Archive for the ‘Hoofcare’ Category

This shows why the traditional opinion of how hoof mechanism works is completely backwards.

This video contains essential information maximizing your horse’s performance and keeping him sound.

Hoof mechanism is what keeps the hoof alive and frog pressure is what keeps the hoof mechanism alive.

If your horse suffers poor hoof growth, poor horn quality or poor healing capacity the hoof mechanism is most likely out of order.

There is much more information on NoFrog.NoHorse on Facebook.

Thanks to EasyCareInc.com for posting this very interesting video on their Facebook page a few days ago…

This is extremely enlightening and once again opens up the debate of Traditional VS Natural (Barefoot) Hoofcare…

This video shows what could be considered one of the most important breakthroughs in modern hoof research. It proves the complete foundation for the traditional hoof care to be wrong. Since the coffin bone apparently is NOT hanging from the hoof wall the hoof wall should not be forced to carry the horse’s weight.

On the contrary- it would indicate that the hoof wall AS WELL AS frog and sole also need to bear the horse’s weight.

Therefore the practice of traditional hoof care and shoeing is forcing the horses to carry its ENTIRE weight peripherally (on the walls). This can cause significant damage as well of discomfort and even extreme pain.

Last week I did a summery and write-up of Anne Louise’s book “My Natural Horse” so today I decided it would be nice to share a little more about Anne Louise, her horses and what started her in the direction of natural horsecare…

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By Anne Louise MacDonald

Just what is natural horse and hoof care?
After 40 years in horses I didn’t have a clue — until 2002…

I had an Arabian horse named Sham. He was ready to retire and I was looking for a second horse. I surfed ads for half-Friesians and found a website called Equinextion with some beautiful horses for sale … and some different stuff about ‘Barefoot and Natural’.

When I’d bought Sham, with his super tall coke-can feet (the fashion in the Arab world), I had him trimmed and shod ever since. I was taught that if I wanted to ride “on that ground” and “that many hours a week”, shoes were necessary.

I didn’t question it … until I started Read the rest of this entry »

As Natural Horsecare becomes more and more understood and more widely implemented it is important that we re-educate our children as well as adults in the new and yet age-old practice of natural horse care.

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My Natural Horses  (by Anne Louise MacDonald) is a unique introduction to creating exceptionally healthy, happy horses.

This full-color photo-illustrated book is the first to show young readers the principles of Natural Horse Care, taking an entirely positive approach by following two horses, Isabelle and Prince, through all four seasons of the year.

Designed for ages seven and up, this book includes 150 exceptional photographs to delight everyone from the child who dreams of ponies to the active equine owner.

Larger text allows younger readers to get a basic understanding of Natural Horse Care, while smaller text gives more details to entertain and inform an older audience.

My Natural Horses is a joy just to look through, and an eye opener to an option in horse care that many horse people know little about.

Here is a Video Preview of Anne Louise’s book. Anne lives in Eastern Canada.

My Natural Horses is available on AMAZON. Click here: My Natural Horses

How to Transition Your Horse to Being Barefoot…

Taking any particular horse from shoes to barefoot can take some time.  A few horses will trot off barefoot on rocks and you  will wonder why you ever put shoes on them. Many horses will be tender on rocks and hard ground at first. 

The most important part of the transition to barefoot is getting an appropriate “barefoot trim” done on your horse. The typical “pasture” trim will not keep a barefoot horse sound.

Barefoot horses should NEVER have the toe callus trimmed (area of sole between the tip of the frog and the toe). Most farriers thin this area when placing shoes.  Read the rest of this entry »

Hoof Words

 “Wild horse” shape vs. typical long-heeled style

Barefoot works best when the horse’s foot is trimmed to a fairly short-heeled shape. The drawings below of a short- and long-heeled shape (not accurate in details) show what happens to the coffin bone when the heels are long. Read the rest of this entry »