://www.shoelesshorse.com/ I finally let my "farrier" go and have switched all my horses over. She is working in conjunction with my vet and a Strausser trimmer to reform my gelding from long toe and underslung heels and really flat thin sole into something much better. We actually have some concavity! She is more of the Jamie Jackson, Pete Ramey but is willing to work with the others to the benefit of my horse. I took a trimming clinic with my vet and the Strausser method and my new trimmer also attended. I found it really interesting and helpful to work on cadavers. I now don't fear taking the rasp or knife to my own horses in between trims. I use easy boot epics when necessary and find them great. It is like most things - your horse is going to tell you what feels good. We just have to be better listeners.
Janet Schmidt
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 26, 2006 - 12:19 am:
I will be happy to hear any "barefoot testimonies," pro and con, from fellow HA members. Over the past 37 years, I have used shoes on only a few of my horses, and that was usually during the time I leased them to teens who wanted to ride on gravel roads and on icy winter roads.
I have been told that over the years, the trim techniques have changed from long toes/low heels to shorter toed/longer heeld. After reading the annecdotes in Pete Ramey's book, and after seeing the change in my own horses' feet and in the feet of many of the horses in my care, I believe that barefoot is preferable, although, I am personally not experienced enough to diagnose and treat imperfections that may demand special shoeing. I have been trimming my own horses for over 30 years, so have learned many things during that time. Joj, my interpretation of Pete Ramey's instruction is that the bars DO need to be pared down as well as any chalky, damaged portions of the sole and the part of the sole at the apex of the frog. (If he doesn't advocate those points, then I guess I'm not imitating his methods.  )
Each horse is different, and the trimming can be tailored for the individual horses by we who know them best. One of the most rewarding benefits of being able to trim our own horses is that we don't have to wait for their hooves to get long or chipped . . . we can maintain them as we do routine hoof care . . .
Anyway, I am glad to see the shared interest in this subject. Thank you for posting your experiences.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 26, 2006 - 8:25 am:
There are many such discussions under the topic, Care for Horses » Hoof Care » The 4 Point or Natural Trim.
DrO
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Member:
Lilo
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 26, 2006 - 11:03 am:
Holly,
My mare has been barefoot for at least 10 years, my gelding as long as I have owned him (5 years). My farrier, who used to shoe my horses, has been trimming them and I have had great results. I just switched farriers (to a neighbor who has been in business for about 2 years) - not because I was unhappy, but, because I am retired now and every cent counts. I ride with folks who have used my neighbor, and are very happy with her work, so I am hoping I will continue to have good results.
When watching my previous farrier - he usually trims very little - mainly off the toe, and rarely takes anything off the sole. My mare has a very flat foot, my gelding has more cupping of the sole, and the farrier prefers that. I have them trimmed every 8 to 9 weeks.
Lilo
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