The Basic Horse

The Basic Horse A place to learn everything equine ❤️

I've spent the better part of my working career working on and with horses. Since February 2011, I have worked with them...
04/03/2025

I've spent the better part of my working career working on and with horses.

Since February 2011, I have worked with them daily. From February 2011- December 2014 I raised, trained, bred and sold Standardbred race horses. We had around 80 head on average to care for daily, including stallions, broodmares and foals up to yearlings. One summer we had 150. I did not have ANY horse experience before this, and pretty much got thrown to the wolves taking that job- which is exactly what put me on the fast track to really understanding them. I didn't have time to watch and learn how to handle stallions. It was do it right or get seriously injured, so I figured it out very quickly.

Same with the broodmares. We had a few over the years that came in and were absolutely out for blood. They would grab you by the arm, shoulder or neck- whatever they could latch onto- and throw you. Some would've happily stomped us to death. You could never be unaware of how you approached or went into a stall, how you caught them, lead them (there are very specific parameters of what spot you can be in to not get bit, kicked or run over) or handled them if they did get a bit crazy.

We halter broke the foals and that was the best part for me. It was so interesting to see the little things click in their mind when they "got it" and it prompted me to become softer and softer in my cues and asks. How light and subtle could I be to get them to understand? How could I persuade a being the same weight as me or larger of what i was saying? It's amazing how willing they are to interact and do these weird things you ask. In fact, most of them found it fun and WANTED to be next to you and do more things with you.

If you think about it, to be a true horseman, one who really has magic, they have to learn a silent language. One that is mostly body cues and discreet contact. The quieter they are, the more response they get. The better they are, the more willing of a partner the horse is. Isn't that amazing?

From March 2015- June 2022 I embarked on the journey of taking care of hooves. The amount of knowledge I gained by doing that was even more vast than training them. You see, training them myself I got first contact. I got to set the tone. I got to do it the easy way. Working on other people's horses meant working with other people's problems masking the horse itself. I ended up learning a lot more about the people than the horses, but it also forced me to learn how to listen to the even quieter voice from the horse. The one that had been silenced, the one who pushed through pain for years, the one who just couldn't stand because they hurt so bad, the one who lashed out because they were never heard..... I could evaluate a new horse on the spot within 20 minutes and tell you what body issues they had, their personality type, their preferences and so on.

It actually got so overwhelming dealing with all of the issues owners can cause that I quit. It was too much for my heart and body to take. I was being punished physically for things I didn't even do to those horses.... one day I'll publish something recounting all the crazy stuff that happened in barns where I was hired to work.... but that's a very long book.

For now, I'm so thankful to look back and see everything I learned over the span of 14 years and know that is why I had the guts to buy Luna. That is why I understand her and don't fear her. That is why she will excel beyond what many would imagine. That is why I'm confident in her before she even knows anything. That is why she is calm around me. That is why she will trust me.

The thousands of horses I have touched before her have made me softer, wiser and better. She will have everything she needs because the horses before her didn't.

04/01/2025

Day 2 with Luna - the feral bucking stock horse

The plan with this new girl is the same plan I executed with my two boys, who were basically wild as well. All 3 have done the exact same thing, which is pretty interesting.

The story always goes, "They are wild, can't be caught, spooky, whatever." We get them on the trailer fairly easy, and they are quiet as a church mouse the whole ride home. I open the back doors to the trailer, expecting an explosive exit, and they just stand like a statue wondering what to do next. Within 3 weeks, I was able to halter and pick up hooves on both Buck and Fabio and that was not with daily training. That was just me being around and sitting with them. In that 3 weeks, I never tried approaching them. I allowed them to choose what they wanted.

I find the softer you can be with horses, and the more body language you can use, the faster they understand. The smaller the cue, the softer and quicker the response. It's really quite fun seeing just how LITTLE you can do and how extremely smart and perceptive they are.

This girl has all those same qualities the boys do- curious, watchy, wants to be involved, nervous because she just doesn't know, not mean because she's is scared, very intelligent.

Those qualities make a very sensitive horse- which I absolutely adore. They are very willing to please, yet retain their own personality and quirks as long as you allow it. It should be allowed BTW. We don't want dull, lifeless, desensitized horses..... we want intelligent creatures who trust us but are still hyper aware of what's going on around them- yet they choose you.

I want and educated and willing partner. We all should ❤️

As you may have noticed, the name of this page has changed ❤️ formerly "The Barefoot Horse" is now "The Basic Horse."Why...
02/27/2025

As you may have noticed, the name of this page has changed ❤️ formerly "The Barefoot Horse" is now "The Basic Horse."

Why basic???

