Natural Hoof Care, Holistic Horse Care in Western Colorado Also offering Natural Horse Boarding in Paonia, CO
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Last week was super fun! Don visited from California for a 5-day intensive, one-on-one, ISNHCP Step 2/3 Cadaver trimming and Sequencing clinic!
Unlike the big group 2 day trim clinics, people that learn with me get TONS of individual attention and build a skill to trim confidently. They also come prepared by The ISNHCP’s rigorous academic studies and quizzes that are required before attending the clinics.
I’m looking forward to continuing Don’s NHC trainings in the future.
When Paddock Paradise was first introduced as a new paradigm in horse keeping practices, many horse owners opposed the idea as a result of not understanding it, not liking the ‘inconvenience’ of changing and/or simply because people are often skeptical of ANY ideas that are new, different or foreign to their traditions or way of thinking.
Thankfully, the logic of this system resonated with some of us immediately and one by one, we gave it a try. Now, it continues to be a fast-growing model for healthy horse keeping around that world. When we speak of their health, we mean the physical, mental and emotional symptoms of good health for all domestic horses!
Happy Independence Day! I was proud to see the horses with the best feet in the parade were the ones who use Natural Hoof Care!
If you want your horses to be sound on all surfaces, including roads, rocky trails, etc., find an ISNHCP or AANHCP practitioner or study in the ISNHCP to trim your own, and apply the 4 pillars of Natural Horse Care: Natural Trim, Paddock Paradise boarding, Natural Horsemanship, and a Reasonably Natural Diet.
We do not advise ‘strip-grazing’ or turning the horses into the center for ‘standing hay.’ Part of the formula for achieving safe grass hays is by having it cut and allowing it to cure, which begins the process of breaking down and reducing the sugar and starch stored in the plants (the process of respiration).
There is no safe way for horses to graze in grass pastures that are not located in or in similar biomes as their natural/adaptive habitat. The only time we suggest turnout in the center is for some playtime.
(Jaime Jackson addresses the herds of wild horses/ponies living in environments to which the species did not adapt 1.4 million years ago in his book The Natural Trim: Principles and Practice. These include but are not limited to the Kaimanawa horses of New Zealand, the Camargue ponies of France, the the Chincoteague ponies of Assateague Island, the Duelmener ponies of Germany and the Dartmoor ponies of southwestern England. NHC advocates have observed these herds and their hooves and found them to frequently be “overgrown, suffering from diseases, and badly in need of natural hoof care.” On page 37 is a photo of a Dartmoor mare whose hoof “is covered with stress rings, a telltale symptom of chronic laminitis.”
Photos by
Horses did not evolve to graze in grass pastures. This image is a ‘pasture’ in wild horse country. Photo shot in Nevada - in the U.S. Great Basin - an arid, high desert habitat that is the equine species’ adaptive biome. This is where research has shown us that healthy, sound and fit wild and free-roaming horses live and proliferate.
Photo taken by then-ISNHCP student Albert Villasevil.
There would be no more grass pasture turnout if horse owners understood the species appropriate diet and environment. Look at the photo below for an example of a species appropriate environment.
A healthy, beautiful and naturally trimmed hoof such as this one is possible by providing species-appropriate management and care. The natural trim stimulates healthy, natural growth patterns that will allow the horse to grow its own best hoof but the trimming method's role is limited, and will be diminished or enhanced by the diet, lifestyle, environment and other management practices provided. It is not enough to simply have 'good footing.'
Photo by Dario Arcamone at the Aanhcp headquarters, August 2015. For more information, please take a look at the Paddock Paradise Track System page.
What could be more practical or healthy than a genuine, natural, species-appropriate domestic environment where horses live in a herd, outside, at all times? (In a Paddock Paradise track system, there is no need for hanging toys like plastic apples, no mirrors, no sugary, licking things, no snuffle matts or other products designed to lessen neurotic behaviors created by unnatural management practices.) This is the lower level that connects to the track on top of the hill.
