VJ's Hoof Care

08/10/2022

That moment when you get a new client and they ask
"Can you take more off the Hoof so the trim cycle lasts longer"....

It doesn't quite work like that. (I wish it did tho sometimes)
Trimming them too short goes against everything I believe in for Barefoot horses.

I mean, technically, I *could* take more off BUT that's only helpful to the budget not the horse.

Trimming too short can cause all sorts of problems but the most immediate and detrimental is....it can lame the horse.

We want everything on the bottom of the foot to be rock hard, calloused and ready to travel over anything they might encounter.

I'm afraid I didn't score very well with that new client. Thankfully, I think the horse appreciated it.

04/10/2022

Severely stretched and bruised laminea.

Most likely dietary as the horse is pretty overweight and cresty. We'll see how he progresses.

03/09/2022

I'll be in Orofino and Weippe tomorrow, 3/10.

I have an opening for a couple horses.

Please let me know if you'd like to get on the schedule.

03/07/2022

When scheduling becomes a challenge....
that's a good thing and I am so not complaining.

Hoping this means spring will be super busy!!!

02/24/2022

02/24/2022

It may not seem like it today but spring and good riding weather are just around the corner. My books are filling fast. Please give me a call or text if you'd like to get on schedule.
208 748 9073

08/01/2020

Our vacation starts in about 6 hours. We will return to work on Aug. 18th. I will check messages daily but may not always be able to repsond quickly. Text messaging is best. 559 203 4683.

04/02/2020

Our vacation starts as soon as we get these last 10 horses trimmed. We'll return to work on April 15th. I'll be away from my phone, hopefully the entire 12 days but i will check messages and return any emergency calls. Stay healthy everyone!!!!

11/30/2017

VJ's Hoof Care

VJ's Hoof Care

My vacation has official started as of this morning. Work resumes on December 12th. I will check my phone, email and facebook messages periodically but will only respond to emergency situations. Happy trails everyone. See you all in a couple weeks! :)

11/30/2017

My vacation has official started as of this morning. Work resumes on December 12th. I will check my phone, email and facebook messages periodically but will only respond to emergency situations. Happy trails everyone. See you all in a couple weeks! :)

10/29/2017

The girls new feeders. We found that they were shaking too much hay out when the Hay Chix hay nets were left loose on the ground OR when put inside the old fruit bin feeders. So, we took apart the two Large West Coast Bale nets, restrung the rope on the outside edges of the now flat nets, then laid them over the fruit bins, with the hay held inside. This set up is working the best so far. The hay stays off the ground, under the barn so safe from the elements and they can't "shake" the hay out and eat freely. Very simple to fill, just peel back one side of the net, drop in 2 or 3 large bales, reattach the net, tie and secure THEN cut the strings on the bales and everything falls into place.

09/14/2017

Kind of a bummer of a work day. My truck tool box is somehow STUCK shut...couldn't get my tools out. Thankfully had a spare nipper and rasp in the back seat but had to use my knee for finishing hooves as my hoof stand was stuck in the tool box too :( I'm wiped out. It's been a long time since I had to use my knee for finishing. I forgot how exhausting that is! Hopefully Keith can get the tool box unstuck when he gets home. Not looking forward to more days without my stand!

09/14/2017

Loving our Hay Chix small holed hay nets!!!! The girls seem to love them too. The only thing I haven't liked is that they roll the nets around and that spills some of the hay so they were going thru bales pretty quickly. I needed a couple feeders to put in the barn, so I repurposed these old fruit bins that were also once dog houses. Now they can't roll or toss the nets around and the hay is lasting even longer.

Thank you Hay Chix
Using the West Coast bale Slow Feeder net. Put into use late July 2017

Blue enjoying the feeder

03/29/2017

Jeremy Cluff & J Diamond J Horse Training

I tried this today and it worked really well!!!!!

Watch before you waste money on the "New Big Thing" in shedding horses.

02/15/2017

I LOVE when I get a new client and they prepare me for the worst (ie: give me the HONEST truth about their horses behavior) and then the horse completely surprises us all and stands great and doesn't kick my
teeth out! LOL Thank you Nancy for the honesty! But you have a great little mare!!!!!

12/30/2016

Yesterday, I had the privilege of working with Dr. Ford and his awesome Staff. New horse, most likely just a one time trim as she was in the care and custody of Fresno Humane Animal Services and is going back to her owner today....She had a HORRIBLE laceration to the hind right inside heel. I was SO grateful Dr. Ford was there to geld an older stud and give me guidance on this mare. The cut went into the hair line and we had to work quickly as she had been medicated to get the job done, so Dr. Ford did the actually trimming of the HUGE chunk of heel that needed to come off! It was nice to see just how far up I needed to go...If left on my own, I probably wouldn't of had the guts to go so high. I would of been more conservative and NOT as effective! Poor girl couldn't put ANY weight on that hoof. She felt MUCH better after it was gone! :) I also got to do my first ever trim on a completely knocked out and down horse. After he gelded the older stud (approx. 11~13 years old) I trimmed him while he was still out. I was nervous doing that too. Not only did I have a large audience (and I'm a little shy in front of groups) I was nervous he was gonna wake up while I was down on the ground trimming. Dr. Ford was AWESOME!!!! Learn something new every day and I am extremely grateful for his knowledge and support!

09/29/2016

Certified Horsemanship Association

Be mindful of the footing and how hard and long you work them on it.

Read on to become a proverbial Goldilocks of footing!

09/09/2016

I hurt my back almost two weeks ago. No particular incident, just a really hard day at work. It's not getting any better and I'm still nursing it. Barely...and I literally mean BARELY made it thru todays horses. I haven't taken time off to rest it, so that is the plan for tomorrow thru Monday...no work, no play, no nothing. I'm sorry Indi and Mojo! Thank you for always being so patient, flexible and understanding.

08/31/2016

Yesterdays work load of all warmbloods has me WORN OUT today. They all stood fine but dang, they are BIG. Not as big as drafts of course but I never do that many draft feet in one day. Feeling VERY thankful for the unscheduled day off (sometimes client reschedules work to my advantage LOL).

08/30/2016

Long drive..long day...but it was a GOOD day. Got to meet an ex~olympic rider. 81 years old and he still starts horses and does all his own trimming and shoeing. EIGHTY ONE years old! That is AWESOME! I hope I'm still kicking at 80 let alone riding and trimming!!!!!