ALC Hoof Trimming Services

09/15/2021

Accepting new barefoot clients!
Dudley and surrounding towns.
774 452 5062 text.

09/24/2019

✨Barefoot Trimming vs. The Barefoot Lifestyle✨

I was talking with a client the other day and had a little💡ding ding light bulb moment.💡Too many owners pull shoes + assume voila, you have a barefoot horse!

For some horses, this is all it takes. The stars have aligned, they come out of shoes perfectly sound + comfortable, landing heel first, and no one looks back.

But the more likely reality is that your horse is going to struggle, maybe a little, or maybe a lot, with this transition.

Why is that?

Well, the answer to that would go back to why were shoes put on in the first place? Perhaps out of habit? Many owners of young horses start shoeing them as their training progresses just because that is what is done. Perhaps out of necessity? If a horse looks off or sore, usually the first suggestion is put shoes on.

If a horse is not comfortable barefoot, something is compromised somewhere -- maybe it's as simple as thrush and long toes. Or maybe it's something internal. Putting shoes on is not wrong. I encourage people to shoe, whether composite or steel, in some situations.

But getting down the bottom of your horse's lameness can give you the information you need to help heal whatever is weak.

Pulling the shoes is often the first step in this journey. Some owners want to hire a hoofcare provider who specializes in barefoot trims. But if things never progress beyond removing the shoes + trying a new trim, your horse is not likely to become comfortable barefoot. That's just trying out "barefoot trimming" -- but the other pieces of the puzzle are the "barefoot lifestyle."

🐎The Barefoot Lifestyle🐎

〽️Thrush treatment -- deep central sulcus infections alone can make a horse lame, lead to toe first landings (horse is avoiding the heel), and perpetuate the cycle of damage to the hoof.

〽️Diet + nutrition -- read ingredient labels (post coming on this soon), see how much sugar or added iron is in your horse's diet, get the extra weight off, consider if they're alfalfa or grass sensitive, test for IR/PPID if they have symptoms, put on a grazing muzzle if needed.

〽️Thin soles -- they need protection. Do Hoof Armor. Boot your horse. Add pads to boots.

〽️Movement! -- if your horse gets 4 hours of turnout + is standing in a stall the other 20 hours a day, that's simply not enough. Even if you go see them every day. Horses need to move, for many hours of the day, to properly stimulate all their soft tissues (not to mention the rest of their body). Ground work + riding is awesome too. Get them moving in a balanced way.

〽️Time -- if your horse is weak or compromised in any way, that didn't happen overnight. Give them time to heal. Implement changes, see what works, and keep going. You never know where you'll end up! ❤

09/13/2019

Here is a 16 year old QH Gelding who was kept shod for several years and is out of shoes for 6 weeks now. He is walking fairly well, but as you can see, the pastern joint areas are quite swollen. He is also very sore and disabled in his shoulders from years and years of bracing/protecting against the pain below.

There is an epidemic amount of ringbone in shod horses versus barefoot horses, and I believe it is due to the massive amount of torque that is forced upon the low-motion pastern joint when the hoof capsule is disallowed its natural ability to undergo torque and dissipate energy. The response to concussive and torque injury shows up with massive bony proliferation as the body attempts to heal the continuous sprain and strain in these areas. Just looking at those areas you can feel how the energy from above AND below stagnates in that area, blowing it up from within.

The good news is that horses with ringbone LOVE having functional, healthy, well-formed hooves that can once again do their job of absorbing concussion and taking up torque, rather than continuing to pass it on to the diseased pasterns. This boy will be fitted with Glove boots with half-inch pads inserted to help absorb even more concussion and reduce torque, until we can get the hooves to decontract and work the way they were intended.

It's a real testament when one paradigm can not only EXPLAIN what's going wrong, but also FIX what's happening. Traditional farriery only partially accomplishes the first part of this as it attempts to explain the causes, but then attempts to reduce concussion with shock-tamer pads, rim pads, aluminum shoes...on and on...and it makes the problem worse and worse. This is simply conduct that comes from false thinking. The natural hoof care paradigm recognizes that the HOOF must work for the horse to prevent AND allow for healing, and it provides the vital ingredients to the horse and owner to accomplish this. And it is why it will necessarily replace the old paradigm in due time.

09/11/2019

Food for thought!

03/15/2019

We are accepting new/returning clients in the Worcester county area!

08/01/2018

Ut oh!!

01/30/2018

Accepting new clients in Southern Worcester County Massachusetts and North East Connecticut.

Barefoot Trim
Transitioning to Barefoot
Problem Horses
Draft to Mini
Flexible Scheduling
Goats and Pet Pigs
References Available

Call/Text 774 452 5062

01/18/2018

07/20/2017

Are your horses feet growing like weeds?! We can help you! 17744525062

11/13/2016

Just another Friday night!

08/10/2016

Morgan gelding approximately 15 years old. Hasn't had a trim in over a year due to farriers not showing.

02/13/2016

There right be a wind chill advisory this weekend, but our schedule is still full! New clients accepted 2016. No horse refused. 1 774 452 5062 [email protected]

02/08/2016

Accepting new clients for 2016. MA/CT/RI No horse refused. Miniature to Drafts . Flexible scheduling .
1 774 452 5062 [email protected]

11/05/2015

Here is the bottom of the hoof. Again, apologies for not the same exact angles. I think a photography class needs to be in my future (;-))

11/05/2015

Not quite the same angles... my four legged friend today was not in the mood for a photo shoot, he's camera shy! :-P

11/04/2015

11/02/2015

10/28/2015

Gelding late teens. Right front is a bit of a clubbed foot. This is his left front. Pulled shoes about 2 months ago. Hooves are hardening up and holding up well to this New England terrain. Inside walk has excessive wear and outside wall has more flaring. A possible touch of thrush and excessive bar growth.

10/22/2015

Busy this Sunday? Hope you have time to come check out all the hooves in our care at the Whip o Will Stables Open House! This Sunday from 12~2 pm. Miniature horses to drafts, we've got you covered!

10/13/2015

With over 72 hooves in our care, we are sure staying busy! Make sure to check out our table Whip-O-Will Stable Open House October 25th from 12-2pm! See you there ;)

09/23/2015

Looking to build our portfolio. Offering free trims to any nonprofit equine rescue for the remainder of 2015. No horse refused. Please msg or call 17744525062. ... Please share :-)

08/26/2015

Thanks for so many "likes" in one week! Starting a new business is scary, but the support so far is phenomenal ! Spread the word, no horse refused ! Specializing in troubled animals :-)