Pic by
"Aggressive" mustang roll
Uninformed trimming methods, even if well-intended, can alter hoof form and function to the detriment of the hoof capsule's integrity.
Founded upon the Second Guiding Principle of the Natural Trim, "Remove only that which is naturally worn away in the wild," trimming method should never remove the naturally forming callus at the bottom of the hoof. Correct application of the mustang roll is one of the most important aspects of genuine natural hoof care. How, you will discover in the following paragraphs.
The hoof is designed for peripheral loading, which could explain why shoeing a horse has historically prevailed. We could speculate that the metal shoe was originally inspired by nature to protect the wall from excessive wear. Natural horseshoes are so subtle to the human eye that their existence never entered the human mind. Not until the U.S. Great Basin wild horse research conducted by J. Jackson between 1982 and 1986. Following this research, Jackson discovered that the inner part of the hoof wall, the hardest and most distal part, serves as nature's horseshoe. It plays an important role in natural hoof balance, and when its growth is obstructed by invasive trimming, shoeing, or the application of composite materials, it retracts, causing mass changes to protect its delicate dermal structures.
The term "mustang roll" has been widely popularized among hoof care professionals. However, little attention is paid to the etymology of the term and how mustangs "roll" their wall in the wild. The natural bevel is created from underneath, meaning there is no excess growth or inadequate growth along the perimeter of the hoof wall. The equilibrium between growth patterns and wear patterns is possible not only due to movement and lifestyle but also to the adaptive habitat in which wild horses roam freely. This equilibrium ensures that the inner wall (stratum internum) always actively presses against the bearing surface. The formation of the mustang roll is a complex process, with mass changes occurring at different rates in different places. The hoof capsule transmits information to the supercorium and feeds it back to the autonomous nervous system. Feedback loops between the ground and mechanisms orchestrating mass changes define the biodynamic nature of the hoof. Little to no attention is given in the scientific literature to hoof biodynamics based on the wild horse model. NHC is truly pioneering better hoof care practices based on evidence garnered from nature.
An "aggressive" mustang roll can sometimes be applied to conceal pathology. Thinning the wall around the toe and "raising" the mustang roll beyond its natural boundary may fix the issue conceptually, but it compromises the hoof capsule's integrity. In the short term, the supercorium may subvert the "aggressive" mustang roll, but using it as a trimming strategy will have detrimental consequences.
How much horn is removed should be determined by a set of principles that evolve around the characteristics of naturally shaped hooves rather than mind-oriented theories removed from the natural world. This means that the natural thickness of the sole, frog, and most importantly, the hoof wall, including the mustang roll, is always intact.
Domestication brought upon the horse necessities of general care such as trimming, feeding, and boarding. With its arrival, domestication took away the adaptive environment. Without this environment, hooves are usually the first to descend into chaos. The "aggressive" mustang roll, at best, serves as a mechanical way of controlling disorganised mass, but it fails the horse because it cannot fix the problem at the level of symptoms. Instead we need to look into causality for solutions. Disorganised mass is an effect, not cause. Unnatural diet, boarding, hoof care, and riding practices affect the growth patterns of domesticated horses. Hooves do not grow astray in one day, and laminitis does not strike out of nowhere. Both concoctions are a result of unnatural lifestyle. This is why the U.S. Great Basin wild horse research plays a key role in natural horse care. By replicating adaptive environment we address hoof pathology not with aggression, but with kindness—not by concealing pathology, but by resolving it.
An "aggressive" mustang roll means solar loading; it means that the hoof wall no longer actively bears weight. It also means that the natural thickness of the hoof wall is gone, resulting in deformities. Peripheral loading means that the active bearing surface is always exerted on the wall, particularly in three distinct points along the perimeter of the stratum internum: two on the heel-buttresses and one around the medial toe wall. These three distinct points define natural hoof balance.
An "aggressive" mustang roll diminishes the natural thickness of the hoof wall. When viewed from the volar profile, thin walls blend into the landscape of wall separation and stretched lamellar attachment, with little to no wall touching the ground. Thinned walls can no longer support descending weight, often resulting in a dropped sole and other graphic sights.
