Hoof trimming rant

Seems there is always a question running through my head about hooves. I see horse hooves and I immideatly start to assess them... trust me... it happens more often than not. I am a true critique when it comes to horse hooves. I know that Dandy's feet aren't perfect and it really bugs me to the highest point! I constantly look at old pictures and new ones to see what I could do better next time, what is not the way I'd like it.

I started to study the hoof about 2 years before I actually took nippers in my hands. I would read all kinds of information, study different ways to trim, the benefits and disadvantages of each and I came up with my own method, which is a combination of about two of them. I basically read about 2 hours or more a day for 2 years on hooves. Looked at the bone structure, how it is affected by long heels or any other imbalance of the hoof, looked at the muscle structure and basically vowed to understand all hoof ailments by name and description before I was done. I am actively trimming hooves for all of my horses and they all have their own issues. Dandy has hard-as-rock hooves but are slightly unbabalanced when they are resting on the ground. Peg is base-narrow and her hooves wear much more on one side than the other, I have to trim consequently to insure she is comfortable... forcing her leg in an unatural position for her will only make her lame. At her age, her bones will never change. Pearl has nice hooves but tends to grow long heels that could cause a mechanical founder, she also has a club-ish foot. She is as sound as any unridden 5 year old, at 18 years of age! I tend to not take so much toe off of Pearl since her hooves wear much more than Dandy's.

I have been accused of not having the knowledge or experience to trim hooves, but having seen what I have seen, I'm just as good as any farrier. I've seen a navicular horse barely able to walk, not being trimmed to resolve the problem. Sure, I am not accredited for my knowledge, but I do have it under my belt. I have trimmed horses that were foundered, navicular, flat soled, and with "White Line Desease" all with pretty good results. I am not going to stop trimming my horse's feet because I trust no one else to do it to my liking. I know how to manage my horses and am able to recognize their faults and qualities. I do not think that I am the best barefoot performance hoof trimmer on the face of the Earth, if there is something that I've learned over the years is that you are always better than someone in at least one field, but there is always someone better than you in your best field. I have mentors in the trimming world that have asked me to hold a two-day training in my region... the reason that I do not do that is because, where I come from, people think they are the best in everything. I don't want to give out information that will be twisted and misused on an animal. I post pictures of my trims because I have been asked to by so many people, way before this blog ever existed.

I do not abuse my horses, judging from their fat bellies and their ability to run, buck and play in my field is proof of that. Before anyone thinks they can trim hooves, you need to read up on it, know what a good hoof looks like, know what a bad hoof looks like and how to correct it. I am not aiming any of my readers here, this is not the point, but I have been "attacked" on the subject of trimming hooves before. Anyone that has the guts to say things like that without even knowing what I have been through to get where I am need to shut up. I am currently building a photo gallery to get accreditation and a certificate from the American Hoof Association for my knowledge.

I didn't just get up one day and decided that I would trim hooves, I am not that kind of person. I research everything touroughly and it just so happened that hooves took two years, because it is a complicated structure that has other purposes besides the obvious. I've read the same things over and over and over to make sure that I wouldn't miss anything. I took two years to make sure that I would know what I was doing when I finally took these nippers in my hands. My first trim took 2 hours for two hooves, mostly because my horse wasn't trained and that her hooves were in really bad shape, but I took my time and didn't remove too much. Dandy was sound after the trim and has been ever since.

I know what I am doing and can probably advise anyone who has questions about hooves or problems on what to do to resolve or get better results. You can send me pictures and I will certainly try to help you trim better if you are trimming your horses. I will not bash your work but simply give my best advice. I prone barefoot-ness, but I know that some horses wear shoes and will always do. I have nothing against that, at all... I am even considering putting shoes on the Standards, but again, I will have to reasearch more on that. If I can put them in boots, I would be happy.

So please don't judge a book by its cover, you don't know what people have done in their lives, what obstacles they have overcome and what kind of past they've had. This blog is only a way for me to tell the world about my interesting horse stories and hoof trimming, since it is part of my horse life. I am a complete horse nut, I still look at horse classifieds every day, in case I saw something interesting, that I can't really have at the moment. I am all for rescuing horses, but I am not for pressuring people into rescuing, saving or thinking they can save horses. People have financial responsibilities and horse ownership is a big one to add only because you want to be a hero in the "supposedly" horse world! Don't do it if you know you can't you will regret it for years and people will not instantly become nicer because you have rescued a rank, grade, ugly little un-guelded, untrained, probaly lame two year old colt from the auction. We can try to make a difference, but we will never save all of them, and I'm sorry if I am the one to break it to you. There are only so many good homes, God knows that more than half of the rescued from auction horses end up right back in there. If I would've took in all of the horses I felt sorry for, I would probably have over 50. I can't handle 50 horses, so I have to pass up. Sure, I feel bad, but my savings (or whatever is left of them) thank me!

I will post a bit later about something else... I just had to rant about that! Thanks for putting up with me! :)