[drivingpairs] Barefoot Trim
- From: "Janalee Redmond" <janalee@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 08:18:58 -0500
This is so great to hear competitive horse folk being interested and open to
the idea of the barefoot trim. I have lurked for a year or so, as I am still
waiting to put a pair together but I have gotten to a Pete Ramey seminar and
am working with a local farrier who understands it and coaches me. I
committed to learn when a client with minis foundered them both. My horror
of foundered ponies ran deep but so did my concern for my pupils. (The
"barefooters" are bringing horses and ponies through laminitis and founder
to complete recovery in months.)
The bottom line, to quote Pete, is that it isn't just the trim. To get
optimal results you must address diet, environment and trim. Strasser is
very "articulate" regarding this as well, but Pete is less radical. Horses
need movement, feed that is appropriate for their physique and work load,
and a trim that gently eases them into frog contact with the ground and a
heel first landing as they move.
My training has been about shaping and trimming a foot, but also about frog
health (fungus and less so, thrush is rampant) and it fit with what I've had
to learn about Cushings Syndrome and Insulin Resistance in the equine. The
results are widespread for bringing back founder cases and there are strong
indications that navicular issues are also addressed. Most impressive is the
incredible health and synergy that results when the horse has full use of
his five hearts.
So this former dressage rider, now driving because of my son's interest, has
also taken up hoof trimming and nutrition. Driving has totally taken me,
with the subtlety of the communication and the need to create a solid
relationship, not to mention how really fun it is! But the satisfaction of
seeing the bloom return to my son's pony, given the balance of nutrition,
paddock and trim has been a real revelation.
Pete Ramey's web site is www.hoofrehab.com. He runs a livery stable in
Georgia and trained to be a farrier. In his seminar he talks about how much
he misses putting shoes on horses, as he really loves making shoes and
fitting them. But as he saw his livery horses gain energy and drop years,
and he got the same results with "curly-toed horses" from the auction he
became convinced that barefoot was more than just saving the effort of
nailing on shoes.
It's well worth investigating and thanks for the opportunity to share my
enthusiasm.
Janalee Redmond
Bethesda, Maryland
Where we are back to driving after losing the snow and ice, for now.
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