Namaste Barefoot Trimming

09/08/2025

The smallest details mean a lot to a horse. If they can feel a fly land on any part of them, they can also feel any inconsistencies underfoot.

This little mare has really nice feet now but she didn't always have the best feet and she has also struggled with balance issues and anxiety while being trimmed.

This latest trim I was able to apply what I've recently learned. Her trim itself changed only very subtly, but I was able to understand and receive her communication when she was asking to put her foot down. We got into a nice rhythm of allowing her to check her balance midway through each hoof after which I would double check and do a little more detail work. She was very happy with this new arrangement and with her mind at ease she willingly had the next foot ready each time.

Horses think and react quickly, but they process slowly. We need to slow down and quiet our mind if we want them to come "online" and communicate with us.

I am finding that by intentionally slowing down, it most often doesn't take any longer to do the work and in many cases like with this sensitive, anxious girl, the trim actually went quicker.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

09/05/2025

Yesterday I said goodbye to my very first horse Sofie aka Sofa after 16 1/2 years together. She was the horse that introduced me to hoof rehab and the horse I learned to trim on. Life and humans were not kind to her in her 7 years prior to me and I learned a lot from her on how to work with, not against horses with compromised bodies.

She lit a fire in me to do my best to help horses, particularly those that have fallen through the cracks of traditional methods and chronically misunderstood, and she will be missed but never forgotten, the light of her spirit will burn bright in the work that I do.

09/03/2025

Zero was grateful for his shoes today and Bucky was great emotional support as always

08/30/2025

Soft tissue development on a founder case

08/29/2025

This sequence of photos is from a recent trim on a rehab mare. Notice how much the hairline and the tissues above the hoof have settled and relaxed immediately post trim, and 20 minutes later. She normally avoids fully weighting this foot and after the trim she fully loaded it and leaned into her new balance for probably 15 minutes which resulted in the change between the middle and bottom photo.

This mare has been on my schedule for 6 months, previously she arrived to her most recent barn with her feet trimmed too short and metal shoes improperly applied. After the shoes were pulled she would not let any farrier work on her and went about 10 weeks without a trim. She has allowed me to work on her but I had to be very conservative. She has been comfortable throughout the process and her new growth has come in tighter and healthier, but the amount of distortion she was requiring me to leave was keeping her from truly developing her feet.

Distortion in the feet also has an impact on the body. This mare has a lifetime of compensation and pain to address in her body and we decided recently that it was time to "overrule" her and give her a proper trim. With Dorm gel on board the process went smoothly. The following day she was feeling the ground a bit more thoughtfully but had no lameness or soreness. She allowed me to inspect her hooves and test with my knife to see if any more dead retained sole needed to let go and her whole attitude had visibly changed.

08/21/2025

Setup trim on an adorable Welsh pony who also got his prepurchase exam today

08/18/2025

I went to the David Landreville- On the Vertical clinic to learn about how to build soft tissue, with goals of refining techniques and troubleshooting problems. And while I achieved all of that, some of the most powerful lessons from the clinic had both everything and nothing to do with hoof care.

The first note I wrote down on day one was one word, Awareness.

Hoof trimming requires a lot of awareness. Reading the horse, paying attention to what's going on around you, trying to stay safe. David has a different take on awareness. The first thing we worked through on day one was bringing awareness to our individual and collective level of anxiety as a group. David gets himself and the horse as close to a zero as possible before he will even pick up a foot. He encouraged us to practice awareness of our number throughout our days as we work toward emotional regulation.

Horses don't respond well to anxiety, and anxiety festers when people don't communicate. The second note I write down was Communication. As someone who is healing from conflict avoidance, direct communication is something I must diligently practice and improve my comfort with. Because it doesn't just come down to technique. Communication between the horses care team members is essential, or things can easily break down.

The third word I wrote down, and the word that keeps coming up as I process the clinic experience is Acceptance.

Acceptance of ourselves and our horses, acceptance of our flaws, our limitations, acceptance of situations that are challenging, and acceptance of others. We don't have to react to everything. We can accept that some things might not be for us. If we have awareness and acceptance of our level of understanding, our mental and physical capabilities and our emotional limitations, we can fully communicate what we can do in any given situation.

It was incredibly healing and validating to hear an international level clinician be so open about his anger issues, learning curves and ADHD quirks. I am leaving inspired by all that I learned, observed and felt to keep growing and honing my skills as a hoof care provider and a human.

08/15/2025

Clinic Weekend 📝

I am in Gowanda NY to learn from David Landreville this weekend. I already have a list of questions to ask but sometimes you guys have great questions that I want to explore more. Feel free to share any hoof care questions here!

08/14/2025

I can personally attest to the high standards of care and customer service this young woman provides. We are also happy to collaborate on cases for any clients that would like their horses full body and feet balanced with collaborative, holistic care. She is currently based out of the eastern UP but I'm hoping to get her to Marquette county more frequently 😉

Beyond the logo.

My name is Izetta, and I am the hands and heart behind Circle S Equine Massage.

I was inspired to pursue equine body work, after encountering numerous health issues with my own gelding. After being diagnosed and treated for Lymes disease, my gelding still wasn’t himself. I sought out a reputable equine body worker in my area, and Romeo and I’s lives were changed after her first visit. I could see how he was able to relax and rebuild a connection with his body peacefully and fully.

Over the years, Romeo continued to see a variety of different professionals, all of whom helped him on his healing journey. But once we moved, I couldn’t take the lovely team of healers with me.

So I became one myself.

I am a certified equine body worker, trained in the Amassage method, through the Midwest Natural Healing For Animals LLC.

I have personally witnessed how life changing massage therapy can be, and I want to share this with my clients. Whether you prefer to take it easy down the trail, piaffe into the sunset, chase cans, or simply admire the pasture pets in your back yard, I would love to work with you and your beloved horses.

I am currently located in Sault Ste Marie Mi, and am now taking clients🤍

08/12/2025

Carlos the donkey had a major infection of his inner hoof wall that I resected with veterinary assistance from Dr Lara of Northern Lights Veterinary Services at the end of May. He's taken it all in stride and this is his healing progress in 2 trim cycles since the resection. I expect in another 1-2 trim cycles his toe will be back on the ground.

08/11/2025

Blue's composites have been keeping him comfy trail riding and jumping with his little girl. We have been getting multiple resets out of the Speeds with him.

08/07/2025

Pearl had recurrent abscesses in her left front last year, all of which has grown out into a much healthier foot