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ROCKY born 1989 Rocky is a Shetland pony who had a terrible case of laminitis (i.e., separation of the hoof wall from the sole), when we first bought him. He had foundered under the care of his original owner, and his hooves had never been the same since. He was very sensitive on even the smallest rocks and was virtually unrideable, except in a sandy arena. Our farrier at the time trimmed him very aggressively and put shoes on his front feet. This helped a little, but it was really just a band-aid for his condition, which didn't get worse, but it also never got better. This is when I decided to seriously pursue trimming him myself, so that I could monitor him proactively and not be dependent upon a farrier for his care. With my trimming and maintenance, his hooves started to return to their natural state, and his white line returned to where it should be. No longer was he lame for days after an aggressive trimming, and he developed a thick sole, whereby he could walk on rocks without pain. |
Natural Hoof Care by Todd Abraham |
Rocky has an easy life as a Cloverbud pony. |
About Me |
A common misconception is that a horse supports itself entirely on the hoof wall, but in reality, it supports itself primarily on the sole, and that is why many horses are so sore after a normal "pasture" trim, where the sole is completely carved out. Have you ever ripped a callous off of your hand? It's painful to use your hand after doing so, and it's the same way for a horse after having its sole's callous cut off. |
When I first became a horse owner, I cared for my horses' hooves as those around me did, without really giving it much thought, and from what I've observed over the years, that's what most horse people do. The common mentality is that horses must have shoes, and if not on all four feet, at least on the front two. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a thinker, and this whole horseshoe thing never quite sat right with me. On my own, I began to investigate and study all of the information that I could find regarding hoof trimming, shoeing, and horse anatomy. The information that I found out was oftentimes startling, but yet it held true with common sense. Based upon my findings, along with my own personal experience, I decided to keep my horses barefoot. I also studied different methods of natural hoof care, and subsequently, I've been trimming my own horses' hooves ever since. It's made a world of difference. Talk is cheap, so I'll provide some case examples below, concerning my ten current horses and my experiences with them. |
NIKKI born 1999 Nikki is a Paint/Shetland pony cross. We bought her at the same time as Rocky, when she was about 3 years old, and she had no hoof-related problems. She's been fortunate that she was born with naturally sound hooves, and all that she requires is timely maintenance to keep them that way. I keep her well-trimmed, and she can go over anything without skipping a beat. |
DIAMOND Registered as "QP's Montego Miss" born 3/21/90 Diamond is an Appaloosa, and she, too, was blessed with naturally sound hooves. In fact, she is so active, that she nearly keeps them trimmed herself. She requires just minimal maintenance from me, but I do monitor her for chips and cracks, so that I can keep these from becoming serious problems. She, too, can go over virtually any terrain without any problems, and she doesn't require steel shoes to do so. |
SOONER born 1978 Sooner is an Appaloosa, and he is the picture of health; although he went totally blind about five years ago. Despite his stunning appearance, he was not blessed with rock-hard hooves. When we bought him at the age of 24, he had high heels, long toes, and a very severe crack. He had come from northern Minnesota, where he was exposed to mostly sandy soils, but when he came to us in southern Minnesota, and he stepped on rocks, he would nearly go down in pain. It was very difficult taking him on trail rides, because he was so uncomfortable going over any rocky terrain. Once I started applying my natural hoof trim to his feet, he started to improve, and within a few months, he was a completely different horse. Now, when we ride him, it's almost hard to remember how things used to be. One thing that people need to realize, however, is that it's not an overnight change; it does take time. How long it takes, depends on the horse, the environment, and the horse's level of activity. |
over very difficult ground, and he always does very well for her. When she gets back home, I take a look at his feet, and I'm always amazed how the natural hoof wears in its natural environment. Another argument for intelligent design! |
February 2004 Sooner went blind the following year. |
March 2005 Sooner is blind in both eyes from cataracts. I am riding him bareback with just a halter. |
I keep an eye on her hooves and trim them accordingly. All horses' hooves grow and wear at different rates, so there isn't necessarily a set schedule for trimming. Some people get a haircut every two weeks, whereas some people get a haircut every few months--everybody is different, and so it is with horses' hooves. When a person is dependent upon a farrier, they are not just dependent upon that person, but they are also dependent upon that person's schedule, and when that person has an opening, all of the horses get trimmed and/or shoed at the same time, oftentimes whether they need it or not. |
Memorial Day Parade 2006 Grandpa Mert rides Sooner every year as the Lone Mounted Soldier. |