Arresting these pathological changes requires knowledge on the level of the hoof, as well as practical application of the NHC principles.
In principle, correctly applied mustang roll will be a marker of natural hoof balance. You can check for natural hoof balance with a simple tool, the hoof balancer, and find additional information in a companion book The Hoof Balancer, developed by Jaime Jackson and available on his website www.jaimejackson.com Alternatively, reach out to us, or one of our practitioners. We train for competence.
Photograph credit: AANHCP
August 5-9, 2024
UPCOMING CLINIC
Delta Country, Colorado, USA
Join ISNHCP today and discover the practical application of the Natural Trim. This is a theory in practice, 5-day Step 2/3 Clinic experience with ISNHCP Instructor Morgan Herum on September 5-9 2024.
📖 What will you learn?
▶️ The characteristics of a naturally shaped hoof
▶️ Safe and humane trimming method rooted in equine biology
▶️ Navigate through hoof pathology
▶️ Proven protocols for healing and preventing laminitis
▶️ Practical applications of the U.S. Great Basin wild horse model
🤔 Why choose ISNHCP?
🧏♀️ Direct access to the first hand, authentic information pioneered by Jaime Jackson, the father of natural hoof care and the barefoot movement.
🔍 A holistic approach to hoof care through the Four Pillars of Natural Horse Care based upon the U.S. Great Basin wild horse model
🌟 A meaningful career that is rooted in solution-based protocols.
Learn the principles and practices of natural horse care and join us in pioneering the future of humane care for horses!
Sign up today and start your journey with us!
For more details, visit www.ISNHCP.net
ISNHCP 2024 Training
Interested in becoming a Natural Hoof Care Practitioner? I am an instructor for the ISNHCP, Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices. The ISNHCP provides a thorough, academic and hands on education in the natural trim, reasonably natural diet, natural boarding(Paddock Paradise), and natural horsemanship. There is still time to complete your Step 1 course work before the Step 2/3 cadaver trimming and sequencing clinic, which I will host in Paonia, CO August 5-9, 2024. Go to http://ISNHCP.net for more information and to enroll!
Want to study natural hoof care? There is still time to enroll and get your coursework done for the Step 2/3 Cadaver trimming and Sequencing clinic, which is August 5-9, 2024.
While we can’t always provide the equivalent (or, enough) activities for our domestic horses - compared to that of equines living naturally in the wild in a natural / adaptive habitat - to replicate their hooves, we can do our best to try. Our horses never self-trimmed in the manner of the Great Basin horses (Mustangs) living naturally but they were close. The beauty of the natural trim is that it impacts growth patterns from the coronary band down, in addition to adjustments made to the hoof wall or bars. The trim, the diet, the lifestyle and the environment all play a role in the health of the hooves and its characteristics or appearance. The hooves are constantly displaying ‘symptoms’ of health or of pathology.
The more we learn, the better we can do. Check out the website for a number of articles covering all the pillars of NHC.
Pic by
When your NHC practitioner asks you to make diet or lifestyle changes because they’re trying to help your horse avoid disaster, do you do your best to make the change?
Great post! Be the change you want to see.
So many activists focus on what is wrong, so many hoof care practitioners focus on what is pathological.
Why not focus on the positive, what’s right?
Why not direct our attention to what is healthy?
After all, what we focus on grows, and attracts more of the same.
The barefoot world seems to be swimming in a bucket of s**t and is obsessed with dead body parts.
Literally, there is so many pictures of highly deformed cadavers, so much discussion about it ,thousands of comments and drama surrounding it 🐴
The barefoot movements seem to thrive on the extreme pathology despite preaching otherwise.
What positive can come out of mouthing about the pathology of a dead foot ?
It won’t bring this poor horse back to life.
Farriers and vets seems to be hammered for it all.
