Re: Strasser Seminars

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

This is all well and good but I am curious who benefits the most
financially?  You can bet Gene Ovnicek makes his share of his fancy Natural
Balance shoe and all the seminars he puts on.  I still believe it takes a
lot more than these few days in a seminar to learn how to even simply trim a
horse's feet.  I do believe that the folks who have the "cure alls" and the
fancy names for "new" methods are creating "fads"...sure, it's gonna work
for some horses.  And it's not gonna work for some.  Maybe I'm being too
cynical but it burns my butt that there are folks out there making pretty
darn good money this way doing things that in most cases are simply common
sense...Nelson does not shoe every horse.  He advises people to leave their
horses barefoot when possible.  He does not use Strasser methods. (Yes, we
have read the materials, case studies, etc. and do not buy into it).  He
advises people to shoe their horses when it becomes necessary...he actually
loses money doing business this way.  In any case, except for already
crippled horses, the horses Nelson cares for generally stay sound, barefoot
or shod unless they are injured or suffer illness.  We do a lot of pasture
pets but just as many athletes (endurance, team penners, cutters, reiners,
dressage, etc.)  We have joked about starting our own "fad" hoof care craze
called NCS...Nelson's Common Sense theory of  shoeing and/or trimming!  :)
Soon, he'll be travelling the globe teaching people to use their brains to
think for themselves!!  :)  Please take this in the spirit in which it is
intended...many of the people who believe in the Strasser method or the NBS
shoeing or 4 point or wild horse trim or whatever, take time to educate
themselves, find it works for their horse and they are happy and naturally
want it to work for everyone else.  Many do NOT take the time to educate
themselves...that is my main concern.  That is why I take time to respond on
this forum and offer my humble opinions...that is all they are.  Humble and
mine.  I hope only to encourage people to do the best they can by their
horses, whether it's feeding beet pulp and fat or finding a method to shoe
or trim their horse.
Go give your horses a carrot (I bet that's something everyone can buy
into!!) and go riding!
Maggie