Essentially, everything we learn about horses needs to have a solid foundation. A base if you will. We cannot even begin to understand the intricacies of equines if we don't know the essentials. I LOVE teaching the basics, and I think it's something we all need to know thoroughly before getting into the deeper things. Even the very most rudimentary knowledge about horses can take us well beyond just the minimal and can even open the door to truly understanding the more difficult things.

Behaviors, body language, nutrition, training, hoof care, husbandry and anything else revolving around owning, working with and caring for horses absolutely needs a functional starting point- the basics.

Don't be fooled though. These parts are very detailed and we can go as deep as we want just learning those simple, necessary things! We can then build off of this knowledge and become better horseman for them and for ourselves as well.

A well rounded owner, barn manager, ranch hand, farrier and so on will be able to set the horse up for success, which means they reap the benefits too! Someone who knows and understands the foundation of a horse will gain way more ground than someone who skips them. Believe me.... a lot of the time, these things are skipped! I believe this is where 90% of the issues we see in horses and ownership comes from.

So what do you say? Are you in for the ride? What is the most basic aspect of owning and caring for horses you can think of? I'll be touching on everything, no leaf left unturned, but where to start, where to start? 😊

Hello fellow equine lovers!Welcome! My name is Lacey and I started this page and business over 10 years ago. While I and...
01/25/2025

Hello fellow equine lovers!

Welcome! My name is Lacey and I started this page and business over 10 years ago. While I and my business have evolved drastically, my love of equines has not. This has fueled me to really evaluate the methods used for training, hoof care, feeding, treatment for common conditions, husbandry and everything that goes with owning horses.

As I've learned, I've changed how I do things. For instance, when I started this journey, I thought (and was trained) that barefoot trimming was the ONLY way to help horses. Everything else was garbage and detrimental to the horse. Shoes were the devil and anyone who used them was too. This is so force fed in certain groups and teachings that we still see it and hear it today. One of the most common things taught in this way of thinking is "if you have to use (metal) shoes to get a horse sound, then the horse isn't healthy and has underlying issues." I'm sure many of you have heard this.... and yet.... barefoot trimming has made composite shoe and boot companies explode in the last 10 years. Does that make sense? Doesn't that mean that barefoot trimming is still running into the same soundness issues that traditional farriery has for years? These composites are still a tool used to enhance the soundess and comfortability of the horse. Which is great! We want our equines healthy, sound and happy.... but why demonize one way of doing it while doing the same thing?

Some of these shoes and boots even have metal in them now to add stability, because composite by itself can actually be too flexible which can cause lameness as well. Turns out, a lot of horses actually appreciate having metal on and under their hooves to help them while in work.

As I would learn over many, many years of working on horses as well as my own, it takes a combination of a good, thoughtful trim AND hoof protection for the majority of horses to be able to do well. We can make the same mistakes with composite shoes and do the horses just as much harm as can be done putting on traditional metal shoes, and I think it's really important to realize that.

Regardless of what we use, we should all be on the same page of wanting our horses to feel and move their best.

In conclusion, I'll be renaming this page.... but I haven't figured out what represents it well yet. I still want to stick with "The -------- Horse" Maybe "The Basic Horse" ❤️ suggestions welcome ❤️

*Photo of me and the horse who taught me everything, with patience love and gentle pushes to actually listen to him above everyone else.

01/18/2025

Somedays I really miss waking up and heading to a barn full of horses. I miss working with my hands and healing parts of the beings I was working on. I miss the small conversations we had between our bodies and energies. I miss the connection. I miss talking to owners who became like family. I miss being worn out from a long day of hard work.

But then again, now I am able to enjoy my own horses and actually cover miles we've missed all these years. Not just on flat roads or fire breaks in the forest a few times a year, but through mostly wild territory every day of the week if thats what I want. Foothills, mountains, peaks, canyons.... the areas of my dreams.

Now that I'm not spending all my time under horses and traveling for horses, I can finally start to deep dive into topics on horses and hooves that had to simmer for a few years before I could truly understand them.

So my question to all of my followers is.... what do you want to talk about? What do you want to know? What is the one thing that holds you and your horse back from being everything you want to be?

I'll address these topics as separate posts or sequences of posts if the have many levels ❤️

I'm starting the process of having a custom saddle made for myself and my horse. Correct saddle fit is so absolutely imp...
12/18/2024

I'm starting the process of having a custom saddle made for myself and my horse. Correct saddle fit is so absolutely important to keep your horse healthy.

Over the course of 10 years I've tried over 30 saddles on my horse. None fit him well at all. Many were "quarterhorse bars," standard gullets, standard makes and models. Sadly, many of these don't fit the majority of horses.