Farriers don’t seem to be bothered about barefooters unless barefooters behave like maniacs and are on the rant for the farriery work.
I personally have friends who are farriers and I find it pretty disturbing how they all get the same terrible labels online. There are no farriers that go to farriery school to learn how to deliberately harm horses.
SHIFTING THE FOCUS
There is immense value in deliberately shifting our focus away from pathology and embracing the good and healthy. There is so much knowledge online about species-appropriate living and how to build healthy horses and beautiful hooves.
Jaimie Jackson has gifted the world with the exact blueprint of how to achieve this and a healthy hoof should be our main goal .
How to truly change the equine world and spark thinking in people?
This is what I always do as a rehab facility when horses arrive in shoes.
I ask the owner to get their farrier to come out and take the shoes off. I always treat all farriers with respect even if I don’t agree what they are saying . I have had many encounters with farriers that arrived and they were truly fascinated with the beautiful hooves many of the horses have here.
They even went as far as to ask me :
“Show me how you trim like that”
So girls use your woman attributes and magic aka .smile and be polite
(as the majority of the barefoot world is filled with women compared to the farriery world and we are at advantage here ) and show farriers beautiful, healthy and functional hooves to spark curiosity that there is a better way 😉
After all :
“Ignore all pathology “ Jaimie Jackson
When I got my horse, Madhu, I thought the best environment was a grass pasture. I knew stalls were inhumane, and thought that horses were supposed to eat grass. That’s what I saw.
While Madhu lived 24/7/365 turned out on pasture, I saw many issues with his feet-abscesses, thrush, white line separation, and a crack. I saw issues in the hooves of the other horses in his herd. I didn’t know why.
Fortunately, Paige Wilfert, who would become one of my mentors, encouraged me to study in the ISNHCP, the Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices.
In my studies, I learned about the ideal diet, environment, movement and trim of horses as a species. I learned that grass hay is the ideal diet, fed in a slow trickle while the horse wanders between bites.
As I learned more, I wanted to improve Madhu’s quality of life and wellbeing, which is why I eventually built a Paddock Paradise. Paonia Paddock Paradise is here for your horse to get THE optimal and most natural care that can be provided.
a litter of 7 week old piglets that I saw at one of my appointments today
How NHC Lexicon influenced modern hoof care language
The foundation of today’s hoof care language is deeply rooted in the terminology shaped by the Natural Hoof Care (NHC) movement based on Jaime Jackson’s wild horse research in the U.S. Great Basin. Little do we realize the etymology of our NHC words, and the bigger story behind the new vocabulary that is used in the every day language of hoof care.
First, let's start with the widely referenced “Mustang Roll.” This term has become a cornerstone of the barefoot lexicon, although it is even used by farriers offering barefoot trims. The term Mustang Roll was originally coined to conceptualize natural wear, not known before Jaime’s research discovered its unique pattern. Not only was it a new defining characteristic of natural wear, but redefined thinking about hoof “breakover” as well. The Mustang Roll provided incontrovertible evidence that breakover was multidirectional instead of forward over the toe, challenging the widespread thinking behind the use of horseshoes forged with “rolled toes.” See breakover link below.
A lesser known term used to describe the angular growth of the hoof is the “Healing Angle (or H°),” which added much new meaning to the more commonly heard term, “toe angle.” Again, coming directly from Great Basin wild horses was the realization that not all toe angles seen among domesticated horses are natural for the species. The message coming from the wild was that horses living natural lifestyles in the horse’s adaptive environment (such as the Great Basin) grow hooves within certain toe angle ranges. Toe angles measuring outside those ranges are not natural and, according to Jaime can be correlated to gait obstruction and lameness. You can learn plenty about H° and natural angle ranges from NHC books along with other good information.
