Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+

Transcription

™
Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+/
Saving the Foundered Prince
Surviving a Coffin Bone Rotation…at 28!
Barefoot Police Mules in Houston
Barefoot in the Czech Republic
by Václav Vydra
Navicular Syndrome Notes,
Part One
www.TheHorsesHoof.com • Barefoot Hoofcare Magazine • Winter 2014-Issue 53
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Winter 2014-Issue 53 Contents
4 Editor: Ethical Horsemanship... by Yvonne Welz
5 My Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+/
9
by Karen Chaton
Barefoot Hoofcare Magazine
Winter 2014-Issue 53
©2014 by The Horse’s Hoof, a division of Wishing
Welz Equine, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher
and the author.
The Horse’s Hoof is a generic barefoot resource that
supports all hoof care which creates healthy hooves.
We believe technology can be useful, and we believe
in compromise. We advocate more natural living
conditions for all horses. We encourage all styles,
methods, and techniques of hoof care that promote
healthier hooves. We advocate unity and cooperation
within the barefoot movement.
Editor/Publisher
Yvonne Welz
Technical Editor/Publisher
James Welz
Contributors
Karen Chaton
Jeannean Mercuri
Carol J. Peat
Officer Gregory Sokoloski
Dr. Tim Kempton
Claudia Garner
Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate
Marijke van de Water
Ute Philippi
Susanella Noble
Barb Fenwick
Jen McGeehan
Franco Belmonte
Václav Vydra
Sandy Judy
Lee Selden
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Submissions are encouraged, including photos, articles and stories about barefoot horses. If you would
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intended for educational purposes only. Readers
should seek advice from their veterinarian and qualified help from a hoofcare professional before attempting any trimming of hooves. Opinions expressed
herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect those of the publisher.
9 Saving the Foundered Prince by Jeannean Mercuri
14 Two Gaited Horses (and a Morgan) Go Barefoot
by Carol J. Peat
16 Barefoot Police Mules in Houston
by Officer Gregory Sokoloski
14
18 Are We Killing our Horses with Kindness?
by Dr. Tim Kempton
20 Feeding the Equine Hooves … Naturally!
by Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate
22 Feeding Horses Fats & Oils, A Healthy Practice?
16
by Marijke van de Water
24 Founder Paradigm Shift by Ute Philippi
26 Nilla, a Story of Love and Hope
26
by Susanella Noble
28 A Tribute to Spirit by Barb Fenwick
30 Surviving a Coffin Bone Rotation…at 28!
by Jen McGeehan
33 Help at a Glance for IR/Cushing’s Horses
34 Smoke: From the Farrier’s Perspective...
34
by Susanella Noble
35 Navicular Syndrome Notes, Part One
by Franco Belmonte
39 Barefoot in the Czech Republic
39
by Václav Vydra
45 Barefoot News - Advertiser Listing
46 Marketplace Ads
Submissions always welcome! Send in your news, articles, stories, and photos;
or submit your barefoot cover horse photo: [email protected]
The Go Team Barefoot! Forum
As part of your subscription to The Horse’s Hoof Magazine, you receive FREE access
to the new Go Team Barefoot! Forum. This gently-moderated forum is for subscribers
only, and will provide a safe place for barefooters to freely discuss hoof topics. Just log
in to the forum when you log in to download your THH issues! Link on our home page.
On our cover:
Karen Chaton of Gardnerville, Nevada, on her superstar barefoot/
booted endurance mount Granite Chief+/. Chief was just inducted
into the AERC Hall of Fame for 2012. Chief is the only horse that has
completed more than 10,000 miles without having shoes nailed on his
feet. His completion rate is 99%, out of 262 ride starts. Read Karen’s
full story about Chief, starting on page 5.
Cover photo by Steve Bradley Photography.
thehorseshoof.com
page
3
All photos this page: ©The Horse’s Hoof
Belle modeling the LG Zaum bitless bridle.
Note her “foamy” lips!
From the Editor
W
Ethical Horsemanship
hen we evolve as horseowners, and begin to reevaluate everything that we do with them
(which is a natural part of the process for any barefoot horse owner), the conflict of riding horses in bitted bridles appears. As soon as we open the door to begin thinking “outside
the box” for our horse’s hoof care, we then begin to question “why” we do ANYTHING that
is “traditional,” especially and including our training techniques. This presents, in particular, a
unique problem for anyone who is studying classical/collected riding—which is based on the
application of very old school techniques of horse training. Add on top of that the fact that bits
are required for any form of dressage competition in the USA, and finally, that the bitless bridles,
while excellent for green horses/green riders/trail riding, seemed severely lacking as tools for
educated and refined riding. A conundrum soon develops!
As a rider determined to train my horses in collection and to learn the mysteries of piaffe, passage, canter pirouettes, and levade—my solution to the conundrum was to... ignore it for as
long as I could! Always keeping my eyes open for something better, I muttered FEI rules as the
excuse, obsessively worked on the lightness of my hands, and managed a place where my horses
seemed “happy” enough, despite the bit. But there was always that burden of knowledge. I knew
Dr. Robert Cook’s information about the dangers and harm of bits only too well!
Swimmer modeling the LG Zaum bitless
bridle. The “bridle” consists of the 2 wheels,
nose strap and chin strap. It appears deceptively simple, and that’s the beauty of it.
There is no loss in quality of movement or
form while riding in the LG Bridle.
Meanwhile, it was easy to avoid the subject in THH by focusing on hooves. In my mind at the
time, I worried that bringing the “bitless” topic into the barefoot topic only added more layers of
resistance from the general public. Best to worry about hooves first... the rest could come later.
But like so many things in life, it is a whole; it is one unit of thought. Elevating our empathy towards our equines brings a new level of possibilities, and unlocks doors that never existed before.
So I suppose I was completely ready when it appeared. I “thought” I was totally happy with
everything. I had no issues riding in my current bit, so I was not looking for a solution to “solve”
all my problems. But I stumbled upon some You Tube videos of a woman in Germany named
Monika Lehmenkühler, who had invented a completely new type of bitless bridle that she calls
the LG Zaum Bridle. AND she was riding in collection. Most of the information about this
bitless bridle was in German, but I read and watched everything I could. It peaked my interest
enough to order one and give it a try.
From the very first ride, it was revolutionary. To a rider accustomed to the extreme precision and
communication of well-tuned bitted riding, this LG Bridle felt nearly identical! Everything was
there: the ability to do lateral and longitudinal flexion, to lift the head, and to ask for the head to
lower down/stretch the neck. It was easy to half-halt and easy to ask for a 1 inch lateral flexion
to the left or right. My mare Belle even got lipstick foam on her mouth, just like when she’s doing excellent work in the snaffle and really using her hindquarters well. As dressage riders, we
are taught that good riding is off the seat and the legs; the hands simply receive and recycle the
energy. The bridle allows for exactly that, keeping the head straight through the channel of the
aids while allowing for subtle communication. The design is simply ingenious.
After riding in it every day for weeks, my mare was even improving. James remarked that she
seemed to be using her hindquarters BETTER, and moving more freely. Her down transitions
were smoother and more from behind. Best of all—she was clearly happier and more relaxed.
Subtle tensions were gone. There is definitely something to this bitless riding! I’ve tried it on all
my horses now, and they all go well in this bridle. If you can do everything you need to in this
bridle, then why use a bit? What about showing? The rules will change, eventually. It is inevitable. I look forward to the future possibilities!
There are optional shanks that can be added
to the LG wheel, and so here is James trying
out a “bitless double bridle.” In the end, we
all preferred the simpler standard set up.
page
4
It is hard to find the LG Bridle in the USA, so we will be importing them from Germany and
selling them in The Horse’s Hoof store. Watch our website for details, and you can read more on
the German website (English page) at www.lg-bridle.com
Don’t forget to visit the Go Team Barefoot! Forum often! Just click on the Forum link after you
log in to your THH membership account. The log in link is always right on our home page, or
click here to log in right now. Go Team Barefoot!—Yvonne Welz
thehorseshoof.com
My Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+/
Granite Chief+/, owner Karen Chaton
AERC Hall of Fame 2012
12 years of competition • 13,325 endurance miles
262 ride starts, 259 completions (99%)
Highest mileage season: 2,250 miles (2005)
XP Horse of the year 2004, 2005 & 2011
2005 AHA Distance Horse of the Year
1 first place finish • 1 best condition
C
All photos courtesy Karen Chaton
by Karen Chaton
hief was given to me by his breeder. He thought I would be
a good match; he wanted this young horse to “do something.” I told several of my friends about these horses in the
Bay Area that the owner wanted to find good homes for. Nobody
else was interested. I think everybody thought a free horse meant
something was wrong with it. That couldn’t have been further from
the truth!
I took Chief home, dropping him off at the vet clinic on the way,
where they gelded him the next morning. He was 5 years old at the
time, and is a classical Spanish and CMK Arabian (CF Sorcerer x
MI Princessa). Starting out as a dark rose grey with black points, he
has since turned completely fleabitten grey.
Back in 2009, Chief tore his eyelid apart on a hot wire fence insulator. Fortunately, I found the injury right after it happened, and the vet
was able to stitch it back together. That was only the start of it. Since
then, he has had to have several surgeries to correct the eyelashes
dropping into the eye, causing ulcers, as well as to remove scar tissue that developed. We went through a terrible time.
While he was an excellent patient as far as putting medication in his
eye daily, he was not very cooperative when it came to trying to get
him to eat anything with medication in it (like antibiotics or bute).
When I did manage to get meds into him, he reacted by going off his
feed and trying to colic and founder.
Fortunately, we worked through it and he has completely recovered;
he can see well and has super-tough feet. He normally competes
using hoof boots, and has not had a shoe nailed on his feet for most
of his career. He recently completed an entire 50-mile ride barefoot.
To date, this was the worst injury or problem that I have had to work
through with Chief. He has been so trouble-free and reliable
throughout his career, never needing to be rehabbed or have time off,
and he has also never had any joints injected.
Chief is my once-in-a-lifetime horse and I know that no matter how
long I live, even if it were to be a million lifetimes, that I just won’t
have that kind of relationship with another horse. Ever. I may have
something completely different with another horse, but it won’t be
the same.
Chief is quite a bit more attached to me and sensitive about my feelings than any other horse I’ve ever spent time with. He really seems
Chief is my once-in-a-lifetime horse and I know that no matter
how long I live, even if it were to be a million lifetimes, that I just
won’t have that kind of relationship with another horse. Ever.
to read and understand my thoughts and feelings. I can’t explain it,
but we have a connection that is truly special, and one that is of the
utmost respect and adoration for each other.
There are times that I can’t even think of his large, beautiful, sparkling eyes without getting a tear in my eye, or think about how he
responds to the touch of the back of my hand on his neck as I gently
caress him and speak softly while staring into his beautiful large
eyes (did I mention that I like his eyes?). He also knows when I am
stressed or nervous about something, and I can feel the tension flow
through his body with each breath.
I feel the strength and security in Chief’s entire body when we are
on the edge of a big drop-off, and I know his full attention is targeted towards keeping us safe and getting us through that section,
and I have enough sense not to interfere. I know that he will slow or
stop and slowly proceed one hoof at a time if he thinks the ground
ahead is muddy or unsafe. He will pause to ask my direction if he is
unsure and will follow my lead and trust me with his life, just as I
have trusted him with my life.
thehorseshoof.com
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5
T
hey say to touch Heaven, your soul must go higher, to streets that are paved with gold
and with pearls; but for me, it’s a ridge, high above an endless valley, being one with my
horse, at the top of the world. Thank you, Chief, for showing me the world through your
ears.—Karen Chaton
I know that I can’t make any bad decisions and allow him to get hurt,
or he will lose confidence and trust in me, and I do everything that I
can and am as conservative as I can be to make sure that doesn’t
happen. I need for Chief to believe in me as much as I need to trust
him to keep us both safe. And he does.
For over 13,300 miles now, he has done this. On our first ride, we
had a bad accident, which really tested our relationship because it
was caused by my lapse in judgment. I made so many mistakes that
day. In some ways, it brought us closer together. Some said that
Chief was just too green, but he had over 800 trail conditioning
miles before going to his first endurance ride. That didn’t count the
number of miles or hours I spent ground working or arena training
him. I think that some things are meant to be.
Sometimes adversity sorts relationships out, and in the case of me
and Chief, we sorted it out and have never looked back. I have loved
every horse that I have ever ridden; their gentle souls and positive
attitudes have made trail and endurance riding a joy for me.
Yet, there has been something about Granite Chief and the special
relationship that we share that is more unique and special than there
are words for.
Photo by Steve Bradley Photography
He has kept me sane, kept me safe, saved my life, and we have also
faced life-altering situations. He also has tested my patience, my
ability and inability as a rider, and my tenacity, as it takes a lot of
determination, dedication and patience to put in the time and effort
required to work with a horse like him.
He is not your ordinary horse, by any means. Not just in ability and
personality, but intelligence and, most especially, that unseen,
unknown, untouchable and unexplainable thing that is the horse’s
soul. Chief has touched mine. Heck, it’s grabbed hold and squeezed,
held tight and not let go. Chief possesses the wisdom and strength
that I never will, and has given me so much. He is my hero.
As it turned out, the breeder did find the perfect match and Chief did
go on to perform very well in the sport of endurance riding, especially on multiday rides. Some of his accomplishments include winning the AERC national mileage championship two years in a row,
completing 2135 miles the first time and 2245 miles the second
time.
The Arabian Horse Association named him the Distance Horse of
the Year in 2005. Proving to be a tough multiday horse earned Chief
recognition as the recipient of the Wendell Robie Trophy on XP
rides (multidays) an unprecedented three times. The Wendell Robie
Trophy is awarded annually in memory of the founder of the Tevis
Cup and the modern sport of endurance riding.
Chief is now in his twelfth ride season, and has only been ridden in
competition by me. His completion rate is 99%, out of 262 ride
starts.
The accomplishment that I am most proud of was having Chief
complete more miles on the 2040-mile-long XP ride in the summer
of 2011 than any other horse. We rode
from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Virginia
City, Nevada, on the original Pony
Express trail, braving the elements—
heavy rains, tornado warnings, mud,
deep water crossings, bugs, heat, humidity, speeding traffic, loose horses in
camp and on the trail; it was quite an
experience!
Chief arrived at the start of that ride with
nearly 11,000 miles and went on to win
the Best Performance Award, after safely
carrying me into Virginia City on the
40th day. Many of the days on that ride
were over 50 miles.
Riding 40 days of point-to-point rides in
those conditions was the biggest challenge we have ever faced together.
At the moment, Chief has moved up into
the fifth place position for the highest
mileage horse in AERC. He is also the
second highest mileage registered
Chief has moved up into the fifth place position for the highest mileage horse in AERC. He Arabian.
is also the second highest mileage registered Arabian.
page
6
thehorseshoof.com
With any luck, we will still get to keep competing and marking trail
for some time to come. I do like to give him breaks between rides
and ride seasons. For the last two years, he has had 12 weeks off in
between ride seasons, which I think is beneficial. I want Chief to
keep his enthusiasm and love for his job.
I want to thank my husband for being the best crew a gal could ask
for, plus the most supportive husband in the world. I also want to
thank everyone that helps with rides, because without each and
every one of you, we wouldn’t be able to ride. You are much appreciated. I also really appreciate the support of my sponsors and their
contributions towards my success—thank you all!
Part Two: All about Chief’s Feet!
When I did Chief’s writeup for the AERC for his Hall of Fame
award, I didn’t talk much about the benefits of keeping him barefoot
for the majority of his career. I just sort of mentioned it in passing,
because the topic of horses’ feet and shoes versus boots versus barefoot is a bit of a taboo subject. So it’s great that I can explore that a
bit more in The Horse’s Hoof!
All photos courtesy Karen Chaton
Chief is the only horse that has completed more than 10,000 miles
without having shoes nailed on his feet. I think that Chief is a perfect
example of proving that a performance horse can
be managed long
term,
without
requiring shoes be
nailed to his feet.
While I can’t
prove that Chief
wouldn’t
have
been able to do
what he has
A recent photo of Chief’s healthy barefoot a c c o m p l i s h e d
front hooves. He is sometimes ridden on 50 with shoes nailed
mile rides without any hoof boots.
on his feet, I am
pretty confident
that he has been successful because of how he has been managed.
Very few horses, even shod, have been able to complete the miles
that Chief has, and still look so good. In September, Chief reached
14,025 miles, and to date has had zero lameness pulls. He is still
going strong, and loves going down the trail.
I only ride Chief
barefoot in competition on rides
where the footing
is very good to
excellent; and it
took me years to
build up to riding
him 50 miles barefoot. Otherwise, I
put hoof boots on
him. Putting boots
on an already foot- A look at Chief’s hind hooves.
sore horse is like
putting a bandaid on a cut. My philosophy is that it’s easier to
prevent the soreness than to cover it up. Chief has completed 50
mile rides this year completely barefoot. Currently I am using
Renegade Vipers, which are working extremely well. I feel that
using boots provides even better protection and concussion reduction than a metal shoe or a shoe with a pad could. Plus, there could
be broken glass or trash on some trails that could cause a bad
injury, so riding barefoot isn’t always prudent.
The long term benefits of not shoeing Chief are really paying off
now—he’s 18 years old (almost 19), and moves about like a youngster full of energy and enthusiasm. He’s certainly got good genetics
and conformation, but I know that the way I have managed him has
contributed to his ongoing success. My biggest goal for Chief is to
retire him sound and strong—though I hope that will be a ways off.
I have learned a few things over the last few years about the best way
to keep Chief’s bare hooves healthy. Manure is cleaned up daily.
This also provides an added benefit of reducing parasites. Through
fecal tests, I have learned that I can worm less frequently. I added a
good base of DG (decomposed granite) with sand on top in the paddock area. While Chief moves about all year, he may be in mud, or
occasionally step in manure or urine soaked ground, but mainly he
is standing in or packing his feet with clean sand, or clean mud. This
has completely eliminated problems such as thrush or other types of
infections.
I keep Chief’s hooves at a 54 to 57 degree angle, and approximately
3 1/8” to 3 1/2” long. He isn’t comfortable if his feet are any shorter.
I see a lot of friends’ horses that have been taken down either too
short, or too much hoof wall taken off. Even though I’m not going
to do it, I want there to be enough hoof wall to nail a shoe to. Take
that away and you run the risk of having a footsore horse. I take
pride in the fact that my horses usually vet in at rides, both before
the ride start and often after finishing, totally barefoot. If a horse
needs boots to be sound even at a walk, then that horse should probably not be competing in an endurance ride.
If I had it to do over again, I would make the same choices. The
benefits of keeping my horses barefoot are more than worth the
effort on my part, as it satisfies my biggest goal—which is
longevity.
About the author: Karen
Chaton lives in Gardnerville,
Nevada, and is a multiple award
winning endurance rider with
more than 35,000 miles. Karen’s
two horses Granite Chief+/ and
Pro Bono have traveled the
country with her and have won
many regional and national
AERC, AHA and XP awards. In
2013, Chief was inducted into
the AERC Horse Hall of Fame.
Karen currently hosts a once a month morning radio show on the
second Tuesday called “Endurance Day” on the Horse Radio
Network.
