| Pictures of some AANHCP training classes I attended. January 2006 |
| Pete Ramey preparing to trim demo horses in Gainsville, TX. |
| Pete Ramey Showing the nice bevel of a Mustang Roll. |
Welcome to HoofSense ... because natural hooves just make sense!!
| A Picture says a thousand words! |
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| One of the dissections used to show the inside of the hoof |
While waiting for more pictures to be added, I recommend visiting the following links. These are some of my most favorite
and the ones I have learned a lot from. There are some excellent pictures, as well as more information, to help you in
your quest to find what is best for your horse.
www.safergrass.org Information about grass sugar levels & testing hay
www.barefoothorse.com Natural trimming website by Marjorie Smith
www.easycareinc.com EasyBoots website
www.hoofrehab.com Pete Ramey's website
www.ironfreehoof.com Natural trimming website by Paige Poss
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings Yahoo group for Insulin Resistant & Cushings horse owners.
This group was started by Dr. Eleanor Kellon DVM, an expert on
DIET for laminitic, Cushings, and IR horses. This group will help
you learn the most scientific, safe & sound way to feed horses and
steer clear of expensive products with "magic bullet" claims.
www.desertequinebalance.blogspot.com A good website for info on how to balance your hay
www.precisionhoofpick.com A new hoof pick designed for barefoot trimming!! It allows you to
measure collateral grooves, hoof width & length, with 1/8" measurements.
and the ones I have learned a lot from. There are some excellent pictures, as well as more information, to help you in
your quest to find what is best for your horse.
www.safergrass.org Information about grass sugar levels & testing hay
www.barefoothorse.com Natural trimming website by Marjorie Smith
www.easycareinc.com EasyBoots website
www.hoofrehab.com Pete Ramey's website
www.ironfreehoof.com Natural trimming website by Paige Poss
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings Yahoo group for Insulin Resistant & Cushings horse owners.
This group was started by Dr. Eleanor Kellon DVM, an expert on
DIET for laminitic, Cushings, and IR horses. This group will help
you learn the most scientific, safe & sound way to feed horses and
steer clear of expensive products with "magic bullet" claims.
www.desertequinebalance.blogspot.com A good website for info on how to balance your hay
www.precisionhoofpick.com A new hoof pick designed for barefoot trimming!! It allows you to
measure collateral grooves, hoof width & length, with 1/8" measurements.
Removing the sole to expose live
tissue in the sole corium and to
see the papillae which it grows
from. The digital cushion is also
exposed and lies directly beneath
the frog.
tissue in the sole corium and to
see the papillae which it grows
from. The digital cushion is also
exposed and lies directly beneath
the frog.
Here is the inside of the hoof wall
showing the laminae which attach
the hoof wall to the coffin bone.
showing the laminae which attach
the hoof wall to the coffin bone.
This is a donkey cadaver hoof I
experimented with. We nipped off
hoof wall to explore depth &
thickness in preparation to dissect
the hoof.
experimented with. We nipped off
hoof wall to explore depth &
thickness in preparation to dissect
the hoof.
This is the inside of a foal's (left)
and adult donkey's (right) foot. It
was very interesting to see the
difference in the coffin bone size &
digital cushion placement!
and adult donkey's (right) foot. It
was very interesting to see the
difference in the coffin bone size &
digital cushion placement!
| LINKS |
This is Phaidra. She's been dealing with chronic founder for the past 5
years. She came to me in bar-shoes w/pads. This is after removing the
shoes. I was surprised to see pretty nice concavity. We are gradually
lowering her heels and keeping a mustang roll at the toe, while she
grows in her new hoof. Diet is being controlled as well. So far....she's
walking sound!! (I forgot to take after-trim pictures because I had 4 more
horses waiting to be trimmed!! I will get them at my next trim!!)
years. She came to me in bar-shoes w/pads. This is after removing the
shoes. I was surprised to see pretty nice concavity. We are gradually
lowering her heels and keeping a mustang roll at the toe, while she
grows in her new hoof. Diet is being controlled as well. So far....she's
walking sound!! (I forgot to take after-trim pictures because I had 4 more
horses waiting to be trimmed!! I will get them at my next trim!!)
Phaidra - July 2006
Kadar
This is Kadar. She is 1/2 Arab 1/2 Qtr Horse, registered Arab - about 13 years old. When I first arrived, she was standing fine in a slight founder stance, but walking
on soft ground. I picked up her foot and WOW! My first coffin bone penetration!!! It shocked me to see this, at first. For the initial trim, I wanted to be extra conservative
and consult with other practitioners that have dealt with coffin bone penetration cases. I only used my rasp to balance and slightly lower the heels and rolled the toe
back to the water line. I haven't been to trim her again yet, because Pete Ramey is having a clinic in my area (Oct. 14 & 15, 2006) and he has chosen her for a demo
horse!!! I will do the follow-up trimming after the clinic. The amazing thing about Kadar is that she is up & moving around better than most of my other founder cases
that have sole coverage!!! She's a trooper!! Her owner has her dry-lotted and on a strict hay-only diet, which I think, makes all the difference in the world.