Other big surprises that originated out of Jaime’s research are the terms “Natural Rider” and “Natural Horsemanship” based on the wild horse model. They originated in the 1980s when he was writing his manuscript for what would become his first book on NHC, “The Natural Horse: Lessons From the Wild.” The combination of words was so catchy; many horsemen had incorporated it into their branding, which led to widespread use of natural horsemanship as a way of riding. But what did natural horsemanship really mean through the lens of NHC? It defined a horse and their mount moving in harmony and balance without causing harm to the horse’s body or mental state. This pointed directly to yet another term he called the “Natural Gait Complex (NGC).” Albeit balanced riding was known in classical riding academies such as the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, NGC introduced the behaviors of wild horses into the framework of natural horsemanship. Jaime observed that if riding and training practices generated forced movements not seen in the wild – where lameness is virtually unknown – Navicular Syndrome could probably also be correlated.
Another gem, yet to be discovered and one day popularized is the term Supercorium. It stems from the word corium, the tissue that creates all epidermal structures comprising the hoof. It is a delicate organ that is at front and center of the ISNHCP educational program. It is an innervated intelligence network that controls the hoof’s growth patterns. When healthy it is capable of producing exceptionally healthy hooves. However, when environmental factors change, such as when horses ingest grass, a cascade of events leads to breakdown of this corium, resulting in Supercoriaitis, another NHC term that redefines laminitis. We now know that it is not only the horse’s foot that is in a state of inflammation, but the entire horse’s body, giving rise to another entirely new term, “Whole Horse Inflammatory Disease (WHID).” WHID and Supercoriaitis are well-explained in the book “Laminitis: An Equine Plague of Unconscionable Proportions.” While the cure for laminitis has been found, we must strive to update and share the NHC vocabulary to raise awareness amongst horse owners. So, the Supercorium, hidden away, is waiting to be discovered by the scientific community as a victim of WHID. Current efforts for change are driven by NHC advocates, ordinary people with exceptional motivation to improve the welfare of horses.
Next in line is the term “Natural Trim.” Despite misunderstandings and controversies surrounding it, the method still remains a beacon of authenticity in the hoof care world. The Natural Trim can be considered the lighthouse of the hoof care world. It needs to be preserved in its original form, and practiced if it is to survive, although Jackson expanded its meaning as a subset of “natural hoof care.” When practiced with humility and a commitment to nature's principles, it continues to challenge conventional methods and promote hoof health.
And last, but not least, comes the term “Paddock Paradise.” It is through this single concept that Natural Horse Care and Natural Hoof Care (NHC) have spread around the world. Paddock Paradise faces its own challenges, often removed from the wild horse paradigm and exploited as a stand alone idea. Although disconnected from the other 3 Pillars of NHC, Paddock Paradise is still revolutionizing horse boarding and horse management but under other names. It is also known as natural boarding, or as a track system. Most importantly, it emerged from wild horse country, based on observations made by Jaime of the behavior-driven lifestyle of wild horses. A term Jaime intends for everyone to use freely, Paddock Paradise must be applied through the lens of natural horse care in order to create a truly flourishing lifestyle for horses. It all started with a watchful eye and a mindful approach to creating a humane living place for horses to inhabit while in human care.
The NHC lexicon introduces new words and concepts that redefine traditional approaches to hoof and horse care. Rooted in Jaime Jackson's works, these terms reflect the ethos and values of the NHC movement, shaping the way we care for horses and their hooves.
See also Breakover link:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vdkKjbd5LCAgq9Pa/
I trimmed 6 horses today, 2 of which were extremely overgrown set up trims. My limit has been 2-3 horses since breaking my arm on March 3. I am thankful my arm is healing so well, that I had the strength to get to this point, and the strength to get through today! Also I am grateful to the loyal clients who stuck with me and had the patience for me to heal. Hoof care has been my livelihood and so not having to completely rebuild my business after an injury means a lot to me.
The first and only magazine on paddock paradise track systems and species appropriate living. Digital and quarterly releases!
A path in the U.S. Great Basin created and used by wild and free roaming horses (aka Mustangs) and other animals. Note the abrasive terrain and the absence of green grass growing in every direction! This is the footing that nature intended those hooves to move across easily!
