Healing Hearts Barefoot Hoof Trimming

01/24/2024

01/06/2024

Can you identify healthy vs unhealthy concavity?
One hoof has pathological concavity and the other does not. Don’t let the dates fool you but use the time of year as information.

Below is the same horse only 2 months apart. The horse has PPID and isn’t a hoof model of “ideal” but the difference in concavity can certainly be appreciated here! Not only are there visual differences, but the comfort level of this horse from one photo to the next was drastically different. We’re talking comfortably walking over gravel vs avoiding it!

So what changed?
Which hoof looks healthier and more comfortable and why?

I’ll post the explanation below in the comments. ⬇️

12/20/2023

BAREFOOT at the NFR 🙌🏼👏🏻

Louder for the people in the back!

So I can’t tell you how many people messaged me about Summer and Apollo,  I’m not sure how this even became a question but yes, she runs him barefoot! Fun fact she trims him most of the time herself too. ASNY has very good hard feet too never ever needed shoes, so I hope this answers your questions 🤗

Summer Kosel Professional Barrel Racer

ETA yes I am very aware Every horse is individual as is every situation,  it was a question that was coming up a lot so don’t come at me 🙅‍♀️

12/13/2023

No Contest

11/20/2023

This is great information especially with the changing temperatures.

I am always available if you have questions, feel free to pm me!

Thrush is one of those equine conditions that most of us can do better at preventing and treating. Improving our horse’s footing, regular hoof picking, and using the right products can greatly reduce the incidence and impact!

11/08/2023

🐴✨ Ever wondered how your horse sees the world compared to you?

Humans experience the world through trichromatic vision, allowing us to distinguish a wide array of colors. Horses, on the other hand, have dichromatic vision.

This means they see the world primarily in two wavelengths of light, which correspond to blue and yellow shades. The vibrant reds and greens that humans can easily differentiate are likely perceived as more muted or similar tones by horses. 🎨🐎

This dichromatic vision is a result of evolutionary adaptation. It serves horses well in their natural environments, aiding in the detection of predators and forage, even in the low light of dawn
or dusk. 🌅🌾

Horses also have a broader field of vision, nearly 350 degrees, which allows them to be acutely aware of their surroundings with little need to move their heads. This panoramic view is essential
for prey animals like horses, though it does come with a reduced depth perception when using one eye. 🔄

The horse's eye is proportionally larger than that of many other mammals, and their pupils are elongated horizontally, optimizing the amount of light they can gather, which is particularly beneficial in dim conditions. 🌙✨

If you want to learn more, listen to latest episode of the "Mad About Horses" podcast itled "How Do Horses See the World?" It delves into the science of horse’s sensory perception, exploring how these animals experience their world compared to humans. 🎧

👉 Listen now by searing for “Mad About Horses” with Dr. Chris Mortensen, PhD on your favorite podcasting app. 🐴📘

11/05/2023

I can almost guarantee you will prefer one of these trims over the other … and it would be very easy to discuss the differences between these 2 trims.

But let’s discuss the similarities:

Same horse
Same foot
Same trimmer
Same Season (6weeks apart)

But the main similarity is:

🫶🏻 The trim applied is what the horse needed at that time 🫶🏻

What was trimmed and what was left was not only dictated by what the foot was doing at the time… because the horses lifestyle and work load had changed completely; after a kissing spine operation, gut issues, box rest, rehab and going always for schooling … It was also applied to help grow the horse the best foot it could after the trim … so she could continue to improve.

Feet don’t stay the same all the time. They change with seasons, weather, workload, health and many other factors, so it makes sense that the trim should sometimes differ in response.

If it didn’t … well… I wouldn’t be doing my job properly 😅

I’ve discovered that I will get slated by different groups for either trim. Either I’m taking too much … or not taking enough.

Everyone loves a natural frog … but sometimes they need trimming, everyone loves “no top dressing” but sometimes that can really help, quarter arches are an excellent tool on some feet but not others … it all DEPENDS … on the horse … and what’s going on around the horse and inside the horse.

Rarely it seems, does anyone consider that I’m doing what the horse not only presented and needed going forward.

It’s a good job I only really care what the horse thinks 🥰

Incidentally, the bruise has nothing to do with how the horse was trimmed 👌

10/27/2023

Amen to this!

10/25/2023

Such a perfect hoof!