Re: RC: Wild horse trim

[Jerry and Melanie Johnson <payback@dmi.net>]

Hi Rachel!

I read the article and just loved it.  It makes sense to me.  I maintain my horses barefoot and because they are running on a gravel bank, their hoof soles and frogs are polished and hard as described in the article.  I only usually have to do minor trimming and shaping with a rasp every 3-4 weeks...it depends upon the individual.  No contracted heels, no splits, etc.....great feet!  The ability to salvage a badly foundered horse and end up with what is in the photos is amazing..... Thanks for bringing it to our attention.  I have bookmarked the site and sent others to it....

I agree with some posts.....some farriers won't go along with it...one I talked to out here in Idaho says he runs all of his  mules barefoot in the mountains and they have great feet.....he has friends who shoe everything.....and they won't even try......so, like everyone else, you have to have an open mind.   I have seen the BLM horses when they first arrive and it looks like they have been freshly trimmed.....not possible of course.....wonderful feet and legs......Where I live, they have BLM horses available for adoption every other year......

Rachel Ward wrote:

>  Hi
> guys,   
> Have any of you tried the "wild horse trim" on your horses as advocated
> by Jaime Jackson and Bergy Bergeleen (farriers) and others?  Supposedly,
> this manner of hoof trimming and keeping the horse barefoot has "considerable
> value in preventing lameness and improving performance in sound horses". 
> It sounds like it could be a wonderful thing for endurance horses. (not
> on rocks of course!)    
> I am interested in it because it also is supposed to help horses that have
> been severely foundered.  ( Yep, Boogie is mine now!  :-) ) But
> I am considering trimming the horses that I plan on doing LD's with the
> same way.  Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? 
> There is an excellent website @ http://members.screenz.com/gretchenfathauer/newpage8.htm
> which explains this method much better than I can.  Opinions, please?Rachael,
> Boogie, Cien, Sunny and Pooh (the herd)