The first part of this article was originally published in May 2013
Endurance News.
thehorseshoof.com
page
7
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Saving the Foundered Prince
by Jeannean Mercuri
A pony named Prince Willy takes a New York
professional trimmer for the ride of her life!
rudimentary trim. His frogs just fell off; the smell got stronger &
stronger—I had never in my life smelled something alive that smelled
so ghastly. That smell lingered on him AND me for weeks to come.
was called in by my friend Dale to help out a cute little Haflinger
cross pony in need for Gerda’s Animal Aid in Townshend,
Vermont. I was told that the Vet said the pony had “just a little
founder.” From the pictures I saw, I agreed, knowing “just a little
founder” was fishy—but what the heck, he was cute, and no one
deserves to go to the killers. The shipper sent me pictures of him at
his place before he drove him to Long Island, and I was still not sure
of how deep of a pile I had stepped into.
Dr. Kara’s prognosis was poor. “Willy’s feet are in serious condition and he is graded a Grade IV laminitic horse. His disposition is
loving and he is a very good boy. I truly hope that he can be helped
to be brought back to comfort, but I must caution that this feat will
not be easy.”
All photos courtesy Jeannean Mercuri
I
<Willy at the shippers in
Pennsylvania.
My barn is not set up for
an additional horse, so
we set up a small paddock out of portable
fencing in the corner of
my paddock, and made a
stall out of my trailer for
him. We doubled the
walls to make it as
“quarantine proof” as
possible. Little did I
know, he would not be
able to get in and out of
the trailer until my husband and son made him
a ramp. I told my husband it was just for a
couple of weeks ;)
He arrived November 10th, just as the sun was starting to go down.
The dentist pulled in at the same time. Willy walked off the trailer, and
my heart sank when I saw his body and hooves. Rage went through
my mind, but it was quickly distracted, because we had work to do.
The dentist confirmed that Willy was about 13 years old. His teeth
weren’t in that bad of condition. As the dentist was working on him, I
checked him for lice and wounds, and was sickened by his smell of
walking death.
<Willy walking off the
trailer.
Nov. 11, 2012: His second day here, we had a
gift—it was warm
enough for a bath. It
was this day that he
was named HRH
Prince Willy, and I
know he felt like a
Prince that day. I was amazed at how healthy the hair was under all
that manure, urine & dirt, yet it did nothing for the smell.
He laid down 95% of the time in pain for 3 days; Murphy’s law—
none of the boots I had fit him. The Easy Boot Trails with comfort
pads gave some relief. I used Red Horse Thrush treatment 3 times a
day on all 4 hooves. He was on Bute. Fortunately, he had an appetite.
His diet consisted of free choice 1st cut soaked grass hay, to which
I gradually added soaked beet pulp, timothy and alfalfa hay cubes,
and vitamin & mineral supplements. Wendy & Heidi from Equine
Solutions in BC, Canada, donated muscle testing for him, and I
started him on Riva’s Remedies Happy Hoof, infection drops, and
magnesium. I gave him acupressure treatments, Reiki, and
loved him as one of my own.
He became comfortable
enough to take for short walks
to help prevent windpuffs on
the days his abscesses weren’t
that bad. I could hear Pete
Ramey’s voice in my head as
we walked. He had so many
abscesses, I couldn’t keep
track. Then we stopped walking. He ate laying down. He
pooped laying down. He peed
laying down. The days got
colder and darker. My body
got more and more tired. My
own horses got more & more
“neglected.” What a roller
coaster ride!
The dentist left, and Dr. Kara pulled in. By the time we walked back
to the portable paddock, Willy was down. Poor guy was exhausted
after 13 hours on a trailer; a trailer ride no equine in his condition
should have taken! Dr. Kara threw a bucket of water on his rump, and
he still didn’t want to get up. I had never in my life seen a companion
animal in such a way.
We were finally able to get him up, and we performed a thorough exam
and get radiographs of all 4 hooves. Amazing that he had no lice or
worms. He had rotation on all 4 feet, with thin soles and abscess pockets all over. Dr. Kara helped me hold the poor guy up to give him a very
thehorseshoof.com
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These
rads
were
taken
Dec.
15,
just
2
weeks before he sank:
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Above: Willy’s first x-rays, on November 10, 2012.
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Above: Willy hooves, after rudimentary trimming.
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By November
17th, Willy was
going for short
walks.
On December
15th, Dr. Kara
came back and
was amazed at
how well he was
doing. We took
new rads of his
front
feet.
Progress, but still
more
healing
needed. 10
thehorseshoof.com
I had to go away for a few nights in December for my son’s College
Baseball Try-outs. I decided it might be easier to cast his hooves, so
my friend Alison wouldn’t have to spend hours on his boot care.
Alison called to tell me his front right cast fell off. Great. When I
came home, I removed the front left cast to find almost half of a
coffin bone staring at me. I fell down to the knees crying and
screaming like a baby.
I overnighted Soft
Ride Boots with purple orthotics for all 4
hooves. They gave
him some relief. And
one by one, over the
next 4 days, the
abscesses would shed
more sole, hoof by
hoof, until you could
see varying degrees of
coffin bone on the
other 3 hooves. I used
honey and the Red
Horse Products to
treat the wounds. Poor
Willy, back to laying
down to eat, poop &
pee.
<Dec. 29, 2012, View
of coffin bone on
front left hoof (sorry
it’s blurry).
Jan. 1, 2013: By now
all 4 feet had some
degree of P3 exposure. Back to a life of
misery for him. You
can see the sole peeling off (left).
By January 16th, Mother
Nature’s work was apparent.
His bones were all covered
over like a beautiful piece of
art (photo left). There was a
strong layer of “wax” protecting all his exposed areas.
He still spent much of his
time lying down, but seemed
to be a little more comfortable, and he was still eating.
Landmarks on his feet were
becoming stronger, but he
was still blowing solar abscesses left and right. I knew we were not
out of the woods. I was just glad the boy loved to eat. He wasn’t
gaining any weight, due to all the stress from the pain, but he was
eating, and that gave me strength & courage.
In late January, I had one of my
mentors, Daisy Bicking, come
help me with his feet. I had
dealt with founder in the past,
but never to this degree on all 4
feet! She has had more experience with hooves like his, and
gave me some reassurance.
March 22, 2013: His first walk (photos below) since November in
his new smaller Soft Rides. His feet had changed and grown so
much that he needed smaller boots. He started to blow abscesses
again. Thank you
Donna and Angela for
holding him up on so
many trims, and for
holding me up! It was
about this time that I
started to bug James
& Yvonne Welz to do
a clinic here at my
home.
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April 3, 2013: Dr. Kara came back to check in on Willy. I was concerned
about his left knee. It measures larger than the right, and his
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stride is shorter, even in boots. Nothing is going on in the knee (x-ray
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Above: Willy’s hooves on January 22nd, 2013.
Feb. 12, 2013: I’m the one to
blame for the Blizzard Nemo. I
prayed for snow to help him; I
think I prayed too hard. The
snow was taller than his legs,
oops! The snow can be a great
help, as long as it is not coldinduced laminitis. Lucky for
Willy, he tolerated the cold, and I
started turning him out with a 35
year old buddy, Skye.
No, I did not run him over! This is Willy loving his pea gravel :)
<Feb. 16, 2013: view of front left
coffin bone.
Feb. 26, 2013: we started cold
laser treatments. Barbara Z. from
Aurora Laser Therapy volunteered her services. He received
treatments for about 2 months.
The end of April, I was offered free pea gravel. Willy LOVED it. I
would give him hay nets on the gravel and away from it; he always
chose the net on the gravel. I started to remove the boots for a few
hours a day, and he would sink his hooves into their spot. I was able
to see the effect of the gravel in his soles. Especially his hinds. He
thehorseshoof.com
page
11
T
hey admitted they were afraid I had taken on more than I could handle when they had
read my posts about Willy, but were pleasantly surprised by how good his hooves were.
was gaining concavity, and I could tell his soles were getting thicker
and his bars were stronger. I started to introduce him to the rest of the
herd. My alpha mare Piggy mothered him, but my 8 year old gelding
didn’t want to share food and got a little too aggressive at times. Willy
was getting more and more movement in herd life, especially with
Skye, who still loves to play the biting game with him.
April 18, 2013: Finally the Welz’s arrived. I couldn’t wait for them
to meet my herd. It was then that they admitted they were afraid I
had taken on more than I could handle when they had read my posts
about Willy, but were pleasantly surprised by how good Prince
Willy’s hooves were. He was one of the clinic demo horses, and was
the only one to have no bruising on his hooves. Our clinic went well,
as you read in a past issue of THH. Thanks to the rads taken at the
clinic, we learned that he has lost the tips of his coffin bones. The
tips visible in prior rads were probably already compromised—and
the source for more than one of his abscesses.
Above: April 2013,
Willy is trimmed during the New York
Hoof Help Online
Clinic with James &
Yvonne. They were
amazed at the progress so far with his
hooves.
<X-rays on April 21,
2013.
Well, here we are in
November 2013, a
year after Prince
Willy’s arrival date.
He has permanent
damage to his hooves.
Prince Willy has permanent bone loss on
both front feet, which
will be with him for
page
12
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the rest of his life. He is living in a herd, some days with Soft Ride
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boots
and some without. His hoof life
will be full of ups & downs,
but
I
know
that
Prince
Willy
is
happy
to
be alive; he is a great com3LM[/PUK
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panion :) Following are Willy’s 1 year trim photos.
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About the author: Jeannean Mercuri is
a Mentor for Pacific Hoof Care
Practitioners (www.pacifichoofcare.
net) and LOVES her job as a Barefoot
Trimmer. She is also a Reiki Master and
registered Yoga & Pilates Instructor.
Consider donating to Gerda’s Animal
Aid to help fund animals in need:
Gerda’s Animal Aid on Facebook
This 501c(3) rescues slaughter bound equines
(horses, donkeys and mules).
Want your round bale to last twice as long?
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• Improves
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Turn this mess...
...into this!
• Helps Prevent
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Round Bale Hay Net!
www.txhaynet.com
Phone: (325) 388-2727
150 Lazy Oaks, Kingsland, TX 78639
thehorseshoof.com
• Calms
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• Ideal for
Insulin
Resistance
page
13
Two Gaited Horses (and a Morgan) Go Barefoot
Barefoot!? MY horses? Are you crazy? No way!
Their hooves are already marginal—not having
shoes would ensure that I’d never be able to ride.
Besides, they’re gaited horses, and everyone
knows that gaited horses need big shoes and
high heels.
T
hese were just some of the thoughts running through my
mind in March 2001, after I met a friend at the grocery store.
We hadn’t seen each other in awhile. When I asked, “What’s
new?” she told me she had taken shoes off all 3 of her horses. I was
astounded. How could they possibly walk? Haven’t their feet crumbled? Hasn’t lameness resulted? She assured me that her horses’
hooves were in better shape than ever, and that the reason she went
to barefootedness was because her horses’ hooves were IN bad
shape—a condition actually caused by shoeing. My thirty-odd years
of belief that horses need nailed-on metal shoes came into play, and
I must have given her a look normally reserved for politicians or the
insane. She asked if I would like to read a book. W-e-l-l, OK, but I
sure had my doubts. I borrowed her copy of Dr. Hiltrud Strasser’s
Lifetime of Soundness and nearly finished it in one evening. Who
was this German vet that challenged conventional wisdom, and how
did she know so much about my Foxtrotter’s heel pain and stumbling problems? Or my Tennessee Walker’s high heels and brittle
hooves?
After I digested the book and talked to my friend some more, I
arranged to have James Welz come out on April 1, 2001 to pull the
horses’ shoes. I was very nervous and hoped I was doing the right
thing. At that time, Mouse, the Foxtrotter, was in pads and eggbar
shoes, having been diagnosed with navicular disease. She was not
being ridden much, because she stumbled constantly on the trail, and
I had just assumed she was being clumsy. I didn’t realize she
couldn’t feel her own hooves or where she was putting them. When
James pulled the shoes, we saw just how fragile the horses’ hoof
Left: Mouse’s left hind on April 1, 2001—the day her shoes
were pulled after wearing pads and eggbar shoes for months.
Right: Mouse’s same hoof, 11 weeks later.
page
14
thehorseshoof.com
All photos courtesy Carol J. Peat
by Carol J. Peat
Nina, age 19, showing beautiful heel-to-toe movement in the gait.
walls were: chipped and dry, with contracted heel bulbs and frogs.
The overall hoof health was very poor. James was reluctant to give
me any sort of time line of recovery, their hooves were so bad.
“Could be a year, could be two or more,” he said.
The shoes were gone and there almost wasn’t anything to nail new
ones to if I decided to change my mind, so on we went. My gut feeling was that this was the right thing to do. My husband and I began
hand-walking the horses for about 20 minutes daily. This was on
asphalt in our neighborhood, which was considered good footing for
hoof mechanism. Every little pebble caused an “ouch” reaction and
bobble. Even the dirt and fine gravel of our driveway was almost
unbearable for the tender hooves. Moisture for the dry hoof walls
and frogs was essential. We put a water tank in an unused stall and
started soaking the ground around it. Soon it became deep enough to
hold water and soak hooves up over the coronet band. I also invested in a pair of Davis soaking boots when I began doing dilute apple
cider vinegar soaks, as Dr. Strasser had recommended.
James came back out to trim after 2 weeks. My Foxtrotter’s bars had
dropped considerably. I could see hard evidence of what had been
pushed up inside her hoof, causing her navicular symptoms of pain
and stumbling. By the end of April, she had 2-3 rows of ridges
around all 4 hooves, which James said were compression ridges. Her
feet were so unhealthy they were barely holding her weight! This
unnerved me a lot, but I knew for certain that we were on the right
track for these horses. Their hooves were telling me a story of pain
brought on by years of shoeing with pads and clips. (My Tennessee
Walker had been shod at age 2, which added even more to the problems, but her hooves were not as fragile as Mouse’s when the shoes
came off.)
One of the things James had said would probably occur was abscessing. It did. After the shoes were off for about 5 weeks, both horses
M
All photos courtesy Carol J. Peat
y instructor teaches classical dressage and will not even accept pupils whose horses have
shoes. She wants the horses to have full awareness of where they are placing their feet.
but is very happy and
has beautiful round
bare hooves, and still
kicks up her heels on
occasion!
abscessed in the hind feet,
evident by tenderness and
swelling from the hocks
down. We walked 20-30
minutes per day, followed
by apple cider vinegar
soaks, until the swelling
went down in approximately 3 days. This was the only
time the horses abscessed.
After nearly 3 months of the
routine of soaking, walking,
and trimming, it was time to
push the envelope a little.
Comparison
pictures
showed larger, rounder
hooves with a significant
Carol riding her Morgan mare, Bay “growth line” coming in.
B, on an ACTHA ride.
This told me that the new
hoof was much thicker than
the old. My husband and I took the horses to Prescott, booted their
front hooves, and took them on an 8 mile ride up Spruce Mountain
and back. Upon return, neither horse had much chipping of the hind
feet and next day there was no evidence of soreness. All the hard
work was paying off! After 7 months, we had entirely new hooves—
wider, rounder, and thicker. The best thing was when I heard James
say, “I just can’t believe these horses did so well, so quickly!”
My gaited horses have now been barefoot for almost 13 years. Mouse
is a fat, retired lady in a herd of 9 geldings, living on pasture in Texas
and is still barefoot and happy. She is coming 28. I truly thought we
would have to put her down from navicular at age 14. Nina is still here
with me, she’s coming 22. She’s retired due to some arthritic issues,
Bay B, Morgan, barefoot on the trail near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Our newest mare is a
lovely, old-fashionedlooking Morgan horse
we acquired when she
was 8, in 2010. She had
been shod for about 5
years. James came out
the first few days we
had her and pulled her
shoes. She just walked
off over rocks and
never took a lame step,
then or since! Some
exciting barefoot story,
huh? Believe me, we
were relieved! I trail
ride with her and usually don’t even put
boots on her.
Top: Bay B’s right front hoof, before
I am adding another
deshoeing, and bottom: 2 years later.
discipline in my riding
with this mare. We are also doing classical dressage, in addition to trail
riding, in part encouraged and influenced by your editor Yvonne Welz!
My instructor teaches classical
dressage and will not even
accept pupils whose horses
have shoes. She wants the horses to have full awareness of
where they are placing their
feet. I have never had so much
fun riding in my life, although I
certainly have a special place in
my heart for all my horses.
They taught me a lot with their
patience, pain, recovery, and
willingness to do anything we
asked of them. Our Morgan
mare will go over just about Bay B’s left front hoof, just one
any ground Arizona has to month after her shoes were
offer, but I will boot her front removed.
feet if it’s sharp rock. Her hinds
never even chip. I WILL NEVER SHOE A HORSE OF MINE
AGAIN!!!!!!
About the author: Carol Peat is a pharmacist, rider, and classical
musician. She has been “horse crazy” and owned several horses since
the age of 11, and participates in trail riding and classical dressage.
She, her husband Dennis, their 2 horses, and 4 dogs live in Glendale
and Flagstaff, Arizona.
thehorseshoof.com
page
15
Barefoot Police Mules in Houston
by Officer Gregory Sokoloski
T
his past spring, I taught a
horsemanship clinic to help
owners learn how to be better
leaders, get their horses more confident, and to make safer decisions
when handling and riding their horses. I had the great pleasure to meet
Jennifer Stewart and her 3 year old
mule, Junior. Jennifer had owned
Junior since he was 4 months old, and
had him shown in halter since he was
6 months old and then trained him
under saddle as a 2 year old. Observing
those two over the weekend, you
Junior the mule joined the could see Junior was very confident
HPD and became “Mo.”
and Jennifer loved him a lot.
The second day of the clinic involves a lot of riding and getting your
horses or mules confident under saddle, using a variety of obstacles
and situations. Again, Jennifer and Junior made a great team. I
talked to Jennifer about mules and could see that she certainly loved
the idea of riding and showing her mules more than horses. Jennifer
talked a lot about the mules and the benefits of having and riding
one, and, of course, Junior was barefoot and had excellent hooves. I
talked to Jennifer more about the mules, and told her that they would
probably be great for police work.
That Monday I returned to work and contacted Bob Byrns, the
Cavalry Site Manager for the Parsons Mounted Cavalry at Texas
A&M University. Bob runs a fantastic 40 horse program that is the
highlight at football games and other festivities at Texas A&M
University. He also uses mules in his program. Bob told me that
mules are quick learners, retain their training even when not work-
ing, are easy keepers, and require
less grain than a
comparable horse.
Mules maintain
prime condition
under heavy work
with a mainly hay
diet, and can handle heat and
humidity much
better than horses,
a big plus in
Houston. Mules
are also known for
their dependability and longevity,
working into their
Mo is proudly sponsored by Susan and 30’s. Mules are
Norm Spalding. And he’s doing fantastic!
hardy, have a
strong sense of
self preservation, are not prone to colic or founder. Their hooves are
very strong and adapt well to the barefoot program at Texas A&M.
Bob also told me the National Park Service had used mules for the
public to ride in the Grand Canyon for over 100 years. The US
Marine Corps also maintains a pack string in California, and trains
Marines and Special Ops forces to use and ride mules in combat.
All photos courtesy Greg Sokoloski
Longears join the Houston Police Mounted Patrol!
This really interested me, and I could see the benefits in cost savings,
dependability and longevity in using a mule to do police work in
Houston, especially in our long hot summers. I researched other units
and tried to see if any other departments had success using mules for
police work. I found Dallas had used a mule a few years back, and it
was successful in doing police work, but they have a uniform policy
with their horses, and the mule did not fit—so he was retired.