on soft ground. I picked up her foot and WOW! My first coffin bone penetration!!! It shocked me to see this, at first. For the initial trim, I wanted to be extra conservative
and consult with other practitioners that have dealt with coffin bone penetration cases. I only used my rasp to balance and slightly lower the heels and rolled the toe
back to the water line. I haven't been to trim her again yet, because Pete Ramey is having a clinic in my area (Oct. 14 & 15, 2006) and he has chosen her for a demo
horse!!! I will do the follow-up trimming after the clinic. The amazing thing about Kadar is that she is up & moving around better than most of my other founder cases
that have sole coverage!!! She's a trooper!! Her owner has her dry-lotted and on a strict hay-only diet, which I think, makes all the difference in the world.
| CADAVER HOOF TRIMMING & EXPLORATION |
This is Phaidra at her 4th trim. Can you see the new hoof growth from the hairline down about 1/3 of the way
- as well as the divergence in the hoof wall angle?? Also, her heels are backing up more to where they
should be instead of too far forward as in the first trim. The heels are also de-contracting and making for a
wider landing base at the back of the foot. Notice the difference in the frog. This de-contraction also pulls
the toe back, shortening the breakover and reducing stress on the laminae. I believe Phaidra's long-term
problem was FFS -forward-foot syndrome- that wasn't being addressed properly and shoeing only contributed
to the problem.
- as well as the divergence in the hoof wall angle?? Also, her heels are backing up more to where they
should be instead of too far forward as in the first trim. The heels are also de-contracting and making for a
wider landing base at the back of the foot. Notice the difference in the frog. This de-contraction also pulls
the toe back, shortening the breakover and reducing stress on the laminae. I believe Phaidra's long-term
problem was FFS -forward-foot syndrome- that wasn't being addressed properly and shoeing only contributed
to the problem.
| Phaidra - October 2006 |
Here is Ace. He had a definite toe-first landing
and a very choppy stride as seen in navicular
horses. His heels are very high and contracted,
forcing him to land on the tip of his coffin bone.
We pulled the shoes and have him on a regular
exercise plan in the boots with a frog pad. We saw
a little relief and heel-first landing after the first 10
minutes of walking him.
His owner happened to have the shoe that was on
him 8 months ago, before she changed boarding
stables and started using a new farrier. The
rounder shoe on the top is what Ace wore only 8
months ago. The bottom shoe is what I pulled off
him in May 2007. Can you see how contracted the
heels have become and how far forward the toe
has moved in only 8 months? He was beginning
to show signs of lameness and early signs of
navicular!!!
and a very choppy stride as seen in navicular
horses. His heels are very high and contracted,
forcing him to land on the tip of his coffin bone.
We pulled the shoes and have him on a regular
exercise plan in the boots with a frog pad. We saw
a little relief and heel-first landing after the first 10
minutes of walking him.
His owner happened to have the shoe that was on
him 8 months ago, before she changed boarding
stables and started using a new farrier. The
rounder shoe on the top is what Ace wore only 8
months ago. The bottom shoe is what I pulled off
him in May 2007. Can you see how contracted the
heels have become and how far forward the toe
has moved in only 8 months? He was beginning
to show signs of lameness and early signs of
navicular!!!
| Ace May 2007 |
This is the change in the foot shape in only
8 months!!! Heels became more
contracted and toe much further forward.
Very common mistake in traditional farriery.
8 months!!! Heels became more
contracted and toe much further forward.
Very common mistake in traditional farriery.
Lady - October 2007
Lady - December 2006
Lady is a Rocky Mountain Gaited mare who foundered due to a Dex Test to diagnose Cushing's Disease, along with a traditional diet of Strategy and conventional hoof care not making
any progress for her. Lady's owner is very "on the ball" and had blood work done for Insulin Resistance since Cushing's and IR are common together. After finding that Lady was also
Insulin Resistant, her owner immediately got the diet regulated with low sugar/starch hay, tested and balanced, stopped feeding Strategy and green grass and also has Lady on
Pergolide - a medication to help control Cushings. Lady's feet were very intimidating and overly dried out from stall shavings making them very hard. She was in a lot of pain and laid
down most of the time. After roller coasters of emotions, hard work and proper management, Lady's "natural" feet are emerging and she is back in light riding!!! God Bless You, Lady,
for putting up with us while we learned from you!
any progress for her. Lady's owner is very "on the ball" and had blood work done for Insulin Resistance since Cushing's and IR are common together. After finding that Lady was also
Insulin Resistant, her owner immediately got the diet regulated with low sugar/starch hay, tested and balanced, stopped feeding Strategy and green grass and also has Lady on
Pergolide - a medication to help control Cushings. Lady's feet were very intimidating and overly dried out from stall shavings making them very hard. She was in a lot of pain and laid
down most of the time. After roller coasters of emotions, hard work and proper management, Lady's "natural" feet are emerging and she is back in light riding!!! God Bless You, Lady,
for putting up with us while we learned from you!
