Heart to Hoof Horsemanship

06/25/2025

Wild Mustang Hooves and Fake News -
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When I first posted the lead photo to our June issue of Barefoot News, featuring Erin Phillips' article and shared photos of the now deceased mustang, Echo, I didn't realize how many people would comment and say, "those are not mustang feet" and "you are lying". Even such elaborations as, "those were trimmed with a grinder" and "wild horse hooves do NOT look like that" 🤣

That's really wild! Because the photos came direct from The Cloud Foundation. In the comments, I'll share the screenshot of the dead mustang, Echo, and the link to the news video you can watch, which shows his body, and the very obvious feet, which are exactly as they appear here in the provided photos. No one ran out there and trimmed his feet. Seriously. Get real.

It's nice to see untouched hooves, and marvel at their design. Yes, mustang hooves do vary, as do all equines' hooves all over the world. These photos really are the hooves of one deceased Pryor Mountain Mustang. And over the years, I've seen countless examples that are very similar. Which just proves what I suspected - MORE people need to become familiar with the untouched hooves of horses living in ideal natural living conditions.

Hoof Help Online 🐴is where you have direct access to James & Yvonne, exclusive content, a barefoot trimming course, community access, 80 issues of The Horse's Hoof Magazine, 1000's of photos, 100's of articles, 70+ videos, FREE App and more! Info at: https://members.hoofhelponline.com/

The Horse's Hoof Barefoot News is a FREE monthly barefoot horse care e-newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thehorseshoof/50-giveaway

Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

06/25/2025

The Horse's Hoof Barefoot News June 2025 is released!
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What's in this issue? 🌞 Hooves of a Wild One: Remembering Echo 🌞 "A Timeline of the Barefoot Movement" Translated into Español! 🌞 Barefoot for Show Horses 🌞 2024 Study on Barefoot Methodology 🌞 June Cavallo Boot Giveaway 🌞 New Website Rebuild "The Horse's Hoof" - Coming SOON! 🌞 And more!

06/06/2025

When we launched The Horse's Hoof website in the summer of 2000 (25 years ago!!), I was still working as the Art Director for the top digital pre-press company in Phoenix. I had already built some websites (a brand new field!), which at that time were a bit complicated to build, using special software, and you had to know a little bit of code.

I used the complicated program Abobe Dreamweaver to build The Horse's Hoof website. I never spent nearly enough time on it, and the THH site always remained extremely humble. To this day, the site is still constructed in the old Dreamweaver in "Frames", which runs only on an outdated, retired computer, which may die at any moment! That is why the whole site is now a dinosaur! It is so old, it won't show up in search results, and gets little traffic. It looks like an ancient relic from the past. 😂

Hallelujah! I'm now hard at work on the new site. Yes, I am starting from absolute ground zero on this. The material for this is never-ending, and no problem at all to come up with articles galore. The construction will take a considerable amount of time, but I can launch with the basic framework and expand it slowly over time. The hard part for me has been deciding the big picture of the entire site map - strategically planning the site and making sure I don't make any major mistakes as I decide the categories and pages.

Here attached is just a glimpse of the beginning! As this will be a fairly simple site to start with, I'm optimistic that I'll be launching it in a relatively short amount of time. Wish me luck! 😁

Check out Hoof Help Online 🐴 where you have direct access to James & Yvonne, exclusive content, a barefoot trimming course, community access, 80 issues of The Horse's Hoof Magazine, 1000's of photos, 100's of articles, 70+ videos, FREE App and more! Info at: https://members.hoofhelponline.com/

The Horse's Hoof offers a FREE monthly barefoot horse care e-newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/thehorseshoof/50-giveaway

Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

05/20/2025

The Horse's Hoof Barefoot News May 2025 is released!
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What's in this issue? 🌼 Wise Trimming Tips from Cynthia Cooper 🌼 Holistic Farrier Nick Hill Shows How to Trim a Hoof! 🌼 Vaccines, Dewormers, and other Drugs have Risks 🌼 Recognizing the Relevance of Iron to Hoof Quality 🌼 A Hoof Boot just for Donkeys! 🌼 Happy Birthday Timely and Belle! 🌼 And more!