Photo by Albert Villasevil
AANHCP
Five Overlooked facts about the Natural Trim no one is talking about.
Have you ever wondered why there's so much debate surrounding hoof trimming methods?
Over the last two decades barefoot trimming methods have proliferated worldwide. This emergence was catalyzed by groundbreaking research on wild horse hooves between 1982 and 1986, revolutionizing hoof care practices a decade later. Development of the Natural Trim method presented significant challenges. At the outset there were no tools, or records to guide the systematic mapping of wild horse hooves or document their natural shape.
The U.S. Great Basin wild horse hooves looked nothing like the hooves of domesticated horses. One of Jaime Jackson's initial discoveries was that the bottom of the hoof was not at all flat, challenging conventional notions of hoof balance. This raised questions: How do wild horses skillfully navigate rugged terrain of the U.S. Great Basin without artificial hoof protection? And why is there no lameness present? While conventional thinking suggests that horses absolutely need shoes for protection, Great Basin wild horses prove otherwise, seemingly growing their own natural 'horseshoes.’ How can we harness the principles of soundness observed in the horse's natural habitat? In the following discussion we will point to five key insights about the natural trim and its relevance to domesticated horses going without horseshoes.
1. The Natural Trim method mirrors nature
What does it entail to mirror nature? It means utilizing trimming tools with meticulous care, avoiding any attempt to sculpt or carve the hoof into artificially perfect shapes—a process akin to "cookie cutting." Instead, NHC practitioners employ specialized tools to simulate natural wear, maintaining a balance between wear and growth patterns. Through systematic application of the natural trim, skilled practitioners can prompt the development of natural growth patterns. Over several trimming sessions, this process gradually transforms the hoof capsule. ISNHCP practitioners do not manipulate or shape the hoof; rather, they facilitate the restoration of healthy growth by allowing nature to take its course. Their added responsibility is to know the characteristics of naturally shaped hooves in wild horses and understand how these traits transfer to the hooves of domesticated horses.
2. Consistent trimming guidelines
The Natural Trim method, pioneered by Jaime Jackson, stands out as the sole approach with consistent trimming guidelines. These guidelines serve as the cornerstone of the ISNHCP Natural Trim Training Program, providing students and practitioners with a comprehensive framework known as the Four Guiding Principles of the Natural Trim.
1️⃣ Leave that which should naturally be there:
This principle emphasizes retaining epidermal structures such as the hoof wall, frog plates, bars, and solar plates, each possessing their own form of natural thickness.
2️⃣ Remove only that which is naturally worn away in the wild:
Central to the method is the understanding of what constitutes a naturally shaped hoof, guiding practitioners to exercise restraint and to remove only what is naturally worn away. But knowing what is left over in the wake of natural wear is not possible if the practitioner is not confirmed to Principle #1.
3️⃣ Allow to grow that which should be there naturally but is not due to human meddling:
This principle underscores the importance of allowing the hoof to grow naturally, addressing with patience and forgiveness any infraction caused by misguided human interventions.
4️⃣ Ignore all pathology:
Rather than attempting mechanical fixes for hoof problems stemming from underlying systemic issues, practitioners let pathology resolve naturally over time with patience and appropriate interventions that focus on the causes of pathology than just its symptoms.
Chiselling of the hoof is ordained by nature, but such that meeting the animal’s survival needs equates with optimum health. Adaptive environments reflect the harmony between all facets of life and survival. Indeed, it is safe to assume that we must look beyond the hoof and out into the habitat. Here, we must transform our horses’ Paddocks into Paradise. Yet change comes also with challenging conventional beliefs about trimming while striving for harmony across all facets of equine life.
3. The Natural Trim: A horse's greatest ally against hoof debilitating conditions
The Natural Trim method emerges as the primary solution for addressing debilitating hoof conditions such as dropped soles, thin soles, or P3 penetrating the bottom of the foot, making it a recognized safe and humane trimming method.