After looking into this, Jennifer contacted me and inquired about
donating Junior to the Houston Police Department. I could only see
the upside to a mule working for our police department. Junior was
young, well-trained and, of course, barefoot. Jennifer was torn at
giving up Junior, but knew he would have a great job, get lots of
attention, and the Houston Police Department was nationally-known
for its barefoot police horse program and state of the art mounted
patrol facilities. I discussed this possibility with my Sergeant, Leslie
Wills, who could also see the upside and cost savings for a police
mule. Sgt. Wills then presented the idea up the chain of command,
and Junior was approved to be donated to us.
The eye-catching mule Mo hard at work with the Houston
Police Mounted Patrol. He will turn 4 years old in a few months!
page
16
thehorseshoof.com
Junior was at our facility June 11, 2013, passed the vet check, and is
now a full-fledged member of the Houston Police Mounted Patrol
Unit. Junior is now sponsored by Norm and Susan Spalding, and
was given the name Mo by the Spalding’s. “Mo” is a quite a looker
downtown doing police work, and gets tons of attention. We also
like the qualities others have found about mules. Mo handles the
M
heat and humidity of Houston with ease, thrives on hay, is super
smart and loves humans and their attention—and remember he will
be just 4 years old in a few months!
Well, after all the attention and press that Mo has received since
being donated, we have since added two more mules to the program.
Lori Northrup breeds mules back at her home in Ellicottville, New
York. Lori is also a student in Parelli Natural Horsemanship. The
Houston Police Mounted Patrol also uses Parelli Natural
Horsemanship as the basis for their teaching/training program. Lori
knew how successful we have been using the Parelli program, and
also how successful we have been with our one mule Mo, and we
work all of horses and mule barefoot. She contacted Sgt. Wills about
donating her 2 gaited mules, both 2 years old, to our program. We
met Lori halfway in Glasgow, Kentucky, and returned back to
Houston with Wizard and Winslow a few weeks ago. Both are now
introduced into our herd and love all the attention from all the visitors. We will start teaching Wizard and Winslow, and both should be
on their way to working as barefoot police mules.
All photos courtesy Greg Sokoloski
ules are quick learners, retain their training even when not working, are easy keepers.
They are known for their dependability and longevity, and their hooves are very strong.
Wizard and Winslow, the newest mules to join the Houston
Police, are 2 year old gaited mules donated by Lori Northrup.
For more information, you can contact Greg at:
Senior Police Officer Gregory Sokoloski
City of Houston, Texas
5005 Little York, Houston, Texas 77093
Phones: Office 832-394-0388, Cell 713-898-3721
[email protected] or [email protected]
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thehorseshoof.com
page
17
Are We Killing our Horses with Kindness?
by Dr. Tim Kempton
The Problems of Modern Horse Diets
H
ave you ever wondered why it is that what we feed our
horses can so easily and so often make them sick or change
their behavior? Many common equine diseases and problems, including colic, tying-up, laminitis, Cushing’s syndrome, acidosis, poor appetite, unruly behavior, poor performance, hoof and
leg problems can be linked to what we are feeding our horses.
Why can feed cause disease?
First we must ask ourselves, how is what a horse eats in his natural
environment different from what a horse eats now in a closely managed domesticated environment? Let’s start to unravel the answers
by taking a look at the horse’s evolution.
From four toes to one...
Millions of years ago, the horse is thought to have been a dog sized
animal with 4 toes. This small creature named Hyracotherium was
primarily a browser and lived within a protected forest environment.
As climatic changes took place, many of the world’s forests where
Hyracotherium lived were replaced by savannah and grass lands.
The horse gradually evolved to digest low energy, high fiber grasses.
Horses also became larger and faster to outrun their predators. It also
meant that the gut was able to enlarge and incorporate the sizeable
fermentation chamber we now call the hindgut. The primary function was to house billions of bacteria, which ferment and extract
energy from fibrous plants such as the grasses.
The hindgut’s capacity to ferment and extract energy from grass, in
combination with the horse’s ability to extract the soluble sugars and
proteins, meant that horses had developed a highly efficient digestive system. Consequently, the horse remained and developed into
the large, grazing, single-hooved animal we know today (Budiansky,
1998). This digestive system has not changed over 3 million years.
So why are our horses suddenly getting sick?
What do we know about a horses “natural” diet and grazing
behavior?
Horses in their natural environment are opportunistic feeders, and
will consume whatever is available to them and edible at the time.
Studies have shown that the horses’ diet is highly varied, but was
based on grass and grass-like species. The natural diet contained up
to 43 different species. Horses would have eaten some seed heads
and grains; however, because horses tend to graze the green, more
succulent parts of plants, seeds and grains did not make up a significant part of the natural diet.
Since the horses stomach is relatively small (10% of the total digestive tract) the horse is designed to eat little and often, spending
50-80% of the day (and night) eating. (Duncan, 1980; Tyler 1972;
Salter et al. 1979; Keiper et al. 1980).
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18
thehorseshoof.com
How has the domestication of the horse changed their diet and
grazing behavior?
Horses were domesticated by humans less than 6000 years ago.
Upon domestication, horses became an indispensable means of
human transport. They were also used for heavy hauling and farm
work. These horses were often stabled, or confined to small paddocks. Grass and hay could not provide sufficient nutrients to meet
the nutrient requirements for work, and so the horses had to be
supplemented. Grains and grain by-products were the most available
and convenient supplements. Grain and grain by-products were
suited to industrialization and commercialization into horse feeds.
These feeds were energy dense, and could be packed into bags or
sacks, making distribution easier.
As a consequence, horses were fed a higher level of grain, and a
reduced variety of plants than they were designed to eat. Provided
the horses were in work, they were able to utilize the energy from
the sugars and starch in the grain.
In the last 50 years, with rapid mechanization, horses are seldom
used for work, and are now used for leisure, pleasure, and various
forms of competition. We keep them confined to box stalls, corrals,
or small pastures, which dramatically restricts their ability to select
their own feed throughout the day. We tend to feed our horses a
relatively plain diet, consisting of perhaps one or two types of forage
and hard feeds that may contain up to ten different seeds or grains,
many of which are high starch cereal grains. For convenience reasons, we also commonly feed horses a small number of large meals
each day. So domesticated horses now consume a diet containing
less than 15 different species of plants (compared to the natural diet
which may contain 40+ species of plants). In addition, we have
added starchy cereal grains, which were not originally part of the
natural diet, and we have changed the pattern of eating from continuous intake to large meals.
Further, we feed horses twice a day, since that suits our lifestyle.
These horses are fed the same high grain diets, and yet are mostly
worked less. This has led to an emergence of diseases that impact
seriously on our horses’ health, caused mainly by metabolic chaos in
the body.
How do modern feeds cause metabolic chaos?
Researchers from the Texas A&M University estimate that horses
are capable of digesting 2-4 grams of starch per kg bodyweight/
meal. Any additional starch can overflow undigested into the hindgut, where it is fermented by the bacteria, and can lead to problems
such as hindgut acidosis, colic, laminitis and altered behavior.
Nutrition texts from mid-last century mention that horses will
become “food-sick” or colic when fed wheat in an uncontrolled
manner. It was also noted that grain feeding could cause “crippling
laminitis, digestive disturbances and kidney disorders.” “Monday
Morning Disease,” now identified as Tying-Up, was also commonly
reported in horses that were fed grain-based diets.
R
DO I need to feed Omega 3? acids) from the diet removes
educing or eliminating grain and PUFA (Polyunsaturated
fatty
the oversupply of Omega 6, and hence the
need
forcontain Omega
3 osupplements.
Grain and PUFA high levels f Omega 6, and therefore when fed can cause increased levels of Omega 6 in the body. The recommendation is to feed a f Omega 33 ratio
to bring the Omega 6Pasture
: Omega and
3 ratio into balance. 6 : oOmega
into
balance.
hay
contain
adequate
More recently, it has been recognized that the soluble carbohydrate source levels of Omega 3. Therefore, by reducing or eliminating grain and
(sugar) component of horse feed also has a major role in causing
and hay cthe
ontain adequate levels othe
f Omega 3. Therefore by reducing or PUFA
from
diet,
this removes
oversupply
of Omega
6, and
metabolic disturbance in horses. It is not only the content, but also Pasture eliminating grain and for
PUFA from t3he diet, this removes the oversupply of Omega hence the
need
Omega
supplements.
the way in which it is fed that causes the problems.
How do we measure the sugar and starch content of feeds?
Feeds can be analyzed for sugar and starch content. A range of commercially available feeds were submitted to Equi-Analytical to
measure the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC), which includes
both sugar and starch. It is believed that the acceptable level for most
leisure/pleasure horses is 12-15% NSC. Feeds with higher NSC are
suitable for horses in active work.
What is the alternative to high NSC feeds?
6, and hence the need for Omega 3 supplements. Coconut meal is a natural, high-energy, high-digestible fiber, low
Coconut eal ithat
s a natural, high nergy, high digestible fto
iber, low Ngrains
SC feed NSC m
feed
provides
a epalatable
alternative
cereal
inthat the
provides a
p
alatable a
lternative t
o c
ereal g
rains i
n t
he d
iet o
f w
orking h
orses. diet of working horses. Coconut meal is the white flesh of the coco- Coconut meal is heated
the white lesh of the coconut, gently heated to oils.
mechanically nut, gently
to fmechanically
extract
most
of the
Feeding
coconut
to meetcoconut the horse’s
requirements
without
extract most allows
of the oyou
ils. Feeding allows energy
you to m
eet the horse’s energy causing the
problems
typically
associated
with
high NSC
requirements without causing the problems typically associated with and
high high
NSC PUFA
diets.
and high PUFA diets. When selecting a feed, ne has to nhas
ot only keep the Nkeep
SC content, but acontent,
lso other When
selecting
a ofeed,
one
to not
only
the NSC
debilitating omponents in mind: components in mind:
but alsocother
debilitating
The answer is: by feeding high energy, digestible fibers and oils.
Raw materials NSC* GM Protein % Rodent chemicals weevils etc. (preservatives) Because fiber made up such a large component of a horse’s diet in
their natural environment, they are well-equipped to digest and extract
Barley 62 possible 9.9 yes yes energy from it (but only from digestible fiber). Likewise, oils have
Corn 73 possible 3.3 yes yes always been present in a horse’s diet (as grasses are typically 2-3%
Soybean meal 16 yes 36.5 Yes yes oil), and thus horses appear to be well-equipped to digest oils, even
Wheat bran 31 yes 9 yes yes when fed in relatively large quantities of up to 20% of the diets’ total
Oats 54 possible 16.9 yes yes energy. But it should be noted that not all oils are metabolized in the
Rice bran 21 possible 13 yes yes Copra meal 11 no 20 no no same way. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as soybean and
are from Equi-‐Analytical Laboratories, Ithaca, NY, reported on dry matter corn oil are absorbed slowly and contain high levels of Omega 6, *Values GM = Genetically Modified
which are thought to cause inflammation. Coconut oil is a medium basis Copra meal = Coconut copra meal
chain triglyceride (MCT) which is rapidly absorbed and does not
*Values
areafrom
Laboratories,
Ithaca,
Further on you lways Equi-Analytical
have to look at the bag to determine what NY,
all ereported
lse is added: contain Omega 6. Linseed and chia contain high levels of Omega 3.
on dry(sugar), mattervegetable basis oils and other grains. Molasses Further on, you always have to look at the bag to determine what all
else is added: Molasses (sugar), vegetable oils and other grains.
As a result of recent information from university studies, and observations from practical horse owners, new feeds have been developed
which have a low NSC content, and yet provide energy in a NSC
form to support peak performance.
Feeding the correct diet is of special importance to the hoof care
provider. Insufficient horn growth, laminitis, white line separation
and shelly hoof capsules are often results of incorrect feeding practices. Once the diet is adjusted, the horses are more comfortable, and
a lot of the nasty hoof ailments disappear. This does not relieve the
horse owner from having the horse trimmed on a regular basis with
a correct trim application, but without adjusting the diet, hoof problems often cannot be managed in an efficient way.
DO I need to feed Omega 3?
Grain and PUFA contain high levels of Omega 6, and therefore,
when fed, can cause increased levels of Omega 6 in the body. The
recommendation is to feed a source of Omega 3 to bring the Omega
About the author: Dr Tim Kempton established Stance Equine in
Australia over 20 years ago. He is a keen horseman and a stockman, competing at many levels, throughout Australia. Tim pioneered the research into coconut meal and coconut oil in horse and
cattle nutrition in the 1980’s. Good quality coconut meal contains
a high level of digestible energy (from the 8-10% coconut oil, and
the digestible fiber) and a low NSC (11%) and it is an excellent
feed for most horses. CoolStance coconut is now fed widely
throughout Australia, and is also available in South Africa, the US
and UK. www.stanceequine.com
thehorseshoof.com
page
19
Feeding the Equine Hooves … Naturally!
All photos courtesy Gwen Santagate
by Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate
T
he Equine Foot is a marvel in design and construction. The
mere fact that such small bones and apertures can withstand
10’s of thousands of pounds of force during locomotion
makes it amazing but clear that the idiom is true: no hoof means no
horse.
In order for the equine digit to operate in full health, it must be fed
properly. Just like a human’s hair and nails tell the overall health of
humans, and can even identify specific diseases of the human, the
horse’s hoof can tell the same.
A hoof that is shelly and soft tells of a diet that is too rich in sugars
and simple carbs. A hoof wall that has rings tells of current or past
laminitic episodes. A hoof that harbors black, foul smelling, tarry
exudate (pus) tells of bacterial infection. One that holds white, cheesy
smelling exudate between the heel bulbs tells of yeast invasion.
While all of these conditions can be improved with proper trimming
and topical attention, they also need to be treated through a “whole
horse” approach. One can sometimes mechanically “fix” a hoof with
proper trimming or orthotics, but the root cause of the issue is not
always addressed. Therefore, the condition will reappear, only to be
battled again to the unfortunate detriment of the horse.
It is believed that 80% of the immune system lies within the gut. In
fact, the intestines contain more immune cells than the entire rest of
our body. “There’s an increasing disruption of these microbes from
modern lifestyle, diet, overuse of antibiotics and other issues. With
that disruption, the conversation is breaking down.” (Oregon State
University, “Gut Microbes Closely Linked to Proper Immune
Function, Other Health Issues”) While most of the studies done have
been with regard to human immune systems, Equus caballus is not
much different. The health of the immune system regulates the health
of the hooves, as well as the rest of the horse. And just like humans,
disruptions in the body’s homeostasis gravitates to the feet—the
hooves of the horse.
So, let’s take a quick look at what constitutes a natural horse’s diet...
that’s a simple one, isn’t it?
FORAGE
In the wild, the horses eat nothing but forage. Trees, bark, branches,
bushes, grasses, flowers, herbs, cacti in arid areas, sea grass along the
shore, wild fruits and berries, roots (yes, they do paw down for roots),
page
20
thehorseshoof.com
leaves—whatever forage is afforded in the individual’s environment.
The variety of forage in the environment allows for self-medication,
as instinctual wisdom dictates when needed. Many wild forages are
anti-parasitic, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, calmatives, etc. Each
plant, each tree, each herb, each forage holds its own unique properties for the benefit of herbivores. Horses are herbivores. Naturally.
They learn, early on by example from other herd members or from
trial and error, what is safe to eat, what makes them feel better, what
is naturally healthy for them. They are not “designed” to eat processed, artificially-enhanced wheat middlings, soy hulls, and the like.
More so, horses are not designed to eat just two or three heavy meals
a day. Gut acid is produced 24/7, whether or not there is food in the
gut. That gut acid, Hydrochloric Acid, will burn a hole in marble. Just
imagine what it does to the unprotected upper stomach if it’s sloshing
around in an empty gut.
Processed, simple carbs,
are digested very quickly
in the upper gut, while forages are partially broken
down in the upper gut and
then are transported to the
hind gut, where the body
pulls the rest of the nutrients from the food for
“whole health.” Feral/wild
horses forage 18 out of 24
hours a day... a little bit at a
time. So there is always
time for the digestive process to take place, with the acid breaking it
down. The digestive process provides internal heat, as well as nutrients to the body. All of the “good stuff” from the food feeds the other
systems in the body, including the hooves.
Hippocrates (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC) stated, “Let food be thy
medicine and medicine be thy food.” Such a profound statement, if
one takes the time to “digest” what he was saying. Given what the
recent studies show—where 80% of the immune system lies within
the gut—Hippocrates’ statement is even more profound when viewed
in the order of overall health of the horse.
If your horse(s) suffer from hoof issues such as thrush, yeast, white
line disease, impaired horn, laminitis, canker and other disease of the
equine digit, take a close look at just what you are feeding your
horses. Is it fresh, clean, live forage, as Equus caballus is meant to
eat? Or is it “fake,” processed foods produced in a factory and
enhanced with artificial preservatives, toxic herbicides, pesticides,
artificial vitamins and minerals and colors? Is it “enhanced” with
molasses for “palatability?” Does it contain sugars? How is the hay
that you are feeding cured? Chemically and artificially, to ward off
mold and keep it “green?” Does it hold hundreds of different wild
grasses, flowers and herbs so the entire body, including the hooves,
are fed? Or, is it 100% Timothy or Brome or Coastal or other grass
or legume hay? Take a moment to t.h.i.n.k.... would my horse be
A
Photo courtesy Gwen Santagate
“salad” fed just once a day, or even every other day, replacing the offers of commercial
feeds will reap astounding results in the hooves (and whole body) within just a few weeks.
eating JUST this in the wild?
What would your horse be
eating in your “neck of the
woods,” if feral?
The hooves are only as
healthy as the body grows
them. What are YOUR horses’ hooves
telling
you? If you
think hard enough about it, you might be surprised.
Very surprised!
A “salad” fed just once a day, or even every other
day, replacing the offers of commercial feeds will
reap astounding results in the hooves (and whole
body) within just a few weeks. After three or four
months, you’ll notice hooves that are hard as
steel—as long as other hoofcare parameters are
tended correctly (good hoofcare by the owner,
proper balancing and trimming by the hoofcare
provider, and, most importantly, lots of movement).
The “base” salad ingredients can be found here:
http://www.thepenzancehorse.com/feeding
horses%20%28rev%2011-13%29.pdf
Other things can be added to that, such as healing
herbs or other vegetables, fruits, nuts, or seeds. For
a horse without any health issues, it’s always good
to mix up seasonal vegetables such as the horse
would find in the wild. This time of the year in New
England, for instance, reaps fields of pumpkin and
winter squash, along with late season greens and
cool weather cole crops. Summer months harbor
melons, summer squash, beans and other seasonals,
while fall is loaded with apples, peaches, pears and
the like. A little bit goes a long way—just one of a
few select fruits with green leafy vegetables, a
handful of sprouts or seeds, with some infused
olive oil and a glub of apple cider vinegar combined with plenty of time turned out (preferably
24/7) in “un-enhanced” pastures with lots of weeds
and other natural-growing plants is all that is
needed.