05/10/2025

Let me tell you a little story about The Horse's Hoof Website. 🤣
For a blast from the past, here is the front page of our website in 2005:

10 years ago, I had serious plans to rebuild the site in full. But... life happens. The plans were put on the back burner, over and over again. It's not a money-making site and it never was. I don't even sell any products anymore (when I did, it was small change; I long theorized I would have made more money as a non-profit!). The Horse's Hoof is simply a place to provide barefoot horse information and help others to help their horses.

My intention was for it to be a resource of practical and historical barefoot info for horseowners, now and into the future. But those nagging questions remain: will anyone even care if the site is rebuilt? Does anyone miss our old presence on the web, from back when we were always sharing the latest news, via promoting the once hard-copy "The Horse's Hoof Magazine"? Is there any NEED for an updated barefoot horse educational website and blog?

Still, it intrigues me: what can I create now if I put my mind to it? I do need a place to put up articles. I can create an easy access archive of all the past issues of Barefoot News. I can pull material off our old site and repurpose. I have ZILLIONS of barefoot horse and hoof photos from the past, and articles galore. I can write much longer new articles, invite guest articles, and share all the links right here in this newsletter. This is kicking everything up a notch.

The time has come! I'm jumping in! Armed with Youtube tutorials, and a desire to have no free time, I'm going to build a brand new Wordpress website for The Horse's Hoof! It feels overwhelming. But just like all things, I'll put one foot in front of the other, and see where this leads to. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

🌹 Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

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05/03/2025

That Spring Thing
Spring is in full swing! So now is a good time to ask, "Why do horses have so many hoof problems in the Spring?"

Yes, there really is a "Spring Thing" that happens with equines!

Horses seem to have measurable changes in their hormone levels in both the Spring and Fall, which might have to do with changing seasons, winter/summer coat growth, or possibly (as we have theorized), a preparation for their natural migration patterns (which might include excessive hoof growth).

There are a few other factors that come into place in the Spring. There is a change of terrain for horses in areas that were covered in snow just prior, and are now suddenly sprouting grass. There is a change of environment for many horses, when spring rains, mud, and even floods take place. Dietary changes occur when horses begin eating newly growing green grass.

Add to this the fact that in the Spring, many horses are dewormed, vaccinated, tranquilized for teeth floating, and trailered out to events or started up under saddle after the winter break.

And we're asking why there are problems?!!! Of course, you will see the repercussions of all this show up in the hooves. If you've done too much to the horse, the hooves will tell you. Listen to them, they are handy little warning devices. Figure out ways to manage your horse's stress level as best as possible during the Spring, especially. Expect that horses with rehabbing hooves could possibly have a rough period during the Spring (and/or Fall), but have patience, and it will come and go.

Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

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05/03/2025

3 Steps to Optimal Hoof and Horse Health

Do you think we're on the brink of something huge? A seismic shift in the public mindset; a greater awareness of how nutrition and environment directly impacts our human health - and thus, the health of our animals, too? I truly believe we are! And that means that the simple message of the barefoot horse movement might get through to MORE horseowners!

Sadly over the past couple decades, this message has often been blurred, overwritten with traditional horse care, and even forgotten. What is this magical message? The same simple one that we began broadcasting to our tiny audience back in 2000:

For optimal hoof and horse health, horses need:

1) LIFESTYLE: to live a physiologically-natural lifestyle, in a herd of other equines, with as much freedom of movement as is possible. In Nature, the horse is unrestricted and in virtually continuous motion. For correct horsekeeping, the horse is allowed constant natural movement with paddock or pasture access 24/7. The more restricted the living space (such as a tiny paddock or pen), the greater will be the owner's responsibility for providing the correct amount of daily movement (equivalent to 10-15 miles per day) through exercise.

2) NUTRITION: continuous uptake of forage and a large variety of plant species, as is possible. Rather than fed small daily "meals", horses should be fed free-choice grass hay/forage, using slow feed haynets if necessary, and utilizing constructive strategies for easy keepers. Balancing the forage with vitamins and minerals is crucial.

3) HOOVES: barefoot hooves; Immediate and direct ground contact of the hooves. In Nature, the horses have direct contact with the ground throughout their entire lives. It is crucial, for optimal health, to return the horse to its natural barefoot state. Hooves need to be kept in their short, physiologically-correct hoof form (after a transition period when previously deformed and in need of rehab, of course). For example, typically an easy improvement is to increase the frequency of the trimming intervals to every 3-4 weeks.

