Barefoot Hoofcare

All 23 horses on our farm are barefoot!  In fact, every horse we take into our herd is trimmed under barefoot protocols.  We believe it is the best possible management for the equine hoof.   We have been barefoot hoof trimming our horses for  15 years and have a wide variety of shapes and sizes to account for.  Some of our horses are used for competition - dressage, eventing or show jumping, some for trail and some as educational mentors with students who come here to study.   Never has the barefoot standard let us down.   ForTheHorse hosted the very first barefoot clinics in this area and we continue to be on the bleeding edge of research and knowledge as it develops. 

We also rehabilitate poor hoof conditions and pathological feet.  All work is done barefoot with regular radiograph references.  We have many  successful rehabilitation horses to our credit who have gone on to enjoy happy, healthy and productive lives.  Examples of our rehabilitation horses are:  chronic founder, laminitis, navicular, hoof imbalances, cracks, ringbone, etc.

As we have experienced many horses and the barefoot care of their hooves over the years, we have come to strongly believe that there are many myths turned into tradition, to the horse's detriment.  Although unfortunate for the horse the situation is gradually changing with more and more horse owners recognizing the benefits of barefoot!

For extreme terrain conditions, rehabilitation and transition, we use the Marquis Hoof Boot, www.MarquisBoot.com.   All of the horses in our rehabilitation program have appreciated the Marquis hoof wear.  There is a specific shape that is healthy for horses' feet to be.  The more their feet deviate from that shape, the less healthy the foot.  The Marquis hoof wear are biomechanically engineered around this specific shape that is healthy.  Therefore, trimming your horse with this shape in mind gives your horse a healthier hoof!  We have done this for years with our poor hoof rehabilitation horses.  The MPGo glue ons) are used regularly as well as the original Marquis Hoof Boot and work extremely well for rehabilitation, transition and competition.

Merlin in the winter with all four hoof boots on!

Jester with all four Marquis boots on preparing for Eventing.

BAREFOOT TRIMMING with Isla Adderson

Isla Adderson has been barefoot trimming for the past 12 years. Over the years, her trimming technique has been influenced by the horses who have been trimmed at ForTheHorse, and she now treats each horse as an individual with a "less is more" approach.   Isla is trimming for other horse owners and applying her knowledge to the most vigorous competition horse or to the back yard pet and anywhere in between.

She is presently accepting more clients.  

For rates and availability please email Isla at Isla@ForTheHorse.com