Add this once-a-day salad to free choice offering of
mixed grass hay, free choice salt & minerals, good
mixture of pasture weeds, grasses, trees and the
like, and you’ll find your horse not only improves
hoof quality, but his entire body will blossom and
shine. 24/7 turnout for lots of movement + fresh
forages + good husbandry and hoofcare =
STRONG, HEALTHY HOOVES. More information on feeding horses for strong hooves can be
found on www.thepenzancehorse.com)
About the author: Gwenyth Santagate has lived, played, and worked
with horses for almost 50 years. Her mission is to give them voices
when they have none. She is the founder of PENZANCE Equine
Integrated Solutions: www.thepenzancehorse.com and is launching
a new Online Equine Health & Wellness Clinic offering HOLISTIC
HORSE Consults—when you need an answer NOW to a minor first aid
or other health or behavioral issue. www.horseconsultonline.com •
Email: [email protected] • phone: 508-476-1317 (Massachusetts)
equine
CoolStance
Coconut feed for horses
. Conditions hooves from the
inside out, promoting pliability
. Low sugar and starch
(NSC <12%)
. Retains moisture for
improved hydration
855-266-5600
[email protected]|www.stanceequine.com
thehorseshoof.com Winter 2014-Issue 53 page 21
Feeding Horses Fats & Oils, A Healthy Practice?
M
any horse owners are advised to feed fats and oils to their
horses, as part of their feed program. We are told that fats
provide energy and will also benefit blood sugar levels,
laminitis, and various other health problems. But is the practice of
feeding fats and oil to horses really beneficial, or are we being sold
on another feeding fad?
The premise of feeding fats/oils is to encourage weight gain and to
provide “cool” calories for performance. This belief is based on the
fact that fats provide energy in a very concentrated form that is difficult to burn off quickly. In fact, one calorie of fat is equivalent in
energy to three pounds of oats or six pounds of hay, with no sugar
rush. Fat is the most energy dense feed available, but this density
makes fats very slow to metabolize, which keeps a horse feeling full
for longer than is natural or healthy. Remember, horses have a small
stomach designed to empty quickly, and they have to eat continuously. Fats slow down the normal rate at which the stomach empties
its food into the intestine, thus resulting in stomach overload,
reduced gut motility, limited enzyme activity, increased toxicity and
lower energy.
Replacing calories from forage with fat calories is another concern,
as this usually means a significant loss in nutrition. Important nutrients such as protein, fiber, and minerals are replaced by “empty”
calories, since poor quality fats provide no nutrition of their own.
The young growing horse would be especially vulnerable to this,
since their nutrient requirements are high.
In humans, the liver produces bile, a detergent-like substance that
digests fats and oils by emulsifying them to break them down for easier absorption. The liver secretes bile within 20 minutes of ingesting
fatty foods. The gallbladder, a small pouch attached to the liver, acts as
a timer that secretes bile as soon as it is needed to begin the process of
emulsification. But horses don’t have a gallbladder, and without a gallbladder, the equine liver has no way of facilitating or regulating bile
flow in the presence of dietary fats. Without the benefit of bile emulsification, large particles of oil cannot enter into the villi. The villi are
capillaries in the small intestine that carry nutrients directly into the
blood. Instead, larger oil chains must be directly absorbed from the
small intestine into the lymphatic system where they are eventually
transferred back into the liver. This congests the lymphatic system as
well as the liver, both of which play a significant role in detoxification
and immune function. High fat diets also reduce the absorption of fatsoluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Over time, the liver and entire lymphatic system of a horse (or a
person for that matter) who is fed excess and poor quality fats and
oils becomes congested, resulting in poor digestion, premature feelings of fullness, liver toxicity, and poor immunity because of the
accumulation of fats and fat-soluble toxins, which the liver can no
longer efficiently detoxify. Watch for signs that point to fatty liver
stress: fatigue; poor appetite; skin problems; toxicity; circulatory
problems; kidney issues, cancer and digestive problems. Undigested
fats pass through into the cecum, where they interfere with the bactepage
22
thehorseshoof.com
Photo courtesy Kleo Delaveris
by Marijke van de Water
The horse’s natural forage diet contains very tiny amounts of oil
within the grasses and seeds; their natural diet is low-fat.
rial fermentation of the all-important fiber which horses convert into
“real” energy. The kidneys become strained, because when the liver
can no longer emulsify the excess fats, the kidneys must take on the
overload, which they are not designed to do. I have seen more than
one case of kidney shut down, because the horse was being fed and
drenched with unhealthy fats.
And furthermore, the oils that most horse owners feed to horses are
not healthy ones! The kinds of oils normally fed to horses are poor
quality mass-produced, refined vegetable oils. Inexpensive oils such
as corn oil, soya oil, canola oil and other vegetable oils are commonly fed to our horses. Whereas nature packages these oils inside
the seed, humans expose these fragile oils to light, air, heat and solvents during extraction, processing and storage. These exposures
destroy the essential fatty acids and form rancid oil, which produces
toxic breakdown products and free radicals. The ingestion of rancid,
denatured oils causes cell damage and is implicated in many degenerative diseases, including cancer, liver disease, heart disease, arthritis, digestive problems, and—don’t miss this—diabetes.
High fat diets in horses (and people) contribute to diabetes and insulin resistance by not only increasing cortisol levels, but also by
damaging cellular membranes. Fatty diets harden the membranes,
making it difficult for the cells to absorb glucose and other nutrients,
which then remain in the blood. Furthermore, vegetable oils and
corn oil are known to cause generalized inflammation and/or
immune suppression because of their high content of omega 6.
One nutritionist even advocated giving fish oil to horses. Horses
should not be fed animal or fish-based products at any time.
Horses are foraging vegans—“super vegans,” actually. They thrive
on fiber and were never meant to eat a high-fat diet. There is not
one shred of evidence related to the equine digestive system that
indicates that horses are anatomically designed to benefit from eating excess fats. Horses don’t have a gallbladder because they don’t
need one: there is no appreciable amount of fat or oil of any kind
found anywhere in their natural food chain. The grazing horse
finds no plants containing concentrated fat in any terrain. What
grazing horses do find is seeds and grass heads from various
plants, which are a healthy source of essential fatty acids.
When I perform health assessments on fat-fed horses—in person or
by distance—I can often see the excess fat globules in the blood and
the congestion in the liver. For optimum health, ensure that the
domesticated horse receives a variety of different plants to forage
on, plus adequate fiber, moderate levels of protein and no added fats
of any kind.
Healing • Harmony • Heart
Professional Products | Expert Health Advice
Consultations & Services
To detoxify a horse coming off fats and to repair any damage, I
recommend the following 4-6 week program to drain the liver and
lymph, flush the kidneys and eliminate residual fats. This course of
supplements can also be used for any kind of general cleanse and
detoxification program:
• Probiotics (preferred brand Riva’s Pro-Colon) – 1/4 tsp daily.
• Blend of milk thistle and dandelion (preferred brand Riva’s
Equi-Cleanse) – 2 Tbsp daily.
• Blend of cornsilk, couch grass, marshmallow, juniper, yarrow
(preferred brand Riva’s Kidney Care) – 1/4 cup daily.
• Sulphur, 200C – One dose (5 pellets) daily for 7 days.
About the author: Marijke van de Water, B.Sc., DHMS, is an
Equine Health & Nutrition Specialist, Homeopathic Practitioner,
and Medical Intuitive & Healer. She is the founder, formulator and
CEO of Riva’s Remedies and is a popular speaker and clinician at
equine expos, conferences and seminars. She is the author of
“Healing Horses: Their Way!” and “Healing People: The Marijke
Method” and hosts her own online radio show “Healing With The
Marijke Method,” a healing show for horses, people, dogs and cats
Listen live or podcast: www.toginet.com
www.rivasremedies.com • www.rivasremediesfordogsandcats.com
Marijke van de Water, B.Sc., DHMS
Healing Horses Their Way
Riva’s Equine Health Line
1-800-405-6643
www.rivasremedies.com
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page
23
Founder Paradigm Shift
by Ute Philippi
I
t is generally believed that the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon
(DDFT) causes coffin bone (CB) rotation in founder cases. Does
it really? Perhaps the logic behind CB rotation in founder cases
is flawed...
What I have observed over the years:
• The CB “rotation” is typically worse in the higher-heeled hoof.
• The CB is often still aligned with the bony column, despite “rotation.”
• CB realigns after trimming heels down to an appropriate height,
even without performing a DDFT tenotomy.
• DDFT tenotomies really do not have a great success rate that
would suggest that the DDFT is the primary cause of CB rotation.
What does logic tell us about this?
• The degree of rotation should be fairly even in both front hooves
when the laminar layers (primary & secondary) fail, but this is
generally not the case. The higher-heeled hoof will typically show
the worst rotation, while the lower-heeled hoof tends to be less
severely affected.
• The CB would not realign after heels are trimmed down to a
proper height (the DDFT should still pull enough to keep the CB
in its rotated position).
• The DDFT does not act in a vacuum—it is opposed by the extensor tendon that attaches in the front of the CB right on top of the
DDFT insertion point. It would have little to no influence over the
CB if the DDFT was as powerful as usually portrayed. When the
DDFT becomes completely severed, the hoof flips up because of
the extensor tendon action. Both tendons are also attached to
muscles that are typically ignored, as well. Tendons do not act on
their own—their actions originate from the muscle(s) they are
attached to.
If it is not the DDFT, then what really happens in founder cases?
What happens, most likely, is loading force and leverage from high
heels, leading to a hoof capsule rotation. The higher the heels, the
more leveraging loading force is exerted on the already compromised laminae.
Healthy laminae are extremely strong—they are designed to resist
the loading force of a 1,000-2,000 lbs (or more) equine at a gallop!
Laminae affected by laminitis simply can no longer resist that loading force, even at the walk. So they give way and stretch—the two
laminar layers literally separate by stretching apart. How much they
stretch often depends on natural genetic laminar strength and the
severity of the laminitis attack.
page
24
thehorseshoof.com
Other Considerations
The coffin bone can and does rotate away from its bony column
alignment in some cases, but this may be due to other contributing
factors, such as:
• Weakening of joint-stabilizing soft tissue structures (like ligaments) from chronic inflammation, if the laminitis is not stabilized quickly enough by diet and medical intervention as needed
and is allowed to develop
into a chronic case.
• CB remodeling that causes
it, in chronic cases, to take
on a shape that makes it
look like it is more rotated
than it originally was.
• Severity of laminar stretch,
thanks to [high] heel leverage forces (the laminar
layers may also assist CB
alignment).
• Natural genetic strength of
the laminar layers and their Founder, before trimming.
ability to resist loading
force, even in a diseased
state.
To Illustrate
Gwenyth Santagate of
Penzance Natural Hoofcare
(www.barefoottrim.com)
kindly allowed me to use her
pictures of an extreme founder case she worked on. Notice
what the before and after trim
x-rays show. They illustrate
how the CB alignment
improved with just trimming, Left front heel, July 5, 2012.
and without performing a
tenotomy.
Last Words
Ideally it should never
become this bad—laminitis
and founder prevention is the
best approach. If founder
does happen, correctly trimming the hoof to create
healthy heel height (as appropriate for the individual
horse) is critical, as is proper Left front heel, August 3, 2012.
All photos courtesy Gwen Santagate - PENZANCE Natural Hoof Care
Examining the actual “cause” of founder.
diet management (usually the main cause of laminitis), and medical
care as indicated. Hoof boots and pads should be used during founder rehabilitation. Easycare RX boots and comfort pads work very
well for this purpose.
Taking body parts out of context often leads to faulty conclusions.
We need to look at the whole body when we make health assessments and treatment plans, or the healing will fail, or at the very
least, be unnecessarily delayed.
X-rays BEFORE: March 29, 2012.
©2013 Ute Philippi. About the author: Ute Philippi is a natural
performance barefoot trimmer since 2007, and a licensed human
and animal bodywork practitioner since 2005. She specializes in
fascial release techniques. For more info and case studies,
visit her website at: www.balanced-step.com/index.htm or
Balanced Step on Facebook.
®
®
Precision
Patented
X-rays AFTER: July 20, 2012.
All photos courtesy Gwen Santagate - PENZANCE Natural Hoof Care
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thehorseshoof.com
page
25
Nilla, a Story of Love and Hope
by Susanella Noble
Sometimes horses surprise you with the impossible... and make dreams come true.
E
All photos courtesy Susanella Noble
xactly one year ago, Nilla’s “Mamaperson” trailered her up
to a vet in Waimea (Hawaii) to get radiographs and a clinical
evaluation of the chronic laminitis in her front feet. This
x-ray of her left front was taken when she had been in a hoof cast for
four weeks, and I didn’t get to trim her after taking it off for the
x-ray. At this moment in time, it showed that I hadn’t gotten those
heels down far enough to DE-rotate the coffin bone.
Slowly Nilla started to get up more and move around, and, over
time, we began to forget that she was supposed to be lame. (If I don’t
trim her at LEAST once every two weeks, she starts to show signs
of discomfort.) Now she prances everywhere she goes and is the
love of our lives.
Lessons that Nilla has pounded in me:
1.In order to DE-rotate the coffin bone, the heels need to be even
lower than normal.
2.The hoof wall must be removed from weight-bearing before it
can reattach.
3.The new shape must be maintained frequently.
4.ZERO tolerance to sugars & starches.
I constantly rave about how wonderful Nilla is—how intuitive,
gentle, gracious and kind—but seeing is believing. For three days,
she made two little girls’(ages four & seven) dream come true. I
taught them the “magic tickle,” and how to picture a request in their
mind, and Nilla took it from there. Without a worry, I turned them
loose together, and there was nary an “ouch,” a teardrop, or a fear.
Nilla’s x-ray in November 2012.
Nonetheless, I could see that the extensor process of the coffin bone
was lower than the coronary band—which is basically a death sentence. The young vet, with her hand on her 1951 hoof textbook by
Adams, told Nilla’s Mamaperson, “this is the end game” and suggested that Nilla be put in shoes to “keep her comfortable.” She
looked the vet in the eye and demanded, “How the heck do you think
she got this way in the FIRST place?!” (Oh, how I marvel at my
wonderful, educated clients!) Next, she asked me what I thought...
and my answer was that it might be time for Nilla to go to heaven...
Getting to know you.
WAS I EVER WRONG!!!!!!!
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was gifted with Nilla this past
May. I remember how she limped painfully all the way up the driveway in her SoftRide hoof boots, how she blew new abscesses in both
front feet within days and was down for weeks, while we were basically running an ICU for her with meds and ice baths for her hooves.
I thought “Here we go again, I must be nUtS!”
I discovered why Nilla had been having reoccurring abscessing episodes, because during her transfer I saw that the biotin supplement
she’d been getting was laced with SUGAR %#&$(^#@(*! no no no
no no!
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26
thehorseshoof.com
In perfect step.
I
constantly rave about how wonderful Nilla is—how intuitive, gentle, gracious and kind...
I truly believe that she is my karmic gift for all the sweat and pain, broken bones and dirt
that I suffer to help horses.
Nilla is truly a gift worth sharing. I’m so thankful that her Mamaperson didn’t listen to me last
year.
P.S. I came up the driveway yesterday to a wonderful welcoming party with Nilla leading the
procession of dogs and cats. I truly believe
that she is my karmic gift for all the sweat
and pain, broken bones and dirt that I suffer
to help horses. Nilla not only greets me with
a nicker, she also nickers a thanks for her
care and food. She simply is other-worldly.
About the author: Susanella Noble is a professional flutist and composer who became a
farrier (CNBBT) by default. Now helping to
lead the Barehoof Movement in Hawaii, she
is a holistic hoof practitioner on the Big
Island of Hawaii, specializing in lameness
rehabilitation, with a great internship program. She presented workshops on casting at
the International Lameness Prevention
Conference in Colorado Springs in 2011, and
is writing a casting instruction manual. Her
website is: www.farriergodmother.com
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27
A Tribute to Spirit
by Barb Fenwick
Spirit
:smart, playful, trustworthy, leader, calm, fun,
athletic, patient, handsome and loving
I
All photos courtesy Barb Fenwick
was lucky to buy this Tennessee Walking Horse as a weanling in
1998 in Crookston, MN. He was 2 when he sired a colt, just after
he was gelded. A surprise for sure, his foal “Chris” was born Dec.
23, 2000. Spirit was so full of himself, a quick study, but always had
an opinion as a youngster, well suiting his name. He tempered that
trait with his loving and trusting nature that was playful, fun and
exciting. This spotted boy also
gave hours of pleasure to countless people he taught ground
work and natural riding over
the years.
He was my partner in successfully becoming accredited as a
Horse Agility Instructor/Judge
in 2011. One rider who will
miss him greatly is Hilda
Harness, who, as a disabled
rider, felt the confidence to ride again on his back. They were a marvelous team to watch, her smile and his steady care of her.
He and I even won Show Champion in a Gaited-only horse show in
Rochester, MN under the meticulous judging of Liz Graves, wellknown Gaited horse trainer, clinician and judge. There wasn’t anything I asked of him that he wouldn’t try and shine at.
He and I started teaching natural horsemanship clinics from the time
he was 4 years old, here in Manitoba (Canada), also SK and Ontario.
We also travelled hundreds of trail miles together, always a horse you
could trust. I remember the time I was riding one of my mares out in
the pasture bareback, with nothing on her head, while the other
horses grazed just over the hill. The mare started to trot and I slid off
in case she decided to speed up even more. Spirit, seeing what was
happening, came running over to me immediately, as I sat on the
ground. He was that kind of horse.
possible over the years,
since I began studies with
them in 2006. That education, and a strict diet, and
my trimming him since
then, allowed this horse to
live a longer life than most
foundered horses.
In spring of 2013, I had
Spirit participate in a drug
trial testing a founder control drug called Laminil, which is injected into the hooves. The
effects were very favorable and he enjoyed a very good summer.
Unfortunately, the drug effect started to wear off by autumn. I had
known that the drug was our “last hope,” as his hooves had so much
damage from the disease over the years. The hoofcare and careful
feed protocol wasn’t enough. He was in great pain, and I knew it
would only get more difficult and painful going into our cold winter.
Even so, I watched
him in hopes of
improvement, but
after his last trim, it
was evident the damage was beyond
repair, and it would
be cruel to make him
suffer longer. It was
time to end his pain.
It was the hardest My last trail ride on Spirit. The other horse
decision I ever made is my Missouri Foxtrotter, Zoie, with friend
in my life. Gut Jean driving.
wrenching to think I wouldn’t see his beautiful spotted body moving
out across our hilly pastures anymore. But as one of my friends
remarked... it takes a great deal of love and bravery... to make that
important decision. Our last act of kindness for them, as they say.
As he slipped peacefully into final sleep on November 21, 2013, I
knew a sense of peace myself, along with a deep, deep sadness which
comes with losing a dear loved one.
He was never ridden with a bit, was ridden in rope halter or sidepull
his entire life, in all situations. Even showing him, I rode with a sidepull, not caring if the judge passed him over for lack of a bit. He never
needed one; none of my horses do.
We were a team, equal partners in a dance of life, having fun, arguments at times, and amazing outcomes, and an understanding that I
expect will not be repeated in my lifetime. He WAS one of a kind, an
eagle among a flock of followers, a teacher, and a best buddy.
At 5, he was diagnosed with Founder, later confirmed as insulin
resistant. I worked hard for the next 10 years to control the disease
and keep him sound. Ultimately, the disease won, but not until we
had “done it all” and crammed into those 15 years of his life so many
activities and good times.