Whenever there is a PROBLEM (any problem) - return to these 3 elements: Lifestyle; Nutrition; Hooves. Which one is out of whack? Which needs to be improved? Typically, you will find that one (or all) of these foundation elements has fallen apart. When you have a hoof health or horse health problem, it CAN often be solved by improving the horse's lifestyle, upgrading the diet and nutrition, and/or directly improving the hoof care of the barefoot hooves.

❤️ Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

05/01/2025

It's the start of a brand new era, and great things lie ahead! What an exciting time, when recognizing what constitutes genuine health care (versus "sick care") is at the forefront of national attention! This reflects the core paradigm of the barefoot movement: put the necessary pieces in place to fulfill the physiological needs of the horse, such as movement, diet and herdlife, and constant "medical intervention" is no longer needed. When did drugs and chemicals become a part of normal everyday life, for humans and horses alike? That is NOT in our best interest. That is NOT healthcare.

We ARE what we eat, so pay attention to diet - for yourself and your horse! Many modern ills can be fully resolved through dietary means.

However, there is always going to be push back when truth must confront the established traditions of the past. Are we going forwards or backwards? Sometimes it can be hard to tell. Progress is not a straight line. For example, it is upsetting when organizations ban the use of equine hoof boots and alternative hoof wear, but this set back might call more attention to their hypocrisy and lead to greater change!

Freedom to choose is a concept dear to my heart. Those who wish to choose metal shoes should be allowed to do so; likewise, the freedom to choose barefoot or booted. I feel the same way about bitted and bitless bridles. We should choose what we think is best for our individual horse and our unique situation. Taking away that freedom is harsh and unwarranted. As individuals, we can also choose NOT to participate in or to support those events and organizations that do not allow freedom of choice for the horseowner.

🤠 Happy Hooves! - Yvonne Welz

04/28/2025

Wow!!! Grok confirmed it: Yes, it is true. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has mandated that, starting December 1, 2025, all horses competing in USEF-licensed or -endorsed competitions must be microchipped with a 15-digit ISO 11784/11785-compliant chip. This rule, approved during the 2023 Mid-Year Board meeting under GR 1101.1, aims to enhance equine safety and welfare by enabling immediate onsite verification of a horse’s identity, particularly during disease outbreaks or natural disasters. The microchip must be implanted in the nuchal ligament by a licensed veterinarian, and the unique chip number must be reported to USEF for inclusion in the horse’s official record.

Can anyone confirm if this is true? The USEF will require all competing horses to now be microchipped? Not everyone is okay with this. You are NOT stupid to ask questions! The days of sitting down and shutting up are over. To me, forced microchips are simply super creepy and I'm sick of being micro-controlled. Maybe alternative crunchy horse showing that allows bitless, barefoot, no vax and no chips?

04/22/2025

The Horse's Hoof Barefoot News April 2025 is released!
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What's in this issue? 🌹 Blaine St Peter: Sharing Barefoot Wisdom 🌹 Trimming at Mustang Mission 🌹 Joe & Kathleen Camp's The Soul of a Horse Website 🌹 Interview with Holistic Vet Dr. Karen Becker 🌹 Emma Massingale: Friendship & Freedom 🌹 Join the Cavallo Associate Sellers' Program 🌹 The Horse's Hoof Website Story 🌹 And more!

04/17/2025

Trimming an OTTB Mare with Thin Soles

Watch the full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f2hAf4rJKw&t=345s

From James Welz:
Watch me trim all four hooves of an Off-The-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) mare with thin soles and fragile walls in this detailed hoof care session. Using my proven barefoot trimming method, my method can address common hoof issues like thin soles, navicular syndrome, laminitis, founder, seedy toe, and under-run heels. This approach promotes natural hoof health and can benefit horses with a wide range of ailments. Perfect for horse owners, farriers, or anyone interested in equine wellness and rehabilitation!

I use power tools, specifically a Dewalt cordless angle grinder with a 24 Grit Zirconia Resin Fiber Sanding disk and a Ryobi Cordless Cut-Out Tool spinning a SF-5 NF Aluminum Cut Carbide Rotary Burr, but you can mimic this trim just as easily with a rasp and hoof knives.

Visit www.HoofHelpOnline.com for more hoof care tips and resources. Subscribe there and to this Youtube channel for upcoming videos on natural horse trimming and OTTB care. Have a question about your horse’s hooves? Join HoofHelpOnline.com and my wonderful wife and I will do what we can to help.

Proverbs 12:10 "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel."

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