Understanding how to address issues like excessive forward hoof growth or hoof wryness distinguishes the practitioner from a trimmer. The latter relies on trim mechanics alone, former is directed by the Four Guiding Principles of the Natural Trim. The Natural Trim can arrest these pathological changes, provided it is supported by the Four Pillars of NHC. Meaning, the application of the Natural Trim must extend beyond hoof care to encompass the broader context of a horse's life. While effective, the method does have limitations, particularly when horses are subjected to unnatural lifestyles or mismanagement. It's crucial to recognize that trimming alone cannot rectify issues stemming from systemic problems that don’t matrix within the hoof.
This revolutionary approach to hoof care still faces resistance from traditional hoof care professionals as well as academic scholars. Nevertheless, the Natural Trim proclaims to be the Number One method for safe and humane hoof care. The ISNHCP is at the forefront, offering comprehensive training rooted in the proven practices and principles of Natural Horse Care developed by Jaime Jackson.
4. Evidence-based trimming method
After four years of extensive study and research of Great Basin wild horses observed in the wild, as well as newly captured mustangs at BLM Corrals, the Natural Trim gradually emerged over time as a product of meticulous observation and analysis. Rooted in the principles of natural science, this method authentically reflects the untouched state of equine health and well-being. Despite the deceptive use of the term 'natural' elsewhere, here it signifies an unadulterated, pristine condition.
The journey towards developing the Natural Trim method was fraught with challenges, often marked by hostility and resistance. There were no learning materials, nor a mentor to pass on the knowledge. The Spirit of the natural horse gifted Jaime Jackson with the ability to look into the natural world of horses, and glean insights directly from the wild horses. Jaime's unwavering dedication, despite facing ridicule, has elevated his legacy, as the Natural Horse Care paradigm continues to reshape the landscape of horse management globally.
The advocacy for evidence-based science finds validation in the pathological changes observed in the hooves of wild mustangs weeks after their removal from their adaptive environment. But we expect this outcome as wild mustangs and their domestic cousins are one and the same species. Releasing horses back into the U.S. Great Basin is restricted beyond the jurisdiction of BLM. Yet, it is precisely here that we must seek evidence, as the research community turns a blind eye to potential solutions for many ailments haunting domesticated horses. As Jaime Jackson aptly asserts, "Science should not say one thing, and the natural world another." Further, the scientific method is predicated on an axiom that we must observe in nature, and not willfully contradict its wisdom. Hence, going into the horse’s natural world with the full force of good science can only open the blind eye to see the light.
5. Results require time, patience and understanding
Learning to trim horses' hooves is not a skill that can be acquired in three days. Just as Rome was not built in a day, the development of the Natural Trim method took considerable time and dedication. The ISNHCP Natural Trim Training Program draws from Jaime Jackson's four decades of experience as a natural hoof care practitioner, complemented by nearly a decade of horseshoeing.
Jaime's profound teaching experience in natural hoof care underscores a painful yet undeniable truth: impatience leads to harm. Rushing the learning process fosters excuses and a craving for instant gratification, a weakness of character exploited by quick-fix, fast track training camps. Promising immediate results without investing the necessary time and effort in mastering the complexities of natural hoof care as a profession is a “con job” by any other name. In the face of changes taking place within the barefoot movement, we advocate for structured training that requires accountability on our part. Confidence without competence lacks authenticity.
The ISNHCP is responsible for training their Practitioners, so they understand how to communicate vital information to and from the Supercorium using the Natural Trim method, acknowledging the biodynamic nature of the hoof and its responsiveness to the environment. Therefore, we approach trimming with diligence, patience, and a deep understanding of the horse's hoof.
IN ESSENCE
Naturally shaped hooves are a by-product of the horse’s lifestyle and habitat, not just the trim. Aided metaphysically by the Spirit of the Natural Horse, the Natural Trim method is a gift of nature to humanity, sustained by the ISNHCP's Vital Mission to advance humane care and management of domesticated horses through the skilled hands of its practitioners. ISNHCP is also a school of thought, where mastering concepts comes with patience in the quest for tangible results.