Fly on, Spirit, Thanks for giving me it all, thanks for the memories
and love. —Love, Barb
With his diagnosis, I began my investigations and studies of the disease and natural hoof and horse care. I have James and Yvonne Welz
to thank for starting me on the path that kept this horse as sound as
page
28
thehorseshoof.com
About the author: Barb Fenwick has raised several Tennessee
Walking Horses over the years. Her remaining horses are 2 mares - a
Missouri Trotter and a Paso Fino. She continues to teach natural
horse care and bitless riding, also Horse Agility at her Seasons
Ranch next to Sprucewoods Park in Manitoba. Visit her website:
http://theseasonsranch.weebly.com
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29
Surviving a Coffin Bone Rotation…at 28!
Healing is always possible, even with severe coffin bone rotation in an older horse!
A
s I stood in total shock, my farrier of eight years said,
“If I were you, I’d put him down!” Eight little words
no horse owner EVER wants to hear!
Smoke and I had been together, through thick and thin, for over 22
years. Divorce and moving six times—my issues, surgery to remove
10 pounds of stones in his abdomen, his issues. Now, I was like a
deer-in-the-headlights. What should I do?
Photo courtesy Susanella Noble
by Jen McGeehan
August 2010—A Rotated Coffin Bone... What’s That?
We had just competed in the final Western Horse Show of the season, taking the High Point blue ribbon. On the following Tuesday,
Smoke had his normal visit from my farrier, Craig. By the time I
came home from work that night, he was lame. Really lame! My
first thought was, “That darn Craig! He trimmed him too short.”
(This had only happened two times in the course of eight years.) “No
biggie. I’ll just give him four or five days off to recover.” I called
Craig with my report, and he concurred. Five days later, Smoke had
NOT improved, so Craig came out the following Monday to investigate. Actually, over the course of the next three weeks, I had three
visits by Craig, a second opinion by another farrier, two vet visits, a
poultice to draw out the potential abscess—but NO improvement!
Time for a trip to the equine hospital two hours away…
Six Thousand Dollars later…
I felt I was in excellent hands when I realized that the surgeon who
saved Smoke twelve years earlier with stone surgery was still on
staff. A series of radiographs (x-rays) revealed the source of his pain.
His right front hoof had separated from the coffin bone! A coffin
bone rotation. “What the heck is that?” I wondered to myself. I had
owned horses for over 47 years, but I didn’t have a clue about a coffin bone rotation!
I soon learned that laminitis is the precurser to this condition, especially in older horses. The lamellae that holds the hoof to the bone
breaks down and can no longer support the hoof. For a human, it
would be like your ankle bone crashing through your heel!
Smoke stayed at the hospital for six days, wore a soft cast to support
and cushion the hoof, and was on a ton of meds. He was then sent to
a recovery boarding facility for ten days. Another visit to the hospital, more meds, and then an extremely hard decision was made to cut
his right front flexor tendon. The surgeon explained that this procedure would give him the best chance of keeping the heel down,
allowing the re-alignment of his coffin bone to the new hoof growth.
My farrier did not agree with this procedure, and even though I
totally trusted his judgment, I agreed to the surgery.
Thank God for my Visa credit card. Six thousand dollars later, we
were heading home. But, one thing kept gnawing at the back of my
mind… Exactly how would all this damage be reversed? There has
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30
thehorseshoof.com
Defying the odds: with Jen’s hard work and dedication, her
beloved Appaloosa, Smoke, recovered from founder.
to be more to all of this. But remarkably, the surgeon didn’t really
have concrete answers!
The Call That Saved Smoke’s Life
A month after Smoke came home, and, in my opinion, on way too
much Bute for the pain, I began to panic. Appaloosas are said to be
the strongest of equine breeds, and I could tell that Smoke was fighting for his life. But he wasn’t improving. In fact, he was getting
worse! Craig came to check on him, and, with tears in his eyes, he
told me again, “I’d put him down.” (I had a number of other people
suggest the very same thing!) I asked Craig how many clients he’d
had over the course of his 15-year career, who had survived this type
of trauma. His answer was, “Out of seventeen horses, NONE survived.” Needless to say, I was speechless as the reality of the situation sunk into my brain and my heart. Smoke was my best friend and
I loved him beyond comprehension. I knew I wasn’t ready to make
that decision quite yet…
The next day, Craig’s wife, Amy, called. We had only met once or
twice at social events. She was very cautious with her words, but as
I recall, she said, “Jen, have you done blood tests on Smoke?” “No,”
was my answer. “The hospital never took any!” (In hindsight, that
seemed like an unbelievable over-sight.) “Laminitis, founder, coffin
bone rotations can happen when horses are receiving an overload of
sugar and starch from their diet. This, coupled with a lack of exercise, can create what Smoke is experiencing,” she carefully
explained. “In essence, they become diabetic. In equine terms,
Insulin Resistant (IR). In addition, older horses can develop a benign
tumor on their pituitary gland in the brain, causing Cushing’s
Disease; also know as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction –
PPID.” As I listened to her, I could hardly comprehend all that she
was saying. Again, I was like a deer-in-the-headlights, completely
I
asked my farrier how many clients he’d had over the course of his 15-year career, who had
survived this type of trauma. His answer was, “Out of seventeen horses, NONE survived.”
overwhelmed with what she was telling me. Now what? Something
had to be done, and quickly! I knew Smoke could not hang on much
longer.
STEP ONE – Blood Tests
I called my local vet out, and she did a blood draw, which was then
overnighted to Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center.
Within a few days, the results were in. She read the report and happily announced that he was NOT Insulin Resistant. But my joy was
short-lived. I forwarded the report to Amy, who then forwarded it to
her friend, Betty. Betty had seen all of this before and she ran the
numbers through a Glucose to Insulin Ratio Evaluator. The ratio
indicated that he WAS, in fact, Insulin Resistant! Here are his initial
numbers:
Glucose – 96 mg/dL
Insulin – 28.83 ulU/mL
G:I (Glucose to Insulin) Ratio – 3.33
A G:I ratio less than 4.5 indicates insulin resistance, and a ratio
between 4.5 and 10 correlates with “compensated IR.” (2007 Patti
Woodbury Kuvik, Kathleen F. Gustafson and Equine Cushings
Group.)
In addition, his ACTH Baseline, (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone),
which stimulates steroid production and secretion by the adrenal
glands, came in at 64.5 pg/mL. A normal reading is between 9 and
35 pg/mL! Smoke was definitely IR and Cushing’s. An OMG
moment, for sure!
Those blood tests, which cost me $200, told me more than the
$6,000 visit to the equine hospital, because now I knew a correction
had to be made, both externally and internally, for Smoke to not only
survive but thrive! The new question was, “How would we get him
there?”
On The Fast Track…Education + Networking = ANSWERS
Information was coming at me like bullets shot from a World War II
fighter plane! I was instructed to immediately go on-line and join the
Equine IR/Cushing’s support group founded in 1999 by Eleanor
Kellon, VMD. This web site (www.ecirhorse.org for overview, or
[email protected] to join) is the foremost
provider of information for equine owners searching for answers to
the myriad of questions that surface on an hourly basis. I could
search the extensive “files,” post questions, receive quick responses
from qualified IR/Cushing’s advocates, as well as receive encouragement from others in the same horrific “boat.”
I also purchased a very informative book entitled, The Horse
Nutrition Handbook by Melyni Worth, PHD. The high points
include:
• Feeding for maximum health, longevity, and performance
• Evaluating weight and well-being
• Designing a year-round feeding program
• Understanding proper supplement use and resolving nutritional
disorders
• Managing pastureland for optimal health, safety, and feed value
This book supported all that I was learning from the IR/Cushing’s
group.
In a nutshell, this is what I and my support team did IMMEDIATELY
after the blood test results were reviewed:
1. Smoke’s feed was changed from a combination of alfalfa and
three-way, to Bermuda hay exclusively. (Other types of grass hay
such as Timothy and Orchard are also good options.)
2. I had my hay tested through Equi-Analytical Laboratories to
confirm that the sugar/starch was 10% or less. Otherwise, I
would have to soak his hay to reduce the sugar and starch levels.
3. Based on the complete vitamin and mineral analysis, I ordered a
special supplement mix from Horsetech.com. In addition, to this
ground flax seed mixture, he received two tablespoons of iodized
salt (to encourage the drinking of water), as well as 2,000 IU’s of
Vitamin E, which I ordered from Puritan’s Pride at an unbelievably cheap price. (Buy two get three, sometimes four, FREE.
What a deal! )
4. In addition to Doxycycline, an enzyme suppressant (for his hoof
issues), Smoke started on Pergolide, which inhibits tumor growth
in the pituitary gland.
By this time, I had collected so much information that I had to put
everything into a two-inch binder just to keep things straight!
On The Road To Recovery
In November 2010, I had a lameness specialist out to evaluate
Smoke’s right front hoof and take a new series of radiographs.
Internally, the alignment of his hoof to coffin bone was improving,
but he was still in a great deal of pain. The specialist recommended
a partial re-section of the hoof to remove damaged tissue and reduce
pressure, another tough decision to make. Thankfully, Craig and
Amy stood by me every step of the way, and when the re-section
was done, Smoke had six people there to encourage him… and me.
We were definitely on the road to recovery.
The specialist suggested a therapeutic boot by Soft Ride Boots
(www.soft-ride.com). He felt this boot would give Smoke the cushion he so desperately needed, while the orthodic insert would stimulate blood flow to the frog. I ordered a pair immediately. The owner,
Debbie, was willing to let me pay over time when I reluctantly
explained that I was out of money! I cried on the phone as we sealed
the deal, and the boots were shipped. Those boots, in partnership
with a med called Isoxsuprine, (a vasodilator which helps blood
flow to the hoof), jump-started Smoke’s healing process. And by late
winter, Smoke was walking with about 50% improvement. In addition, he had dropped about 100 to 125 pounds, reducing the stress on
his legs and hooves. He looked great!
The Proof Is In The Pudding – Or, in the Blood Tests!
In February 2011, we did another blood draw to determine if Smoke
really was on the right path. His G:I ratio had not improved, but his
ACTH Baseline had dramatically dropped from 64.5 pg/mL to 21.9
thehorseshoof.com
page
31
very special hoof needs, I found Susanella, a spit-fire of a gal who
is as passionate about keeping her equine clients barefoot as I am
about Smoke’s overall health and well-being. She identified additional needs for Smoke’s hooves, taking photos during every two-tofour week visit. She was, and continues to be, meticulous.
Eventually, Smoke, Gerdie, hubby Pat, and I moved to a rented
“yurt” on a twelve-acre property owned by our Hawaii realtor. We
rented that yurt for fourteen months. Smoke was in heaven as he
roamed his acreage, safely grazing in the lush green grasses of the
Hamakua Coast. (Much of the Hawaii grass is very safe for IR
horses … how interesting!) We continued to ride and enjoy the stunning ocean views from 1800 feet above sea level. Miraculously, after
fourteen months on the yurt property, Pat and I were able to purchase
our own home on nine acres, complete with a full ocean view, two
ponds and a peacock! On May 12th, 2013, we celebrated Smoke’s
thirty-first birthday... another miracle, considering all he/we had
been through. And, we still head out for a ride through our avocado
and citrus orchard every few days.
Big Milestones
As the weeks and months plodded by, I could see the new hoof
growth. He was limping less,
Amazingly, Smoke just turned moving more, and eventually
graduated from stall/corral access
31 years old!
to dry pasture during the day.
After six months in the Soft Ride Boots, he now had a hoof that he
could walk on unassisted! (The boots went into the tack box!) For
me, it was like finally placing my child in the backseat of my car and
using the regular seat belt rather than the infant car seat!) I slowly
decreased the meds to the point where now, he only had the
Pergolide. Then, the big day came when we started our hand-walks.
Woo Hoo…we were free! Many neighbors cheered us on. Often, I
cried as I led him down the road.
I will always be indebted to the network of equine lovers who came
to our rescue, and to the most amazing Palomino Appaloosa who,
with a lot of help from his “friends,” refused to give up!
Read more about Smoke in Susanella
Noble’s article, following.
About the author: Jen McGeehan is a
motivational speaker, sharing her
often humorous, yet always inspiring
stories of God’s miraculous healing
and restoration. As an accomplished
life-long equestrian and nature enthusiast, Jen was able to successfully
transition from life in the fast lane of
Southern California, to the off-grid,
back-to-nature farm life of the
Hamakua Coast of Hawaii. She is the
Director of Women’s Ministry at her
church, enabling her to love and mentor God’s precious women. As
a professional writer for over 35 years, Jen considers it a privilege
to now focus her skills on sharing the Good News! She is married to
Pat, a retired fire captain. Together, they have raised four children. She can be contacted at: [email protected]
In April 2011, I had a new vet come and do another series of radiographs. He confirmed that Smoke’s coffin bone had 100% re-aligned
and attached to the hoof! It truly was a miracle. By this point, Smoke
was no longer wearing shoes, but was in a natural barefoot trim. And
we were both thrilled! His hoof was rasped every two weeks, and the
program was working. All throughout this process, I would ask
Craig, Amy, Betty, all five vets, if they thought I would ever ride
Smoke again. They cautiously thought it was possible, but NOT the
norm. I wondered, as well. I was more than grateful that he had
survived this terrible trauma, but secretly, I wanted more.
The Big Day!
The God of our universe is still in the business of financial healing
and restoration. Travel to paradise as one financially devastated
couple takes a flight-of-faith, leaving the economically-challenged
mountains of Southern California for the unknown, off-grid
lifestyle of a rented yurt on the Big Island of Hawaii.
in My Year In A Yurt, author Jen McGeehan tells the true story of how she and her
husband Pat radically changed their lives. Their enormous debt came as invisible
baggage, as did the painful memory of handing their realtor the keys to their home.
as foreclosure and bankruptcy reared their ugly heads, Jen sent yet another urgent
prayer to heaven asking for God’s divine intervention.
Epilogue
My Year In A Yurt unearths life-changing treasure through thirty-eight stories that
reveal the humorous yet bittersweet experiences of the McGeehans as they set out
on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. This story can only be attributed to the supernatural
hand of God.
Jen McGeehan is a motivational speaker, sharing her
humorous yet inspiring stories of God’s miraculous
healing and restoration. as an accomplished equestrian
and nature enthusiast, Jen was able to successfully
transition from life in the fast lane of Southern
California, to the off-grid, back-to-nature farm life of
the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii. She is the Director of
Women’s Ministry at her church, enabling her to love
and mentor God’s precious women. as a professional
writer for over thirty-five years, Jen considers it a
privilege to now focus her skills on sharing the Good
news. She is married to Pat, a retired captain for the
riverside California Fire Department. together, they
have raised four children.
Biography & Autobiography, Cultural Heritage
$13.99
In the course of searching for the right farrier to care for Smoke’s
page
32
thehorseshoof.com
PRINTED IN THE USA
978-1-62854-880-8
Jen McGeehan
On September 16th, 2011, I guided Smoke, now 29 years old, into
what looked like a three-stall trailer. Gerdie, our Nubian goat, was in
the stall next to him. They were bound for the Big Island of Hawaii,
our new home. And I would be waiting for them at the Kailua-Kona
Airport. When all was said and done, Smoke and Gerdie traveled
over 19 hours. Once Smoke was safely tucked into his new, yet very
temporary, stall on a friend’s twenty-acre property, I crawled into my
own temporary bed, very grateful that Smoke had survived the
unique travel experience... and so had I!
Great Springtime Reading...
My year in a yurt
On August 20, 2011, after ordering a pair of Easyboot “Trail” boots
(www.easycareinc.com) for traction, Smoke and I rode off the
property for the first time in twelve months! I decided to do this with
no audience, just in case we had to abort the mission. But, Mission
Accomplished! No limping! In fact, it was more than obvious to me
that Smoke was grateful to be back to “work.”
My Year in a Yurt:
God’s Blessings While Living in
450 Not-So-Square Feet!
By Jen McGeehan
Published by Tate Publishing and available
in February 2014 (Amazon, etc.)
The God of our universe is still in the business of financial healing and restoration!
Travel to paradise as one financially devastated couple, their twenty-nine year old
equine, and his Nubian goat pal, take a flightof-faith, leaving the economically-challenged
mountains of Southern California for the unknown off-grid lifestyle of a
rented yurt on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Photo courtesy Jen McGeehan
Photo courtesy Susanella Noble
pg/mL, putting him into the safe
range of 9 – 35 pg/mL! His
Cushing’s was successfully under
control. As the pain from the coffin bone rotation eased up, Smoke
was able to move about more.
Increased exercise, coupled with
his new feed/supplement regime,
would eventually bring his G:I
ratio into proper alignment. We
would stay the course…
Help at a Glance for IR/Cushing’s Horses
Jen McGeehan’s handy list:
Hay Testing
Equi-Analytical Laboratories
730 Warren Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
877.819.4110 – www.equi-analytical.com
Therapeutic BootsSoft Ride Equine Comfort Boots
626 Grand Ave., Bacliff, TX 77518
866.763.8743 – www.soft-ride.com
Mineral Mix
Horsetech, Inc
112 Walnut St., Laurens, Iowa 50554
800.831.3309 – www.horsetech.com
Riding Boots
Easy Care, Inc.
2300 E. Vistoso Commerce Loop Rd., Tucson, AZ 85755
800.447.8836 – www.easycareinc.com
Publications
TheHorse.com
Jan, 2011-The Fight to Conquer Laminitis
Blood Testing
Cornell University/Animal Health Diagnostic Center
240 Farrier Road, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
607.253.3900
www.diagcenter.vet.cornell.edu
Vitamins
Puritan’s Pride
4320 Veteran’s Highway,
Holbrook, NY 11941
800.645.9584 – www.puritan.com
Pure Bulk
www.purebulk.com
Support Groups pets.groups.yahoo.com/groups/
equinecushings
www.ecirhorse.com
Medicines
Vet Pet Solutions
Ian, Owner
950 E. Harvard Ave., Denver, CO 80210
303.320.6034
What is Hoof Help Online?
James Welz
• A barefoot trimming educational program,
• hoof care assistance,
• and a supportive community all in one!
Yvonne Welz
Are You Ready for a Brand New Year of Healthy Hooves?
We’ve spent 15 years figuring it out, and we want to share OUR details with YOU. We’ve discovered the key
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thehorseshoof.com
page
33
Smoke: From the Farrier’s Perspective...
W
hen I first met Smoke in October 2011, Jen told me that
the coffin bone in his right front had rotated in August
2010. The first thing I noticed was that all of his hooves
had such poor circulation, they actually appeared to have a blue tint.
The heels were so long
and grown forward that I
was certain he had negative palmar/plantar angles
in all four hooves—the
opposite of what I was
hearing from his owner.
(Here, I’m using the right
front as an example of the
other three.)
I wanted to a slap casts on
all four feet to start raising
the back of the coffin
bones, but he was abscessing continuously in alternate hooves. My only Smoke’s right front, October 2011.
alternative was to start
trimming in the direction I
wanted to see his hooves
grow, make certain that he
was on a zero tolerance
diet and that the abscesses
were treated with ice
water soaks. I did note on
my chart that she had
x-rays taken, but since I
was seeing the opposite of
what she was saying, I didn’t demand to see if they were available.
With perfect hindsight, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have
changed a thing about my method.
Now, on the eve of publication for this article, Smoke’s old x-rays
have magically appeared in my inbox and I’m gobsmacked. In
three months (see x-ray photos) the RF appears to have gone from
positive rotation to negative!
