From 'Founder' to 'Sound-er' ... and beyond ... FREE consultation - CRAIG & LISA HAURI 619-518-1121
It's all about COMMON SENSE.
We love horses - I have been around horses since birth, taking a few years off - to raise a family. Craig more recently came to love and understand these magnificent creatures. Over time we have observed a frequent pattern of unhealthy hooves. Wild horses - in the rocky mountainous areas - do not experience these hoof challenges because they walk between 10 and 20 miles a day; grazing on rocky terrain where little but weeds grow. Their hooves become natural rock crushers, never abscessing or pulling away at that critical white line. Below are some examples of horses in our care. Our goal is to see all horses thriving barefoot. We truly believe that all horses are capable of growing and maintaining firm foundational hoof walls when given the proper , and trimming. The hoof wall was never intended to be the only support for the horse. The all inclusive sole, frog, bars, heels and wall - ALL must function together to maintain the proper weight distribution. This is a new way of looking at the hoof for most people - including farriers.
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April 28, 2009 Cleaned before trim April 28, After trim
This is the samehorse, same foot. It had
been almost a year since she
had been trimmed. Her Walls
were very flared & her heels
were long. When she was
finished she had to take a little
run because she felt so good.
Looks like a different foot - it's not.
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It had been almost a year since her feet had been trimmed. Under run heels, long toes and flared walls were all issues. She had and a fungus infection which we were able to clear up
with a combination of medications. This horse is in her thirties and acts
younger than ever since her feet feel good.
This is her right front foot
- a crack can be seen in the
center, you can see how flat
flared it is and how her heel is
growing underneath her
foot. 3-29-09 ------->
<- <-This is her right front foot after the second trim.4-18-09
As you can imagine this horse did not want to have her feet done -
she was sore and wanted to be left alone.
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This is her right rear foot - there was lots of overgrowth
underneath. Heels growing under the sole.
Below: Her toe was actually turning under starting to grow back toward the heel (you can see it at the tip of her toe).
This is the same back foot as above - look at the tip of the toe where it's starting to curl back under.
Top Left photo:
3-29-09 Before set-up trim
Right photo:
4-18-09 After second trim
This is the same back foot
Three weeks later -
you can see a huge improvement.
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Left front foot
Left photo:
Before set up trim 3-29-09
Right photo:
After second trim 4-18-09
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April 28,2009
Over a year since her last trim. This is a right front foot before and after.
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Thoroughbred gelding, before (top) and after (bottom):"He had a stubborn toe crack that had persisted for years through
several farriers," says Pete Ramey. "They'd tried clips, wiring the
crack together, drilling holes/rasping and resectioning the hoof.
The 'after' shot shows the status seven months later, after barefoot trimming on a six-week schedule, elimination of sweet feed and
anti-fungal soaking. The crack grew rightout while the horse
remained sound."
Photo courtesy of Pete Ramey
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Why are we doing this?
Our goal is to see all horses barefoot and sound.
Most horses are shod between 2 and 3 years old and by the time they're 10 to 12 years old they have foot problems. Their walls have become weak (hard to keep shoes on) and their soles have been treated like carving blocks, there's hardly anything left to walk on - let alone anything solid to drive a nail into. There is usually some rotation - even if the horse appears to be pasture sound - along with some frog disease or fungus with white line detachment. The horse is tender footed so he doesn't want to move around much which makes things worse because there is less blood getting into the foot - loss of circulation can lead to more problems.
If you have always kept your horses barefoot, it's easy to fall into a "no big deal" mind set on trimming; such as, when (how often) or sometimes even how your horse is trimmed. There is a difference between a barefoot trim and a trim preping for shoes. This leads to under grown heals (actually growing under and forward toward the toe) and flared walls with cracks. Each horse has a different hoof and with our training we have learned to 'read the foot' to see how it wants to be trimmed to best meet the needs for the weight it carries or the work it does.
Common Sense Hoof Care is based on our belief that your horses' comfort - throughout transition - is of the utmost importance.
Either transition: shoes to barefoot or unhealthy to healthy feet, we want the horse to be comfortable. Sometimes that may mean aggressive trimming and sometimes as little as just rasping the toe, heels or sides - depending on the horse.
We, as a team are committed to meeting your horses' needs. We have patience and a love of horses. If your horse is old and/or has sore feet - we won't hurry - they need a break to rest.
If you have a first timer - we will get to know him before we start. It is extremely important that you have the foal's feet looked at within the first few days of birth. We want to provide the best Common Sense Hoof Care for you and your horses - so that you look forward to seeing us and so does your horse. We will take time to talk with you and hopefully be able to answer any questions you may have. This day in age it seems customer service is lacking - for the horse and human. Our goal is to change that. We are looking forward to serving all over San Diego County.
Face it. Domestication has taken the horse out of his natural environment and therefore their ability to self-maintain their bodies. This applies to hoof wear, self-medication ability, and tooth wear. We, as their guardians, have the responsibility to do what nature can not.
Whether it's riding in the arena or on rocky trails, your horse can be all you want him to be. The barefoot trim your horse needs depends on where your horse lives verses where he works (is ridden) and how much time is spent in each of these footing areas each day.
Several companies now make horse boots with all kinds of different traction levels, making your horse feel sure footed and pain free without nailing iron to the bottom of his feet. Not because horses' feet aren't meant for any type of ground, they are; but, most horses around here (San Diego) are paddock bound with very little time to use their feet and leg muscles, so when they are worked on this type of terrain, protection is needed to enhance your horses' skills and gain confidence in comfort.
After our initial visit we will usually schedule the next appointment for about 4 weeks. We take pictures before and after each visit and keep a record of each horse. We can design a step-by-step, cost-effective plan for you to achieve optimum ongoing care and service.
A high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals. We would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust, along with the trust of your horse, and deliver you the best service in the industry.
We offer:
- Solutions - thrush, cracked walls, seedy toe, fungus infection, no frog, etc ...
- Rehabilitating horses that were going to be put down
- Short-term and long-term assistance
- Consultation regarding diet, exercise, hoof maintenance & set-up trim
- Ongoing hoof management and support
- Discounts for multiple horse families
Local references available.
Call us today for a FREE initial consultation!
Craig & Lisa 619-518-1121
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