Stepping Stone Equine Hoof Care - Angie Howard

As barefoot trimmers we base our trimming techniques on the proven model of the hoof of the wild horses living in central Australia. But of course you can’t just trim the hoof on the outside to make it look like a brumby hoof!

When studying the wild horse it is apparent that the hoof is just one part of the key. It is also a window to the soul of the horse. The old saying “No hoof no horse” holds so much more meaning when studying the horse and the hoof.

The hoof will show signs of the health of the horse, and this is dictated by the diet, movement and environment. One very important thing to remember – a barefoot trimmed horse is not a horse with no shoes, in fact it is very different. The ‘natural’ barefoot trim allows the hoof to flex from toe to heel, build toe callous, frog density, connected growth, wall thickness, sole thickness, encourages circulation.