Smoke’s right front x-ray, August 2010.
page
34
Had I been the
attending hoof care
provider in August
2010, and had seen
this radiograph, I
think I would have
been able to pull
the shoe and trim
him so that P3 was
in a normal position, and I’d maintain that angle in a
cast for several
months. Instead,
thehorseshoof.com
by Susanella Noble
the
pendulum
swung too far the
opposite direction, leaving him
with a negative
rotation in all four
hooves.
Smoke suffered
through abscesses
on
alternating
hooves and was
very tender-footed
for many months.
Smoke’s right front x-ray, November 2010. The swelling in
his lower legs
started to recede and his energy started to increase. Eighteen months
after I started working on Smoke, his hooves are not perfect but they
are functioning perfectly for him, and it makes him proud enough to
show off, all on his own
accord, after a trim.
The
most
apparent
improvement is in the
color and texture of
Smoke’s hooves - showing
renewed circulation. His
heels are still too low and
forward, but they seem to
have achieved some sort
of harmony, while his
sunken frogs and heel buttresses have pumped up,
there’s more concavity in
the solar domes, good sole
calluses, and only minute
separations in the white
Smoke’s right front, May 2013.
line (but lots of dirt).
Jen has proven to be an exceptional owner. She’s researched the
EMS diet, allowed me to keep a regular trimming schedule, and
utilized constructive suggestions.
Best of all, she’s
riding her beloved
Smoke regularly,
and they’re having
the time of their
lives!
Visit Susanella’s
website at: www.
farriergodmother.
com
Smoke’s right front, May 2013.
Navicular Syndrome Notes
Part One by Franco Belmonte
Notes from lessons for professional trimmers,
written in memory of James Rooney, Pathologist
or not of the assignment of responsibility of the pain. Only when,
among the other parts, the bones are affected, and by x-rays we can
find alterations considered permanent, we can talk of disease.
hese notes on Navicular Syndrome come from lessons and
training meetings for trimmers and owners organized by
bitlessandbarefoot-studio in Italy. The words are simple; no
word coming from greek or roman language. Be present, write, call,
research. In short, knock, and you will find a door opened to you,
so answer.
Here is a good definition of syndrome: “an association of symptoms and clinical signs representing the clinical manifestations of
one or various diseases not related to their etiology.” Since I immediately contradicted myself, let me split the word. “Syn” comes
from greek and means association. Precisely, an association of
clinical signs that contributes to make a framework, not well readable according to some, but clear for us thanks to Rooney and the
researchers that followed him.
T
If navicular syndrome happens to your horse, do not be scared. To
manage a navicular horse is neither dramatic nor expensive, at least
economically.
When the barefoot option is chosen, the long term results are
encouraging. It is not necessary to kill the animals, because it is not
true that they cannot heal. A pain-free decent life and various levels
of performance are guaranteed.
After reading, for a better comprehension of the subject, I suggest
you to get the “Under the Horse” DVD set by Pete Ramey. The
whole DVD series is dedicated to navicular syndrome and laminitis. (Disk #4 specifically to navicular syndrome.)
Then, for a very cheap price (even less than $2.00, if lucky), you
can still find through Amazon.com a book written by Dr. James
Rooney, The Lame Horse. This is a 40 year old book that everyone
should study with care and attention.
First, here is a message for you, thanks to Tomas Teskey, VMD:
While the syndrome is always connected to sensitivity or pain,
permanent alterations (disease) that the bones suffer and can follow
or go with, can be silent if the rest of the frame (the soft surrounding
tissues) can return to operative (functional), and the total is stabilized and fit.
The delay that occurs with different tissues over time, and their different ability and speed to recover (tendons, blood vessels, bones,
etc.) is the reason why animals with radiographic evidence can still
be “sound,” and, in opposition, why animals radiologically healthy
can be aching and lame. Why? Something happens around the
navicular bone, but only later affects it. Subsequently, the animal
can recover, and only the bone results appear damaged.
Why does that happen? Why does the rear part of the hoof become
painful? As time and years go by, during the last two centuries, the
responsibility was imputed to three different causes:
Dear lovers of horses,
Vascular. Degenerative. Mechanical.
If you or one of your family were injured, would you seek out
the best possible care? Why? I ask you this because it really is
a CHOICE that you make. While we are surrounded today by
a society that often wants the quickest, least expensive remedy,
it is understandable that many of us think our “choices” are
limited. My intent in educating horse owners about the real
options they have is simple: I find great value in helping others
bring themselves and their horses to honest health and happiness. To do this, I refuse to “cover up” the problem. Rather, I
choose to educate and empower you with the truth, so that you
really have the “bigger picture” in mind. What you choose is
your own personal journey, and if it becomes your choice to
work with the nature of yourself and the horses, I would love to
help you.
1) Vascular: a reduced supply of nutrients and oxygen into the
area, and consequent suffering. If tissues do not eat and breath, they
cannot grow, maintain themselves, nor keep fit and work.
Introduction
Let’s begin with some definitions. Boring maybe, and just sketched,
but useful to define the subject. Navicular Syndrome (and I’ll try to
give a new definition at the end) is one of the most common “reasons” for pain and lameness in horses, mostly in the front hooves.
It is called “Syndrome” or “Disease,” depending on the possibility
2) Degenerative: for a not well-defined reason, maybe passed
down genetically, a deterioration begins.
3) Mechanical: friction, heat, and vibrations wear out the tissues,
submitting them to forces of an intensity and direction for which
they have not been designed.
I will refer to the 5th edition of Adams’ Lameness in Horses, adding
comments and giving reference to the page. For a better comprehension of the whole matter, read the books Adams’ Lameness in
Horses and Rooney’s The Lame Horse (the latter from which I
provide a famous excerpt in part 2 of this article).
Let me deal with ethics in the next few lines. The Lame Horse is
a book of medicine. Even if Rooney knows the lack of resources
of many veterinarians and/or owners, and despite that, its aim is
constantly the recovery, the healing. For every problem and
lameness of the horse, he tries to give a reason and assign a
responsibility. Responsibility falls on everyone who has a duty to
take care of the horse—such as allowing it to move improperly,
thehorseshoof.com
page
35
S
due to lack of skills or rushed training.
On the contrary, Adams’ Lameness in Horses is a book of technique
where the animal can just keep on doing its work and duty. I do not
see any “feeling.” A feeling could make the whole system collapse.
The owner of an animal always expects to get profit, not to increase
an expensive balance or, even worse, lose time.
The professionals are educated, trained for that in the university.
They know how to try to fix the “part” immediately, but often just
temporarily apply a technique that most of the time desensitizes
instead of heals. For a better comprehension of this behavior, I
invite you to read Dr. Strasser’s book, Shoeing, A Necessary Evil?
My hope is that one day the university could train both doctors that
heal and are technicians, with no compromises. At least we’ll know
the principles, choices, and training of who we decide to entrust
with our animals.
But, going back to the reasons for navicular, testing on the vascular
system (vascular theory) taken in a laboratory didn’t provide reliable data. Animals on which vascular damages were caused experimentally didn’t show the expected results. On the other hand,
directly degenerative (degenerative theory) is not arguable (see
Adams’ Lameness in Horses, pages 664 and following).
All the causes are taken back to the same matrix: hooves small and
contracted, overweight horses, improper work. In the Adams’, no
one points to the shoeing as the main reason for the reduction of the
flow of nutritive elements and oxygen. On the contrary, we can
think and say that defects, or a wrong trim, or an all-year round
shoeing, or imbalance are the cause of action of forces that the
structure cannot bear continuously.
It seems so clear to us, but it is not allowed. Shoeing is an integral
part of the system, keeps and feeds income positions, even if the
modern use of the horse and the new technologies of materials
make it anachronistic. For all the damages caused by shoeing,
please read the books of Dr. Strasser: Shoeing, A Necessary Evil?
and Navicular No More.
In the barefoot movement, on the contrary, naturalists and university researchers stress:
1) The necessary health of the whole foot, with a special regard to
the frog and the development and strength of the rear part of the
foot (Dr. Bowker) and/or the height of the heels and bars (Dr.
H.Strasser).
2) The development and maturation of the structures obtained,
thanks to movement, large areas, social relationship, proper food,
and a technical trim.
Shortly, the different causes invoked by the traditional podology,
above all the hereditary and degenerative one, are thought indirect
and secondary to the deficiency of management that must change
with the adoption of a mechanics that brings the foot back to the
correct physiology.
page
36
thehorseshoof.com
Shoeing should be considered, at the same level as an incorrect
trim, as the first reason for the disease. One can understand that to
take responsibility for the management of the horse is uneasy and
embarrassing. It is easier to impute the damages to an accident, and
much more profitable for the professionals to suggest solutions that
provide for long term interventions. If everything goes wrong, the
diagnosis was right,
and the disease
aggressively
progresses—the horse is
forever
changed.
Taking the life of a
suffering animal is a
mercy, isn’t it? So
even traders can have
a profit.
It is barefooters’ opinion that inflamma- Photo courtesy Dr. Kellon: damaged
tion, overall wear, navicular bone. Horses with radiographand pain are caused ic evidence could show soundness, and,
by the negative in opposition, horses radiologically
mechanics imposed healthy can be aching and lame. By the
by shoeing or endured time a navicular bone reaches this point,
by a barefoot hoof out how much damage has occurred to the
of balance or neglect- soft tissues and how much could the
ed. The animal itself horse repair?
manages its pain with
postures, movements, and a way to support the weight that makes
the clinical picture worse with time.
Most of the time the common veterinarian renounces any possibility of healing in favor of the prompt use of the animal. With corrective or orthopedic shoeing, there is even more reduction in the
elastic deformations of the loaded hoof, so the anesthetizing effect
makes the use of the horse possible. The mechanism of the hoof,
restricted with a simple conventional shoeing, is much more inhibited with the corrective one; blood flow is reduced, nervous terminations asleep. What the horse feels, it is hard to imagine. Maybe
the same condition we experience after a long period of immobility.
Identification of Navicular Syndrome
The animal stumbles, and while trying to shift the weight from his
heels, he places the toes of his hooves on the ground first. This can
be seen at different gaits, or at rest.
If, unfortunately, your horse develops heel pain, you can expect
certain maneuvers, actions, and observations if you call upon a
professional who does not belong to the barefoot movement. First,
the point of the hoof is placed on a wooden wedge, for a limited
time—Adams’ suggests to be 60 seconds. The resulting compression of the rear part of the hoof—the stress on flexors—exasperates
the pain and lameness. The horse, after this, gets worse. Another
technique is the examination with hoof testers on the central and
front part of the frog, which causes pain if the underlying parts are
compromised.
Photo courtesy Franco Belmonte
hoeing is an integral part of the system, keeps and feeds income positions even if the
modern use of the horse and the new technologies of materials make it anachronistic.
A “too thick” sole? This is typical of a horse with a well-shaped and
performing hoof, hardly a lame one!
On the contrary, for example, layered material at the toe implies a
palmar or plantar negative angle; consequently, constriction of the
navicular which is squeezed between the second and third phalanx,
and the flexor tendon. We’ll find the same prolonged continuous
condition when we put a wedge under the toes of the hooves.
The corneous material under the sole can pile up for different reasons.
Lack of movement, injury, improper trim, and/or imbalance.
Unfortunately, the poor understanding and the lack of reference does
not allow most professionals to recognize the problem. Also, shod
hooves are so commonly deformed that their shape becomes ordinary.
Regarding the use of the hoof tester, let me quote Jaime Jackson, The
Natural Trim, page 197:
Some vets and farriers will deploy the notorious hoof tester, a
mechanical device that grips and squeezes the hoof to pinpoint
pain within the hoof capsule. This procedure is unnecessary and
could cause damage... beware!
Jaime goes on: “Let’s get these medieval torture devices banned,
Harmful, unnecessary, barbaric.”
About this same device, I recently had a talk with Stefano Parduzzi
MD, orthopedic surgeon in the hospital of Bozen in Italy. His words:
“The hoof and the whole equine foot is made of high density material. More the material is dense, the easier it is to transfer pressure.
Pain can be elicited from a distance. The diagnostic specificity is
necessarily poor.”
I feel the same way, I do not see a real utility in the use of the hoof
tester. The last time I had one in my hands was last summer in Sicily.
I was with my friend Valerio Contarini, a clever barefoot advocate
and a veterinary medical doctor. He put the tester in my hands, asking
for my opinion. I am sure he noticed my shyness. It is a fact that the
horse was clearly in pain, due to receiving heavy grains and poor
hygiene, and training done too early. He did not need diagnostic
tools, but a radical boarding change.
Another diagnostic procedure for Navicular Syndrome is the anesthesia of the digital palmar nerve. Why is it called digital and palmar?
Digital because the nerve is situated in the finger; palmar because the
“front” hoof corresponds to our hand. The palm is referred to our
hand, the palmar aspect belongs to our foot.
However, this procedure, anesthesia of the digital palmar nerve, is not
declared specific for the identification of the problem (specificity was
0% in Adams’, page 668)! In a research study that involved 164
horses, the same
result of eliciting
pain was obtained in
animals
whose
lameness could be
attributed to different reasons, such as:
fracture of the pedal
bone, trauma or
degeneration of the
joint between the
third and second Photo courtesy Paige Poss. At the radiophalanx, inflamma- graphic examination, it is possible to
tion of the surround- evaluate alterations, calcifications, and
ing tissues, osteoar- altered spatial relationships between
thritis, lameness, parts. Unfortunately, x-rays can only point
fracture of the pro- out degenerations already existing.
cesses, damages to
the cartilages, or various fractures. (The specificity of the technique
is equal to zero per cent! Adams’, page 668).
Different sites of inoculation of anesthetic have not shown any better
diagnostic value. And so on. The conclusion is that this procedure
cannot distinguish between “navicular pain, coffin joint pain, sole
pain or other causes of heel pain” (literal translation from Adams’).
Note that Adams’ Lameness in Horses is the text-book that educates
veterinarians and technicians around the world. This book is not partisan of the barefoot movement. Only a few pages are dedicated to
the bare hoof—a couple of pages over a total of 1,174!
At the radiographic examination, it is possible to evaluate alterations,
calcifications, and altered spatial relationships between parts.
Unfortunately, x-rays can only point out degenerations that already
exist.
In a study on 49 horses (Adams’, page 671), with only radiography
as a diagnostic tool, it would not have been possible to point out
severe pathological cases, since one cannot examine the soft tissues
that are “the first ones subject to the stress of an unfavorable mechanics and for a long time.” (Rooney, The Lame Horse).
Formerly, Dr. Rooney in his book The Lame Horse, published in
1974, identified the toe-first landing as the cause of the abnormal
stress, inflammation, and deterioration of the deep flexor tendon—
and the pain in the rear part of the foot. Later, inflammation and
degeneration spread to the structures, with which the tendon is in
touch or indirectly related.
Moreover and regarding the toe landing, we find the only data I think
really statistically significant that Adams’ quoted: that 99% (ninetynine percent!) of the horses to which navicular syndrome was attributed landed on their toes.
Dr. Rooney was able to reproduce in laboratory on the stump of
healthy horse legs the same injuries that he noticed in lame animals
that arrived in the laboratory, euthanized, together with a file quoting
diagnosis of syndrome. Fixing the cadaver hoof stumps on a machine
and making them impact with the toes, he could reproduce some of
the alterations in tendons and bones that can be observed in horses
that had the syndrome diagnosed.
thehorseshoof.com
page
37
Photo courtesy Franco Belmonte
Regarding that in Adams’, it is written that too thick frogs or too thick
soles can hide symptoms. I have observed that thick or healthy frogs
normally belong to feet that are not contracted, and thus difficult to
associate with pain in the rear part of the hoof—and subsequently, to
the syndrome. It is possible to say the same about thick and healthy
soles. We have to make a distinction between a real thick, healthy
sole and a sole covered by layers and layers of exfoliating, easily
crumbled or hard material (which is a consequence of a bad mechanics, restriction of movement, or abscence of ground contact).
D
r. Rooney in his book The Lame Horse, published in 1974, identified the toe-first landing
as the cause of the abnormal stress, inflammation, and deterioration of the deep flexor
tendon—and the pain in the rear part of the foot.
radiographic evidences have great hopes to get back to sport life...
(of course). More advanced cases are dealt “traditionally,” according to the standard of corrective farriery, and later we’ll see what
Ovnicek dictates, realizing de facto the possibility to use the animal
immediately, or in very short time. But no intervention is described
as decisive or lasting. On the contrary, if the “disease” is real and is
not a “syndrome” (perhaps due to a more simple frog infection, I
add), short periods of soundness and/or no medium and long term
check of the animals are reported.
Thanks to his work as a pathologist, Dr. Rooney observed:
• injuries of the flexor tendons and navicular bone;
• often injuries of the tendon and not the navicular,
• he was not able to damage a navicular bone before the tendon was
damaged first.
“That should have made them abandon all the reasons that didn’t
come out of a mechanical origin.”–Pete Ramey, Under the Horse,
Disc 4.
Other techniques can be used with better diagnostic power, such as:
scintigraphy, CT Scan or MRI. Especially the MRI, but the cost, the
transfer to a clinic (can be difficult to locate one with an MRI
machine), time of anesthesia, makes their use marginal.
What happens of those animals?
To be continued in Part 2, next issue...
For comments and additional information, I can be freely contacted
at email: [email protected]
www.bitlessandbarefoot-studio.org
“No diagnostic tool can improve the condition of the horse.”–
Jaime Jackson.
About the author: Franco Belmonte is a biologist who lives in
Italy. He created the Bitlessandbarefoot-studio Association, and
takes care of its website (www.bitlessandbarefoot-studio.org–an
educational site in both Italian and English). His barefoot horses
pull carriages and work in the fields. His work consists of practicing, teaching, and spreading the barefoot method and techniques.
He organizes seminars on barefoot and other topics, such as parasitology and systems of parasite control in horses.
Following techniques of “natural boarding,” these pathologies do
not arise or recede, making the diagnostic attempts, and the research
itself, useless. However, the diagnostic imaging can help to make a
forecast on the long-term performance we can expect from the
horse. But, careful, if the professional is not sensitive, you would be
urged to adopt measures that have little to do with healing, and
much more with the temporary stabilization.
Continuing on the tracks of the Adams’ … horses with slightest
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Barefoot!
Barefoot in the Czech Republic
by Václav Vydra
All photos courtesy Václav Vydra
Problems with Promoting the Use of Barefoot
Horses in Equestrian Sport in the Czech Republic
Background
I started my riding in
quite a common way,
in the English style,
renting horses in various riding clubs. I
was an enthusiastic
amateur, who was
able to stay on the
horse and return from
Václav Vydra, helping to lead the way for a ride still together
barefoot horses in the Czech Republic. with the mount. I preferred riding in the
countryside, alone with the horse and my dog. I kept avoiding the
riding school’s ring.
Putting a bridle’s bit into the horse’s mouth seemed, I admit,
strange to me, but nevertheless necessary because this is the way
it is always done. I kept making an effort, as best as the situation
and my skills allowed, to minimize disturbing the horse and pulling on the reins connected to the bit. This was, nevertheless, only
possible insofar as the horse was willing to respond. Once a conflict of interests arises, the rider mostly forgets what he is pulling
on. The fact that the horse has horseshoes on his feet or that the
hooves are trimmed was not what I would be programmed to perceive then, because if someone rides a horse, it is proper to get it
shod, as well. Everybody kept saying this.