Our beliefs and principles about the hoof guide our hands and tools. Thus, we give much thought to the process of learning, and letting the hoof work speak for itself.
》》 Jaime Jackson, the founder of the Natural Trim based on the wild horse model, is an expert on natural hoof care. As a former farrier, he has integrated a diverse range of skills garnered from respected professionals to enrich his own portfolio. He is a critical thinker, researcher and an author of many books. His extensive publications incorporate a new terminology that has been popularized in everyday horse care. Jaime has broken ground on the “hoof mechanism” in its applications to barefoot hoof care, invented new tools to track changes in hoof mass across time with pathways leading to improved hoof structure and genuine natural hoof balance without resorting to resections and other forms of invasive trimming. He continues to influence and advocate for the ethical treatment of horses globally and the preservation of the wild, free-roaming horses of the U.S. Great Basin.
Photo credit: Jill Willis
Paonia, CO
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Reason 5 to choose Natural Hoof Care for your horses: “Nature created a hoof that can do the job without our nailing horseshoes to it“ (Jaime Jackson, Horse Owners Guide to Natural Hoof Care, p13). NHC practitioners have studied how to assist the horse to grow hooves that are fully comfortable and sound barefoot on all surfaces. With no shoes to cover up tenderness or lameness, horse keepers who use natural hoof care must get all elements of horse keeping as natural to the species as we can. Therefore, diet, lifestyle, the trim, and movement are finely tuned, not only promoting The healthiest feet but also the healthiest horses. The shoes may allow riding or soundness for a period, but since they are just treating symptoms and not the root cause of lameness, the horse doesn’t heal. Nature knows best and does it best. When humans decide to veer away and meddle, more problems arise. We see this in agriculture, chemical fertilizers initially causing growth and perhaps balancing out am imbalance, but in the long run, chemical fertilizers deplete the soil and disrupt the soil microbiome. #paoniacolorado #paonia #westernslopecolorado #naturalhorsecare #naturalhoofcare #nhc #coloradobarefoothorses #barefoothorse #barefoothorses #barefoottrim #naturaltrim #isnhcp #aanhcp
The sound of bare feet on the trails is the rhythm that soothes my soul.
Trail riding barefoot and bitless. Riding horses is far from a necessity for the majority of us, so why not ride as humanely and compassionately as possible?
Happy horse! #naturalhorsecare #nhc #naturalhoofcare #paddockparadise #coloradobarefoothorses #paoniapaddockparadise #barefoothorses
Playtime in Paddock Paradise. Play is part staying mentally healthy, turnout with other horses allows horses be horses. We see some amazing movements from these two! #nhc #naturalhorsecare #paoniapaddockparadise #paddockparadise
Our horses love running the hilly part of the Paddock Paradise, which is the way of keeping horses that mimics how free-roaming horses live in their natural environment. #paddockparadise #nhc #naturalhorsecare #tracksystemforhorses #paoniapaddockparadise #coloradobarefoothorses
The Saturday Dance #horselife #paddockparadise #paddocklife #coloradohorse #rolling #horserolling
Horses in Paddock Paradise #paddockparadise #naturalhorsecare #tracksystem #aanhcp #isnhcp
All credit goes to the work of Jaime Jackson of being able to traverse this trail in the Dark Canyon comfortably barefoot. #coloradohorses #barefoottrailhorses #jaimejackson #nhc #aanhcp #isnhcp #naturalhoofcare #naturalhorsecare
Navigating the new obstacle on the Paddock Paradise. #paddockparadise #paddockparadisetracksystem #naturalhorsecare #nhc #aanhcp #isnhcp #naturalhoofcare #coloradohorse #coloradohorses #coloradobarefoothorses
Natural Horse/Hoof Care makes for sound horses with rock-crunching barefoot hooves, while being an investment in those horses’ futures and the longevity of their careers. Message to schedule or find more info on my website: http://naturalhoofcarellc.wordpress.com