What do you think these white markings on these horses are from?

Is it normal? Or is it abnormal, but common? The answer may surprise you!

When we learn the art of listening to our animals, understanding why they choose the things they do starts to make more ...
12/08/2024

When we learn the art of listening to our animals, understanding why they choose the things they do starts to make more sense. If we become REALLY good at listening, we start to lose the need to know WHY as well, because it no longer matters. What matters is what they need and want, not what we think makes sense.

You see, generations of horse owners have put their own feelings on their horses (it's so easy to do!) and as a result, we have come up with these standards of care that don't fit the horses nature at all.

Stalling for example. It may make it easier for us for feeding, grooming, catching, etc., but it's not in the horses' best interest. Yes, there are some horses that have grown up with it and seemingly love their stalls, but I'm willing to bet the majority of horses do not.

When given a choice mine will only use a shed when the bugs are bad. Otherwise they seek shade under the trees, and stand out in all types of weather. When allowed to choose, they find different spots in the pastures for different reasons. They know what they want and need.

When we start giving them choices, we start being able to observe what they would choose if we were out of the picture. I also got to witness this same thing on a major breeding farm. In severe rain and thunder storms the horses would all line up almost military like, with their butts to the wind. They had multiple shelters but would only use them in the heat of the day to escape sun and bugs. However, if they had trees for shade I can guarantee they would have picked the trees over the shelter.

Horses like to be able to see what is going on around them. Generally, they don't like to be isolated, locked up in a small box or have options on what they feel safest doing taken away.

I think once we start realizing this, we will start having better relationships with our horses. We can't say we love them and be narcissistic about it ❤️ they need a voice too.

Once we are enlightened, I believe a lot of the issues we see in horses today will start healing- including physical, metabolic and behavioral ones.

04/20/2024

This is a great example of why it is sooooo important to work with your horses and get them confident. When you do, you do not have to expose them to every single thing known to man for them to be calm about it.

This horse has never seen or heard a dremel, but he didn't even flinch.

It's so important for your farrier, chiro, vet, massage therapist, trainers and so on to be able to do whatever they need to do with your horse. Calling them out to work on an unruly, distrusting, spooky animal is not ok, unless it's a trainer that fully knows what they are getting into. Even emergency situations are not an excuse because the animal should have been worked with prior to the incident.

Things happen. We may get horses we thought had been trained that aren't, that should be safe, that should know, and so on and so forth... you can't help how they came to you, but you are responsible for how they are in your care.

If you need help, be honest and ask for it. Most professionals have dealt with a lot of crazy cases and behaviors and have figured some things out. It's up to you to do right by your animal and teach them so they can be secure, confident and safe for others to work on and with them and you as well! It's for your own safety as well!

We love our jobs and we love these big, amazing animals. Help us help them by being their biggest leader. Teach them, and if you don't know how, learn ❤️

How many of you can pick up your horse's hooves and see this type of foot? Can you identify all the structures and wheth...
03/24/2024

How many of you can pick up your horse's hooves and see this type of foot?

Can you identify all the structures and whether they are healthy and robust? If they are not, can you see the difference when they are weak and compromised?

Do you know the course of action that needs to be taken in order to heal the hooves? If not, what is stopping you? Knowledge is power and your horse needs you to be their experienced voice.

If the hooves don't look similar to this one posted below, there is room for improvement ❤️

If you feel confident (or even if you dont) in posting this same view of your own horse's hoof, I will take the time to mark it up and show what is good, and what could use improving and how to go about doing that. No judgement. Just help.

Are you wanting to learn? Feel free to comment below, and I will be happy to answer your questions. We are all here for the horse ❤️

03/16/2024

Drying out hooves for thrush applications! You could also just use sawdust, but I have the pellets for my cats litter box so it was easy to just grab a few handfuls!

03/14/2024

Would you believe this buckskin was formerly navicular, has severe ringbone fusing P1 and P2 and past episodes of caudal failure on both front and hinds?

It's been a seriously long road, but this horse never gave up even though I was at the end of my rope multiple times.

I've also learned that what he was teaching me all along isn't unique to just him, although he's a one in a million horse both in personality and physical issues, his issues have helped me to help other horses as well.

Check out that shoulder and upper body movement, flying lead changes and extension of the front legs. No stiffness there ❤️ we have been pain free and lameness free for 6 months.

Can you tell me the differences you see in the backs of these horses, good or bad? There are a few very obvious things t...
03/11/2024

Can you tell me the differences you see in the backs of these horses, good or bad?
There are a few very obvious things that stick out, but I want to bring more attention to them as they are directly related to the hooves ❤️

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