Some fifteen years ago, I bought my first horse. Due to my total
ignorance and a blind trust in the farriers and vets, I bought,
despite being warned, a mare that had very steep front feet and
windpuffs in the rear. Her hooves were deformed and in a very bad
state, which I was not able to assess then. She was seven years old,
and I believed firmly that, with help from the experts, we were
going to cure it easily.
Nelly in one box on a bedding of sawdust, and during the day they
both were on a smaller separate pastures with some trees. After about
4 months, we noticed that Navarra’s right front hoof was extremely
steep—a club foot. I called a vet, he came and explained to me that I
had made her move too much and that I had to call a farrier who
should solve this problem. The farrier, in order to prevent further
wearing of the toe, nailed on a small moonsickle-shaped shoe. Due to
this, during the following approximately two months—until his next
visit—“Persian slippers” were created, and he said unambiguously:
“Get her shod.” Navarra was about 6 months old then.
Transition
This situation lasted about 4 years. The condition was not improving—on the contrary, it was getting worse and worse, and I asked the
vet to check it again. He made X-rays and found beginning arthroses
(at four and half years of age!!!). At that time, I read a book by
Hiltrud Strasser. This book impressed me a lot, and gave me insights
into things which I had not learned before. That was why I decided
to dramatically change the way I kept my horses. My first horse, the
mare Nelly, was already fully lame then, at the age of 13 (diagnosis:
serious arthroses, exostosis and bone chips; the recommendation was
to take off the shoes and turn her out on pastures for retirement!!!).
She was unrideable, and at that time, I already had my two geldings,
so that my herd had grown to four horses. I decided virtually overnight to deshoe all of them and keep them in a “holistic way.”
The horse keeping system which Dr. Strasser describes and teaches
was, at the time, in its infancy in the Czech Republic. There was only
one certified SHP—Mr. Stanislav Blecha. I looked him up, and later
organized the first Basic Seminar (for me and some acquaintances),
held by Mr. Patrick Spieleder. The whole concept made me enthusiastic and persuaded me that it was necessary to spread these
“unknown facts,” which were not known to most of the “horse people” or the general public. I started holding Basic Seminars with
The experts came and shod her. The mare was in conventional boarding: during the day, she was out on pasture together with the other
mares (the geldings were separated), and during the night, the horses
were in box stalls.
When we went on trail rides, this mare, despite her bad hooves and
bad conformation, moved—being shod—very nicely and actively.
The fact that Nelly stumbled from time to time and even fell down
frequently did not seem to be a health problem to me; I merely
thought that she was “clumsy.” After one year, I bred her. When I
bought her, she had not come into heat for over half a year—probably
due to the stress from the lifestyle she had before. After another year,
she foaled a beautiful filly which we named Navarra. I was extremely happy; she was with us during our trail rides, lived together with
Václav and his barefoot horses. While he faced some opposition when he began to ride without headgear, he encountered
even more when he began to ride without shoes!!
thehorseshoof.com
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39
G
enerally, I find riding a barefoot horse—with physiologically correctly-trimmed hooves,
and ideally with healthy hooves—to be much safer to ride, on any ground.
Patrick Spieleder for the public, and after some time, I met Dr.
Strasser, and we began working together.
After two years, we started the first two-year SHP certification course
with 6 participants, including myself. Two months ago, another
course year with 17 participants was completed, and a third course
with 7 participants is running right now. Currently there are in the
Czech Republic about 10 certified SHPs, which is still totally insufficient.
Well, let me now go back to the past. I rode Nelly and tried some
show jumping, and wanted to go on drag hunts with her as well. She
actually completed only two of them. Then her health troubles began
manifesting during the preparation for my rider’s license exam,
which I wished to pass with her and with my new horse called
Démon. During one of my preparation exercises, she fell down after
a landing and after that, even though she was trying her best for me,
the landings (despite her being shod) were so painful for her that she
would prefer to push through the obstacle and destroy it, rather than
jump and land on her sore legs.
Nelly was the horse I first started to ride using a halter, and soon
without any head gear, and she was the first horse with which I competed at show jumping with no tack on her head.
So I was all the more unhappy about her health condition. But I was
already determined by then to never put a bit into the mouth of any
of my horses. I even passed the basic rider’s licence exam with
Démon using just a rope halter. This was permitted for me, even
though the judges regarded me as an exotic animal. Nevertheless, I
had the impression that people find it formidable. By that time, I
found the bitted bridle to be an unpleasant, unphysiological thing
causing misery for the horse, but I did not wonder at all about what
horseshoes do.
This was the beginning of my short show jumping time with Démon.
Démon is a horse with very good potential; I bought him when he
was 7 years old and I was amazed by his sensitivity and ability to
perceive. Well—he did not want to jump.
Václav and his bridleless horse enjoying a After a show where
he stopped at the
wintery hunt ride through the snow.
fourth jump again, I
said, “Enough!”, became furious in a useful way, as they say, went
home and constructed the same field of obstacles back home,
equipped the obstacles with various things that usually spook horses,
and borrowed a pair of spurs from one man. I made a firm decision
to make it, to overcome these things that spooked him.
I rode into the show jumping field, and at the point I perceived that
Démon would like to stop, I used the spurs. He was not prepared for
this, and it turned out to be the right impulse for him to discover that
I had a means to disperse this hesitation that he was so fond of. We
completed the show jumping and since then, Démon started to jump,
and I have not used any spurs since. This was shortly before the transition to barefoot of my horses. And shortly before we went with
Gustav (my fourth horse) and Démon to our first great drag hunt to
Hexenhagen in Germany, and after that to a jumping training in
Sudermuehlen near Hamburg.
Resistance
Here is Václav jumping his barefoot, bridleless horses, both
with a saddle (left) and totally bareback (right).
page
He always wanted to stop in front of the obstacle and he had to
inspect it, especially when the ground was a bit slippery. I thought
it was due to his
feeling unsafe on
the smooth shoes,
and I started to
screw on caulks.
The
problem
became better, but
we still mostly did
not complete the
show jumping field
because an obstacle emerged that
Démon minded. I
did not know what
to do any more, so
that he would not
have to inspect
every obstacle, so
that he would trust
not only me, but
himself as well.
40
thehorseshoof.com
About half a year passed. I completed with Démon the first jumping field without any halter, and just after this, we went to a show
where we repeated this performance and completed a course with
no penalties—with no head gear. The judges took notice of this just
as I was about to jump the fourth obstacle, and rang the bell—they
eliminated me. Well, I completed the course, even though I was not
admitted to the final. I was so frustrated that I stopped appearing
at shows, and we did show jumping obstacles only on some performances with horses where we were invited (for the past three
years, a friend of mine holds an unofficial championship of the
After that, I started riding without a halter, just using a neck strap
made of a lead rope on all my horses—even at hunts or Hubertus
Hunt rides (race with lots of jumps, hurdles & water crossing), amidst
a lot of other horses. And in order for us to make even more progress,
I started to take a second horse as a hand horse. It still worked. And
now, if I am among riders who know me and who do not mind, I
often let the other horse move free and he behaves very “orderly,”
keeping close to me or to the horse I am riding, and respecting the
pack of hounds the same way as if I was sitting on his back. It is
interesting to see how horses enjoy following the hounds.
But I experienced
much worse responses
the moment I started
to advocate barefoot
trimming as a principle
that
should
improve the horse’s
whole health, together
with such living conditions which are
proper for this species.
Czech Republic in unbridled show jumping with about 8 participating riders and horses).
Initially, you can
experience a common
acceptance of the fact
that it is better for the
horse if it “can” be
barefoot, but... this is
followed by various
excuses.
Navarra, my foal with the deformed hooves, has never experienced a
bitted bridle, and I have to say that she behaves much more naturally
concerning her body posture. I have not seen her tossing her head as
a response to slowing her down, or expressing any emotion in such a
way. She always holds her head in a natural way, or would rather
lower her head.
But I would like to mention the responses which my appearances
with unbridled and unshod horses bring about. I find it interesting.
In the beginning, it was admiration and support. Then, opinions
emerged that this is dangerous and that I am setting a bad example
for children, who are going to try the same and may be injured. I was
even facing an accusation that I use cruel practices in leading a horse
by strangling him with the neck strap. Unfortunately, the reproaches
come even from the mouths of horsemen who I otherwise appreciate.
It even occurred—well, I do not know how much I was the cause—
that the National Federation passed a rule, according to which, horses
in shows must be bridled even before they leave the trailer, and all the
“permitted” bridlings are listed there. A halter is not listed among
them—not to mention riding with no halter. After the vehement complaints of a female rider, the bitless bridle was admitted, but a year
after that, its use was restricted to the minimum age of 18. Riders
under 18 are not allowed to use it for riding—for safety reasons.
This gives the impression that nobody wants to hear or think about
the fact that safety in handling horses does not lie in the tools, but in
the well-balanced mind of the horse, in it being calm (being happy
about its lifestyle), and in the mutual trust between horse and rider
and other human beings. I am perplexed by the fact that people
mostly do not have the ambition to prove to themselves that they can
achieve a mutual understanding with such a beautiful and openminded creature as the horse, and that they do not strive to experience
the feeling of riding a bareback horse, which is fully fascinating and
amazing.
I also hear opinions that bareback riding is said to be unhealthy for
the horse. The weight on its back is said to be a point pressure,
whereas a saddle would distribute it.
In my opinion, as long as the riding is comfortable for the rider, the
horse does not have any essential problem with it. And even if it does,
certainly it is a lesser problem than an ill-fitting saddle. A bareback
rider, of course, is not sitting in one static place, but will move to
some extent and “live” together with the horse. I completed two hunts
riding bareback last year, and must say that it was very interesting
and much more demanding for me than for the horse.
The most frequent
response is: “But I do
a sport with my
horse.” My answer is
“Me, too.” “But I ride
in endurance events.”
My answer is: “I ride
in hunts.” (Unfortunately, only few
people know what this
consists of, because
there are only about
20 Czech riders who
take part in hunts).
Václav hunting his barefoot horses, with- A further objection
would be something
out any head gear, only a neck strap.
like that the rider
would kill himself as well as his horse if he competed and the horse
is unshod. But I love myself and love my horses, and despite this, we
ride hunts, and still we are here. And, let me stress, we take part in
hunts on quite a difficult level. Not leisure hunts, like some easy trips.
To the contrary. Generally, I find riding a barefoot horse—with
physiologically correctly-trimmed hooves, and ideally with healthy
hooves (or at least with hooves which, correctly trimmed, make surefooted and pain-free movement in the countryside possible for the
horse, and whose hoof mechanism is working)—to be much safer to
ride, on any ground.
Morality
Another objection from the show jumping riders is that, with a barefoot horse, they can jump up to about 120 cm, not higher, because the
riders would not be able to make a turn with the horse, and they
would not be able to collect the horse after the jump in order to prevent him from slipping. I say to them—unfortunately, having only
experience with show jumping up to max. 110 cm—ride only on
competition places with a sandy ground. Because, if it really is not
possible, why would I force the horse to do it and have him shod
thehorseshoof.com
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41
time—before the age of two!—have never seen a farrier. And, it is
probable that most of them have not had the kinds of living conditions where their hooves would not need trimming.
This gives rise to another question: is it proper to expect of a young
horse—a foal—such demands as are constituted by a race? This
means both physical, as well as mental, demands. But who among the
horse owners would like to support a foal and invest in it for an additional two or three years, without even knowing whether his investment will be recovered?
During demonstrations, Václav jumps his bridleless horses
over a variety of challenging obstacles.
because of it? If we accept the idea and evidence of the fact that shoeing is harmful to the horse, I see no reason to jump high show jumps
on grass! And on a competition place equipped with sand, this objection disappears.
Concerning the endurance rides, here I regard shoeing as unspoken
doping.
If the horse is not really healthy, does not have healthy, well-kept
hooves, of course he has a problem covering 60, 80 or up to 120 km.
For he will soon perceive the problem, which is hidden in his hooves,
and then in the whole organism, and he will protect himself from
injuring himself and will try to save himself. That means, for example, he starts limping. At that moment, he is eliminated from the
competition, and the owner says that his horse is unable to go barefoot. But instead of curing the horse, giving it therapy and training,
the owner has the horse shod.
And—look! It works!! How did this miracle happen? Maybe the
piece of iron was brought directly from the holy place of Lourdes?
Of course, if a horse is shod, he does not feel the majority of the damage, and is able to exceed the limits of his physiological possibilities.
Concerning another riding branch, namely dressage: there is absolutely no reason to “justify” shoeing. If a horse is unable to move
barefoot on an optimal ground, such a horse should not be used for
sport, but instead should be healed.
Concerning horseracing, here the situation is very troublesome,
because almost in all of Europe, it is forbidden for barefoot horses to
race. Here it would be necessary to alter the racing rules. There is,
nevertheless, one sure thing: if bare feet are accepted, it would be
necessary to come to a consensus on how healthy hooves look, how
they work, and even what healthy hooves actually are. And what
extent of deviation or deformation is acceptable, to allow a horse
admittance to a race, for the safety of the horse, as well as of the rider.
And who is going to evaluate this??? Because, for example, a flatsoled hoof without concavity really creates a traction problem for the
horse. And I would bet that most of the foals that are prepared for
their first races have not experienced regular hoofcare until then. I
would even state that many of them, until they are shod for the first
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42
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That is why I wanted to mention the fact that it is not fair—when it
comes to a living creature such as the horse, which no longer helps
us make our living and, in most cases, is not a working animal anymore, but rather serves us for our enjoyment, leisure, entertainment,
and for making our soul and body healthy, helping us to find a closer
relationship with nature, and to understand our own existence on this
Earth—that it is not proper to measure these values only by money.
The relationship part should be placed at least on the same level—if
not higher—on our scale of values.
Changing Perceptions
To keep it straight and simple, my experiences, especially those from
the hunts, speak unambiguously in favor of barefoot horses, on any
ground, with the possible exception of rocky trails. But on such
ground, I rode only one hunt in my life—it is very atypical and certainly it is not good—and I hope this was the last one on such terrain.
I have experienced beautiful hunts, even on snow. And it could
always be seen that a barefoot horse is much more secure and confident on such ground. I always remember the many-centimeter-high
balls of snow under the hooves of shod horses, who were literally
wobbling on such balls.
What I regard as a serious problem is taking the limping as a measure
of the horse’s health. People are ready to do anything to achieve a
condition in which their horse is not limping. And they cause much
greater damage to the horse this way, which is the price for their not
limping. That means if I apply any desensitizing means and get rid of
the horse’s limping, I believe that I am doing good and that the horse
is cured...
If, after some time, the horse starts limping again, the “procedure” is
repeated and usually the intensity of—I do not want to say treatment—the pain killers is increased or even involves desensitizing of
the part of the horse’s limb where the source of the pain is. This
includes both chemical means and mechanical ones. Unfortunately,
some barefoot trimming methods look for ways to trim the hoof so
that the horse does not perceive any discomfort on challenging
ground—so that it is not so sensitive, and can be used even with
pathologically distorted hooves, the same way as a shod horse.
For several years, we have been trying to bring the profession of
Equine Hoofcare Practitioner into the “National System of
Qualifications,” so that this could be taught and presented to the
people interested as an achievable and affordable alternative to the
Farriery, which is still the only recognized profession in this field.
Unfortunately, this aroused a huge wave of resistance, not only from
such directions where it could be expected (i.e., from the side of some
farriers), but also some veterinarians joined and—which unpleasantly
surprised me the most—from the side of some barefoot fans.
W
hat I regard as a serious problem is taking the limping as a measure of the horse’s
health. People are ready to do anything to achieve a condition in which their horse is
not limping. And they cause much greater damage to the horse this way...
Last year, I went on a
trail with my still not
completely healthy
mares (it was about
120 km in 5 days—
the mares went in free,
with no burden, which
I consider good, proper
rehabilitation).
During this time, one
Václav in a mounted archery demonstra- of my adversaries
made a video of my
tion, bareback and bridleless!
mares, which were
moving badly (due to the fact that they had made quite a long distance on not comfortable ground, and most probably their hooves
widened partially, which was accompanied by an inflammation
which was gone in about two weeks), and he put it up on public
websites. A web magazine utilized this and its journalists, despite
their proclamations that they were supporters of barefoot horses (but
not of the way of trimming I plead for, i.e. the so-called Strasser trim),
rose against me and against the whole team of people who apply and
strive to assert the physiological trim as Dr. Strasser teaches it, in a
media campaign of such extent, that it spread beyond the limits of an
expert discussion and good manners (I can only appreciate the attitude of a vet who was involved and then expressed his distance from
it, even though unfortunately not publicly).
allowed to stop, I feel really like Alice in Wonderland.
The fact that some farriers spread rumors that I brought my horses to
a clinic in Germany, and that they have been shod there, is something
I am not going to comment on.
Many people, without ever having seen my horses, would believe
various rumors because, of course, it is easier to maintain old habits
than to take a path that requires a thorough understanding of the topic
and, in the contemporary situation of the health of horses and their
living conditions, to cure and rehabilitate the horses first and then,
maybe after many month or even years, be able to fully enjoy the
advantages of a barefoot horse.
Moreover, if a horse is working—“not limping”—many people do
not see at all the necessity to change anything. For them, it is easier
to write their horse off after some 5, 10, or 20 years, as incurably ill
or old, and put it down or “let it finish its life somewhere on a pasture.” And because the horse is a very resistant creature and can
compensate a lot and stay “usable” in an “emergency mode,” which
starts the moment any creature finds itself in unnatural conditions,
people can use these horses for many years without feeling the necessity for change. Also, they can read descriptions of examples and
instructions that are based on centuries of experiences with horses in
such emergency mode. That is why many conformation defects or
mental troubles are believed to be genetic effects and not caused by
the many generations of bad living conditions.
In that year, I was facing accusations of cruelty to the horses, a
criminal report to the police, and those people even achieved TV
coverage, which, sadly, the Czech Television was ready to make, during which all of our “well known” enemies among the vets and farriers found the time to speak against us. Only the journalists of the
tabloid who initiated this rested in the shadow.
In this report, the video that had been made three quarters of a year
before was very purposely used, and in a very simplistic way, set in a
relation to financial support, which was promised to our Institute of
Holistic Care, with a notice that government money is wasted on obvious cruelty to horses. Of course, any ambitious journalist would use it.
This is very bad for the whole movement in favor of horses. I say
deliberately horses—not barefoot horses—because in principle, the
goal is the favor of all horses.
I do not know what example could be more obvious than the fact
that I compete in sports with barefoot horses. Doing it, I am delivering the evidence that it is possible. But the fact that many people
would tell horrible lies in order not to have to admit that horseshoes are really harmful and that it is necessary to consider changes in the way horses are kept and raised, and to educate people
about functioning, anatomy and physiology of hooves and their
maintenance and healing so that they can work barefoot, is frustrating. When I have to hear a “prestigious” veterinarian saying
that I am able to ride my horses with no headgear only due to the
fact that they are so overtrimmed that they are happy enough to be
Václav in a sword demonstration with his horses.
And, because people who try to break through these traditions are
still not many, it is easier to call them abnormal—perhaps cruel persons and villains, or supporters of a “religious sect”—than to have a
fair and enriching discussion with them and give them space to
express the evidence of their truths and points of view, because there
is no instant remedy for the problems and deformations which grew
for many years. It takes time, and people are not patient enough,
especially if they have to leave the mainstream and are, in their attitudes, affected by their surroundings.
thehorseshoof.com
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43
The hoofcare profession
There are still very few hoofcare practitioners (and this is what inhibits the spreading of barefoot horses); they are divided in their opinions
on what, how, how frequently to trim the hooves and what to require
and what to expect from the hoofcare. There are several groups with
different priorities.
