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By Carole Herder Most of us will weigh our horses regularly, or at least we know how to do it. Here is a reminder of the formula if you have forgotten! ‘Girth’ is calculated by placing the tape across the horse’s back just behind the withers and catching the other side under the horse so…
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By Carole Herder I found a great interview recently with Dr. Robert Bowker, one of the leading hoof research pioneers in our discipline. You can read the full interview here (dated 07/01/14) http://www.foundationsofsoundness.com/blog.html but I would like to reiterate one of his points regarding diet. In the interview, Dr. Bowker talks about the holistic approach…
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When transitioning to barefoot, there are some challenges you should be aware of: 1. When you first go barefoot, ignorance is most definitely not bliss for the people around you. Any disapproving looks and comments you will receive are from those who have no idea about the anatomy of the hoof, let alone the advantages…
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By Carole Herder In my last webinar I explained that horses were first shod with metal shoes about 1500 hundred years ago before we understood the physiology of the hoof. The shoes were intended to elevate the hoof out of the manure and urine-saturated ground where the horse was tied. The premise was that the…
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By Carole Herder I recently came across an Australian horse trainer Warwick Schiller who has some really good videos online: Warwick Schiller YouTube video . They gave me food for thought. I had been having trouble with one of my horses. He had become very complacent and lazy, or so I thought. Actually, I had become…
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By Carole Herder Following on from part 1 of this article, we are talking about an article Tom Teskey wrote about breaking traditions. Shoeing reduces the circulation in a horse’s hoof and this affects the entire body. Applying pads and artificial materials to the hooves or providing soft footing underneath only promotes weak and faulty…
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By Carole Herder “The same care which is given to the horse’s food and exercise, to make his body grow strong, should also be devoted to keeping his feet in condition” – Xenophon, The Art of Horsemanship, written twenty-three centuries ago. I read this quote recently in an article by Tom Teskey entitled, ‘Breaking Traditions:…
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By Carole Herder Be wary of the ingredients in the horse feed industry. Select feed and quantities of food based on your understanding of nutrition. Don’t be sold to. Educate yourself so you cannot be taken advantage of. One of the biggest culprits of deception is in the world of supplements and pharmaceuticals. Quality is…
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By Carole Herder There is nothing better for your horse’s hooves than a good diet, plenty of movement and regular trims but on occasion something may still go wrong. Here are some possibilities for natural remedies: – Apple cider vinegar mixed with water (50/50 ratio) is a mild solution that can be used as a…
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