DAKOTA Registered as "Mr. Paris Gold Bar" born 3/22/84, died 6/25/09 Click here for a tribute to Dakota. Dakota is a Foundation Quarter Horse. When we bought him, he had shoes on all four feet, and his hooves were a mess. His toes were way too long, his heels were way too high, and his frogs were just about rotted off, due to thrush. As soon as I got him home, I pulled his shoes, applied my trim, and administered some medication for his thrush. He had been shod for nearly his entire life, so this was an entirely new experience for him. When he would paw the ground, he would slightly miss, because no shoe was there. I worked with him every day, by walking him over gravel and up and down the driveway, so that he could begin to grow out his hooves in the correct way and also to acquire the proper sense of feel and tactile response that he had never experienced before. I closely monitored him, and he progressed very well. Within a few months, he had built up his sole callous to the point where he could walk over rocky terrain with no problems. My wife has taken him on many trail rides |
Waseca County Fair 2007 My 14-year old son is riding Sooner. Sooner completed a flawless Trail Class using voice commands and body cues. |
Zumbro Bottoms My wife, Angela - on the right riding Dakota. Her sister is riding "A Winning Sunny" - retired National Quarter Horse Congess Champion. Dakota is barefoot, Sunny is shod on all four hooves. |
MELODY Registered AHA as "Chopin's Melody" born 4/5/84 Melody is a Polish Arabian, with hooves of steel. When we bought her, she had great feet, and she still has great feet. My oldest daughter has used her for parades, dressage, English, Western, and trail riding. I have used her for Posse work, and my wife has taken her on trails that are not for the faint of heart. |
Knowledge Empowers |
APOLLO born 1999 Apollo is a Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred. He's a big boy, and he has big feet that support a lot of weight. His frogs are very wide and are different from all of my other horses' frogs, as is the relative shape of his hooves. His feet are sound, and don't require any special attention, besides consistent maintenance. He is my Posse horse, and he can be trusted to go over and through nearly anything with no problems. I often ride him bareback with only a halter as he is very responsive to body cues. He willingly leaves the ranch for solo trail rides. Every horse is different. Just as they each require a different approach and response in training, so it is with their hoof maintenance. A horse can not be put into a box. They all require a thoughtful mind and slightly different trimming styles, due to their hoof size, shape, and the size/weight of the horse. |
My primary purpose for sharing my knowledge and experience with you is because I want to empower horse owners to be able to provide their horses with the best hoof care possible, whether it is by a professional or by themselves. My vision is to host clinics that provide an opportunity for people to not only gather knowledge and new skills, but to also have the opportunity for hands-on practice. If you are interested, please contact me at the ranch. |
Sheriff's Posse Wagon Train I am riding Apollo and my daughter, Sarah, is riding Nikki. This ride was a 20 mile loop on mostly gravel roads. The hooves on both horses showed very little wear. |
Seymore Registered ApHC as "You Can Seymore" born 4/25/02 Seymore is a Foundation Appaloosa. He came to us with excellent hooves, and all I've had to do is maintain them. They are some of the hardest hooves that I've ever encountered, and they take some physical strength to trim. He, too, is a very big boy with equally big feet. I've had to teach him some ground manners to stand quietly for me, while I trim him, but that is the case for any horse. I will eventually start working with Seymore as my backup Posse horse. |
Zumbro Bottoms No shoes - healthy hooves |
Resources |
SKY Double Registered AQHA & Palomino as "Amarillo Sun" born April 4, 2001 in Powell Butte, OR Sky is my wife's new horse as of 8/11/09. He's a really nice-looking cow-bred gelding, but he definitely needed a trim. The good thing is that he was already barefoot, but he wasn't too excited about me messing with his feet for an extended period of time. We worked through that, and I gave him his first trim. I was somewhat surprised by how soft his hooves were, especially since it was August, and my other horses' hooves are hard as rock this time of year, but he had been on pasture where he was living, and there may have been more rain there than at our place. So, I'll be keeping an eye on him to see how he does. |
Lexie working on desensitization. |
GINGER born 1987 (estimate) Ginger is a Quarter Pony, who we obtained from a relative who wanted to get her out of a less-than-ideal boarding situation. I had been told that she had experienced frequent abscesses, under the care of a previous farrier, which obviously made her unrideable for long periods of time. In addition, upon my first inspection of her hooves, she was experiencing a severe bout of laminitis, which is painful for any horse, no matter how stoically they stand. Try pulling one of your fingernails off, and that will give you an idea of what the horse is going through. I've been trimming her for nearly two years now, and her hooves are in fantastic shape. She is doing great and willingly walks over any terrain. |
Before trim. |
Happy Trails |
Trimming hoof wall. |
REMINGTON born June 2007 Remington is a buckskin Paint, who we were fortunate to rescue from a situation where the owner was no longer able to take care of him. When he first came to our ranch, I inspected his feet, and I could see that he had never been trimmed before. A horse's first year of life is the most important period of time for proper hoof development, along with the legs' bony structure, so I'm thankful that I had a chance to help this development, before it was too late. I've consistently applied my trim to his young hooves, and he is doing great. He's a lucky horse, as he will never have to unnecessarily be encumbered by steel shoes being nailed to his hooves, which entirely prohibits the hoof's natural functioning for which it was designed. |
Backing up toe with rasp. |