Václav finds the barefoot topic more polarizing and taboo than
the bridleless/bitless topic.
At the beginning, some 12 years ago, when I started riding with a
halter, ideas of horsemanship trickled through the “world of horse
people” (Roberts, Parelli, Brannaman and others)—the situation was
similar. Nowadays, many people go in this direction and strive for
an understanding, leaving the means of forcing, breaking and drills.
Maybe a time will come when it will not be accepted by society to
put a piece of iron into the horse’s mouth. And maybe we will experience that it will be publicly (even from the viewpoint of veterinarians) said that a piece of iron in the mouth of the horse is an unphysiological, unhealthy object that causes not only physical but also
mental problems for the horse. And the way of education of riding
and sport will be set differently.
The same, I think, will occur after some time with horseshoes. But
this topic appears currently much more complicated, and the parties
of both laymen and “experts” much more polarized. Whereas by
riding without headgear, I can notice some admiration or respect
from some riders, especially those from abroad, the question of “to
shoe –or not to shoe?” still creates a sort of taboo, which people
avoid mentioning in order to avoid a quarrel.
Many people try to ride without a bit, but if they do not have a
really sensitive and open-minded horse, or if they do not do it thoroughly and do not see one of the goals of mutual cooperation in it,
they would find it problematic one day and leave it, saying, that it is
not possible with their horse...
But many riders continue doing it because “their horse” responds
better and is easier to “pull up.” And, thanks to this, many people
discover that the purpose is not only to the right, to the left, and stop,
but that the purpose is to achieve a mutual understanding without
applying any means of force. And this is good.
With the problem whether to shoe or not to shoe, it is much more complicated, because hardly any horse is able to make its transition to
barefoot without troubles. And, of course, to stay without troubles.
Here, it already depends on many factors, the first being the owner: his
or her empathy, aptitude, options, and will to learn and study, as well
as use it in daily life (creating a proper environment and living conditions, acquiring knowledge and skills in hoofcare), finding a support in
one’s surroundings, as well as finding a really good hoofcare practitioner in the case of not being able to learn the hoofcare him or herself.
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44
thehorseshoof.com
The Farriers: Their job was, and mostly will probably be, to put the
horse into service. That is why they usually choose the path of least
resistance. If the horse moves and is used for leisure riding, they let
him be barefoot. Until the horse gets problems (due to bad conditions
or an improper trim); then, shoeing follows. If it is a horse with which
the owner wants to “do sport,” it will be shod. And, depending on the
skills and knowledge of the farrier, such a horse will “go” without
limping for 5, 10, or 20 years. The hooves will deform, will be desensitized until their deformation reaches such an extent that the horse
gets problems, despite the desensitizing. Then an “orthopedic”—i.e.
even more desensitizing—shoe is applied.
The Veterinarians: Hardly any of them deal with the improvement of
the hoof condition. They mostly treat an acute problem by the means
of medication or operation, and leave the hoofcare to farriers. I personally do not know a vet in Czech that would practice hoofcare. The
usual vet’s goal, concerning the hooves, is to eliminate acute symptoms and leave the hoofcare to the farrier (or a hoofcare practitioner).
The Hoofcare Practitioners: Nowadays, owners may recruit from
among the farriers who, for whatever reason, do not want to shoe; or
from among self-learners who comprehend the harmful effects of
shoeing, and are looking for their own way by advice, courses or the
internet; or from among people who decide to solve the problem in a
systemic way—such people find a method which they feel is (according to their current knowledge and experiences) for the best. And,
there are, as far as I know, actually 6 such methods here in Czech.
One of these belongs to Dr. Hiltrud Strasser (a German veterinarian): her approach is based on the anatomy and physiology of the
hoof, as well as the laws of physics which function in the hoof. The
accessibility of education is good; in the Czech Republic, there
have been SHP–certification courses for several years. The courses
take 2 years. There are 30 graduates and students by now; 8 of
them are certified. This is the most complex and (by now) most
expensive education in the branch.
Originally published in November 2012 in the 5th World Conference
for Natural Hoofcare and Holistic Horse Treatment Proceedings.
Barefoot News
Victory for Luca Moneta, a Natural Horseman!
Photo via Facebook
Luca Maria Moneta of Italy and his mare Quova de Vains won the
Alltech Christmas Puissance at Olympia, The London International Horse
Show, on December 19,
2013. We originally reported that the mare was
barefoot; instead, she is
shod in front, barefoot
behind. Luca is known
for keeping his horses
mostly barefoot, and in
natural living conditions.
Luca had never even
won a Puissance class
before, and planned to
leave after the first round.
A Puissance class is the
high-jump competition, and involves a maximum of five rounds—every
round, the fence (usually a solid block wall) is raised even higher! Their
last fence topped out at 7ft 2in! Here is a video of their ride: http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=BtwHa67KEc8
RIP to DJB Brave Heart
Sadly and unexpectedly, the endurance pony DJB Brave Heart passed
away on December 13, 2013. Our
condolences to owner Darolyn Butler,
rider Devan Horn, and all the people
whose lives were touched by him.
DJB Brave Heart was featured in The
Horse’s Hoof Issue #52 (last issue) in
two stories, after this barefoot endurance superstar pony won the Horse Power Award at the Annual North
American Young Riders Championship 2013.
I can’t think of a more fitting tribute than what his rider Devan Horn
wrote about him just weeks before he died, and right after they won
The Armadillo 100 in what Devan described as, “The Perfect Ride”:
http://www.horsejunkiesunited.com/?p=72095
THH Italian Translation Free for Subscribers!
Luca is also well-known for his involvement with Parelli Natural Horsemanship. Here is a You Tube video of a demo where he rides and jumps
in a halter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaWm4Tb0J-w#t=10
That’s right, with the cooperation of a wonderful group in Italy, we
offer FREE Italian translations of select articles! For every new issue
of THH, select articles are translated into Italian and text emailed to all
subscribers in Italy. There is a couple week delay for the translation,
with estimate by mid-January for THH Winter 53. The translation is
done by a dedicated volunteer group of Italian subscribers, and is free
of charge! Italians, all you need to do is subscribe to The Horse’s Hoof
Magazine! If you do not live in Italy, and you are a subscriber who
would like to receive the Italian translations, please contact Franco
Belmonte at email: [email protected]
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In an interview with Horse & Country TV, Luca said: “I made a deal with
my mare, I said, listen, I ask you one last time to make an effort, but I
promise you I will not force you, but if you hesitate at all, I will stop and
give you a carrot,” said the Italian rider, who rewarded his mare with a
piece of carrot after every clear round. “But she did it, so thank you!” and:
“Tonight she was jumping not just with her body, but with her heart.”
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Ambrit Software Barefoot Manager.........................................page 47
Anne Rothfuss Animal Portrait.................................................page 46
Boggs Tool/Rasp Sharpen...........................................................page 8
Cavallo Horse & Rider..............................................................page 17
Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle.............................................................page 29
Dynamite Specialty Products....................................................page 47
Earth Song Ranch.....................................................................page 47
EasyCare Inc...............................................................................page 2
Equiwinner/Signal-Health...........................................................page 8
For Love of the Horse...............................................................page 46
Freedom Feeder/Horses of Course............................................page 27
Happy Horseback Saddles........................................................page 27
Hoofjack........................................................................ page 23 and 47
Hoof Help Online......................................................................page 33
Horsemanship Magazine...........................................................page 29
Joe Camp/ Born Wild book.......................................................page 50
Keystone Hoof Bridge................................................................page 8
Know Hoof Know Horse Trimmer’s Tool Box........................page 46
N.A.G. Bags Slow Feeder Hay Nets.........................................page 29
Natural Horse Magazine...........................................................page 29
The Nibble Net..........................................................................page 23
Penzance Health & Wellness Online Clinic..............................page 25
Precision Pick............................................................................page 25
Riva’s Remedies........................................................................page 23
Stance Equine/CoolStance........................................................page 21
Texas Haynet.............................................................................page 13
Trimmed and Proper, Mobile Hoof Trim Spa...........................page 46
Vettec Hoof Care.......................................................................page 13
thehorseshoof.com
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45
Marketplace
Trimmer’s Tool Box
A Durable and Attractive
Wooden Box to Protect Your Tools.
Available at www.KnowHoofKnowHorse.biz
Animal Portrait
by
Anne Rothfuss
oil pastel, pastel & graphite
www.annerothfuss.com
[email protected]
Trimmed and Proper, Mobile Hoof Trim Spa
San Diego, California
Hooves big and small, I trim them all!
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Serving San Diego, CA and surrounding areas
My name is Ilona Chodnicka and I’m a software engineer. Senior.
No, really. I’ve written modem software for CDMA mobile phones
at Qualcomm Inc for 12 years. Then I had me my midlife crisis,
ditched my software engineering career and decided to be a horseshoer. I even went to a farrier school to learn how to do it. Instead,
I have learnt very quickly that I could not even shape a keg shoe if my life depended on it, so much for horseshoeing... But I could
trim feet! And people complimented me on it! So here I am, proud owner of brand new small business at the ripe age of, ahem, yeah.
And I am serious about it. I am currently enrolled in Equine Sciences Academy, pursuing Associate Degree in Equine Science + Hoof
Care Certification (http://www.equinesciencesacademy.com/esa_00006b.htm)
My background is working with rescue horses and all sorts of backyard critters. I’ve handled so far anything from a dwarf mini, BLM
burros & mustangs (gentled, but “not quite there” yet), mules, unruly “children” that tried very hard but had oh, about 20 sec. attention span, old farts with arthritis so bad that they could barely lift their legs and spirited “overachievers” that volunteered the wrong
foot once they had it explained—with a cookie—what it is that I want to do with their leg and that hoof cradle... I’ll take all the time
needed as long as the horse and the owner both work with me.
page
46
thehorseshoof.com
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ALL-IN-ONE record keeping software featuring
clients, horses, electronic charts, scheduling,
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AppleMac requires BootCamp or similar emulation software
More equine software available at www.ambritsoftware.com
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For more information or to place an order contact
your Dynamite® distributor today
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www.dynamitespecialty.com/
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Hoof care and Horse Care Books
“A Lifetime of Soundness” by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser.....................39.50
“Shoeing: A Necessary Evil?” by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser...............39.50
Strasser Book Combo-2 books directly above............SALE! 75.95
"Navicular No More" by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser............................. 39.50
Strasser Navicular Book Combos:
Navicular No More and A Lifetime of Soundness...........SALE! 75.95
Navicular No More and Shoeing A Necessary Evil.........SALE! 75.95
Navicular No More and Who’s Afraid of Founder..........SALE! 75.95
“Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You” by Pete Ramey............26.95
“Horse Owner's Guide to Natural Hoof Care” by Jaime Jackson......29.95
Wild Horse Trim Book Combo,
Both books above by Ramey & Jackson.........................SALE! 49.95
“The Natural Horse” by Jaime Jackson........................................24.95
“Founder: Prevention & Cure” by Jaime Jackson........................19.95
“Who’s Afraid of Founder?” by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser...................39.50
“Healing Horses: Their Way!” by Marijke van de Water...................39.95
“Holistic Horsekeeping” by Dr. Madalyn Ward...........................19.95
“The Centaur Reborn” by P. Speckmaier and S. Kells ...............30.50
“Secret of Happy Horses” by Sabine Kells..................................15.95
“Metal in the Mouth” by Dr. Cook & Dr. Strasser.......................39.50
Magazine Subscription Items
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Nutrition products
We offer the full line of Equine Challenge™ Supplements for Horses on
our website. We are also dealers for Dynamite Specialty Products, which
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hoof Boots
Easyboot Glove Back Country, sizes 00-4 ...........................75.00 each
Easyboot Glove Back Country WIDE, sizes 0-3 ................75.00 each
Easyboot Trail.................... Sizes: 1-6....53.00 each; 7-10...66.00 each
Easyboot Glove.......sizes 00-4....62.00 each; size 4.5 or 5...70.00 each
Easyboot Glove WIDE, sizes 0-3 with 1/2 sizes.......................62.00 each
Easyboot Glue-On, sizes 00-4 (WIDE 0-3) ....................... 87.00 pack of 4
Easyboot.........................Sizes: Pony-2....50.00 each; 3-7...62.00 each
Easyboot Epic................Sizes: Pony-2....74.00 each; 3-7...87.00 each
Old Mac’s G2................... Sizes: 0-6....150.00 pair; 7-10...172.00 pair
Easyboot Rx...........................Sizes: 00-3....62.00 each; 4-7...70.00 each
EasySoaker Sizes: S,M,L...29.00 each; XL,XXL,XXXL...32.00 each
Boots being discontinued by EasyCare (only while supplies last):
Easyboot Edge, sizes 3 only.......................................................153.00 pair
Easyboot Bare..............Sizes: Pony-2....68.00 each; 3-7...81.00 each
Easyboot Grip, Sizes: 0,1,2,3............................................ 75.00 each
Boa Boots, Sizes: 00,0,1,2 only....................................... 145.00 pair
Trimming Supplies
Hoofjack™ Standard Model................................. 175.00 + 20.00 ship
Hoofjack™ MEDIUM Model.............................. 175.00 + 20.00 ship
Hoofjack™ Mini Model....................................... 147.00 + 15.00 ship
Hoofjack™ Draft Model....................................... 195.00 + 20.00 ship
Tooljack™Farriers Cart, 3-Shelf Heavy Duty...... 238.00 + 20.00 ship
Tooljack™Farriers Cart, 2-Shelf Heavy Duty...... 215.00 + 15.00 ship
Atlas Nitrile Tough Gloves, S,M,L,XL..........................................7.95
F Dick Knife Ascot, Left or Right................................................29.95
Bellota 14" Top Sharp Rasp.........................................................26.95
Wooden Rasp Handle 4".................................................................4.95
All-Purpose Diamond Knife Sharpener ......................................13.95
EasyCare Magnetic Hoof Pick.......................................................7.95
Get Started Trimming Package (Save!)......................................115.00
(F Dick Ascot Knife Left & Right, Diamond Knife Sharpener Lg, Bellota 14" Top
Sharp Rasp, Wooden Rasp Handle 4", Atlas Nitrile Tough Gloves (choose size
S,M,L,XL), EasyCare Magnetic Hoof Pick)
Hoof Care Products
No Thrush Dry Thrush Treatment 2.5 oz bottle.........................$15.99
Like Butter Pre-Trim Hoof Softener Concentrate 16 oz.................. 15.95
Hoof-Alive Natural Dressing 16 oz..............................................33.95
Thrush Crush Bee Propolis Extract, 2 fl. oz.................................18.00
Coming Soon! The LG-Zaum Bitless Bridle
From Germany-The LG bitless bridle is an excellent alternative to a
bit. Its encourages the horse to round up without mouth discomfort.
*All prices subject to change without notice.
es
• Founder Paradigm Shift by
Ute Philippi
rH
v
a p p y H oo
• Nilla, a Story of Love and
Hope by Susanella Noble
• A Tribute to Spirit by Barb Fenwick
• Surviving a Coffin Bone Rotation…at 28!
• Help at a Glance for IR/Cushing’s Horses
• Smoke: From the Farrier’s Perspective...
• Navicular Syndrome Notes, Part 1 by Franco Belmonte
• Barefoot in the Czech Republic by Václav Vydra
• Barefoot News, Ad Directory, & Marketplace Ads
fo
• My Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+/ (Owner
Karen Chaton shares her story)
• Saving the Foundered Prince (A pony named Prince
Willy and a New York professional trimmer)
• Two Gaited Horses (and a Morgan) Go Barefoot
• Barefoot Police Mules in Houston
• Are We Killing our Horses with Kindness? by Dr. Tim
Kempton
• Feeding the Equine Hooves … Naturally! by Gwenyth
Browning Jones Santagate
• Feeding Horses Fats & Oils, A Healthy Practice?
™ by Marijke van de Water
Go Te
What’s in this issue of The Horse’s Hoof? Winter 2014-Issue 53:
Bar
e
am
ot!
fo
Leading the Barefoot Way!
Subscribe to The Horse’s Hoof
T
he Horse’s Hoof Magazine is a 40-50 page+ FULL COLOR
quarterly online magazine that focuses exclusively on the barefoot horse. Each issue will be filled with a wide variety of
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modern barefoot horse care. We will seek unity and common ground
among all the different methods and styles. Regular features include:
• Barefoot performance horses making today’s headlines.
• Barefoot stories and case studies showing dramatic results.
• Detailed trimming articles for both professionals and horseowners.
• Exploring more natural horse care recommendations for the “real
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The Horse’s Hoof 50th Issue Celebration CD (1-50).........49.95
Navicular No More by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser...........................39.50
Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You by Pete Ramey..........26.95
Horse Owner’s Guide to Natural Hoof Care by Jackson........... 29.95
A Lifetime of Soundness by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser.................. 39.50
Shoeing, A Necessary Evil? by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser............. 39.50
Who’s Afraid of Founder by Dr. Hiltrud Strasser................. 39.50
Founder: Prevention & Cure the Natural Way by Jackson.......... 19.95
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Born Wild–The Soul of a Horse
The Anxiously Anticipated Sequel to the National Best Seller
The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Wild
#1 Amazon Best Seller
#1 Amazon “Hot New Releases”
“Joe Camp is a master storyteller.”—The New York Times
Born Wild is a study in trust. A story about molding
your life to ask what’s in it for the other person, the dog,
the cat, or in this case, the horse... instead of asking
what’s in it for yourself. It’s a story about how the soul
prospers from sharing, caring, relating, and fulfilling...
because nothing can make you feel better than doing
something good for another being. And it’s about the fact
that there is nothing more important in life than love. This
is the synthesis of this book and why it came into being.
“In Born Wild, Joe Camp continues to demonstrate, in simple, unpretentious eloquence, how much we two-legged
creatures can learn from horses. One of the rewards for reading the book is that it can be taken literally as the tale of a
newborn horse fancier learning his craft, or as the road map
for humanity on how to develop leadership in any herd.
With humor, affection and discernment, Camp repeatedly
underscores that true relationships are built on trust with
any creatures.”—Jack L. Kennedy, The Joplin Independent
“Joe Camp’s new book “Born Wild” is making me late everywhere... I can’t put it down... Kudos Joe!”—Cate
Crismani, Editor—True Cowboy
Born Wild–The Soul of a Horse is another voyage into uncharted territory from the couple who had no
horses and no clue just a few short years ago. A journey of discovery with wild horses going domestic
and domestic horses going wild. And a federal agency going mad. Told as only Joe Camp can tell it.
For everyone who has ever loved a horse or loved the idea of loving a horse. The author of the highly
acclaimed National Best Seller The Soul of a Horse–Life Lessons from the Herd strikes again with an
uplifting, inspirational love story of trust, tears and joy that will once again be changing lives for the better all across the planet.
“I couldn’t imagine how Joe Camp would top The Soul of a Horse, but he did! I just finished Born Wild. I could not
put it down! I haven’t been able to get the book off my mind! Camp has such a way of grabbing the reader and
not letting go!!!—Yvonne Rawleigh
For More Information:
thesoulofahorse.com
Order now: Amazon & Kindle • B&N and Nook • Apple iBooks • Google play • Personally Inscribed Copies
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Once-in-a-Lifetime Horse: Granite Chief+

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