The following people, books, and clinicians have helped me to not only learn about natural hoof care, but also to become a better horseman. "The Chosen Road"; book and DVD series by KC LaPierre, PhD, RJF, MEP. I've learned a great deal about Equine Podiatry and KC's HPT Method through these resources. More information can be found at www.equinepodiatry.net. "Horse Owners Guide to Natural Hoof Care"; authored by Jaime Jackson, a former farrier, who bases his approach to natural hoof care on the wild horse hoof. Very interesting reading, along with practical insights. More information can be found at www.jaimejackson.com. "Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You"; authored by Pete Ramey, who also bases his approach to natural hoof care on the wild horse hoof. Pete is a former farrier who had grown increasingly frustrated with the harm that shoes were doing to the horses that he worked on. More information can be found at www.hoofrehab.com. Dan Sumerel; clinician and author. Dan has great insight into the behavior and body language of the horse. I attended his clinic with my horse Sooner and learned the subtleties of communication between man and horse for leadership and respect. My wife and two of my kids also attended. All of my children, except for the youngest, have gained the respect and leadership of their primary horse using Dan's method. I have read his book and watched his DVDs, in addition to the clinic, and I highly recommend them. More information can be found at www.sumereltraining.com Paula Colokovic; retired Gran Prix dressage and show jumping. Paula gave riding lessons to my wife and three of my kids before retiring. The greatest thing I have learned from Paula is how essential it is to ride with your body. If you watch dressage, you will see the rider moves very little, yet the horse is performing these incredible manuevers. It is the subtle shifting of weight, turning your head, and leg cues that work on any horse and in any saddle--even bareback. Bitless Bridle; developed by Dr. Robert Cook, FRCVS., Phd., Professor of Surgery Emeritus of Tufts University, Massachusetts. The bitless bridle provides a method of communication that is safer, more humane, and more effective than the bit. I prefer the bitless bridle over a traditional bridle and bit. My horses are better behaved, they don't toss their heads, and they let me put it on without turning into a giraffe. More information can be found at www.bitlessbridle.com |
Applying mustang roll. |
Eric, Rachel, Lexie, and Remi the day after we brought him home. Remi is six months old. |
After trim. |
8/29/09 - two weeks after buying Sky. My wife took Sky to the vet last week for a Coggins test. She was also concerned about a lump on the outside of his right-hind leg just below the hock. The vet recommended that we set up an appointment with the equine specialist at the Waseca-Clarks Grove Vet Clinic. We met with the equine specialist vet and discussed two issues. The first being the fact that Sky was still tender on the soles of his feet two weeks after trimming down his over-grown hoof wall. The vet tested all areas of the hoof for tenderness. The sole is thin, but the vet did not find any indication of a rotated coffin bone. Most likely, the poor hoof quality is due to diet and living conditions, of which we are not familiar with. The new sole growing in from the coronet band is much healthier. See picture A. The second issue was the lump. On visual and physical inspection, the vet determined that is was ossification to the outside splint bone, most likely due to a kick from another horse sometime between one and two years ago. We had it radiographed to determine if it would interfere with the suspensory ligament, which lies between the two splint bones close to the back of the cannon bone. The radiograph showed that at this time it appeared the horse's body had completed its healing process and there should be no interference. In the future, should Sky begin exhibiting lameness from the ossification, the splint bone will need to be surgically removed. See pictures B and C. We also discussed a large crack on Sky's left-hind hoof. I, too, noticed this when my wife brought this horse home. The previous owner said it had never been a problem. It is due to an injury to the coronet band, and the hoof no longer grows correctly from that spot. Keeping the toe short and not allowing any flare to develop will be important to keep the crack in check. My wife really likes Sky's personality and he is very well behaved. Sky will be Angela's riding partner for the next 20 years. When the healthy portion of the hoof reaches the ground, they should be ready to hit the trails. Until then, she will not be riding him. This is a good time to remember the saying, "no hoof, no horse". Prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keep your horse's hooves trimmed and they will remain strong and healthy. |
Picture A |
Trailer training |
Notice the change in hoof structure where the arrow is pointing. This is flare that developed when the toe was too long. I will gradually remove it, as the hoof wall grows out. Sound growth is coming in above it, and it will eventually grow all the way out without any flare. |
Grand Champion! |
Picture B |
Picture C |
Picture B shows ossification and a small scar above where the initial trauma occurred. Picture C shows what the ossification looks like on the inside. This injury is one to two years old. |
Update 9/2009 My wife took Apollo to the Black Hills for a week of trailriding the first week of September. The rides were all day rides over incredibly rocky and rough terrain. Apollo and another horse that I trim were the only barefoot horses in the group. Both performed under extreme conditions day after day with no tenderness and no lameness. At the end of September I took Apollo on the Posse wagon train. We traveled twenty miles on gravel roads. Again, Apollo's hooves performed exceptionally well. He walked down the middle of the road with no lamesness and no tenderness. |