Click on the above tabs to navigate this website.
It's all about COMMON SENSE.
About Craig & Lisa Hauri
Right:
Lisa and Samantha (5-07)
Left:
Craig & Lisa (7-8-08)
We have two horses of our own have always trimmed their feet. Previously, Craig was in construction, and did hoof trimming on the weekends, so he is used to hard work. Due to the downturn in the economy, we have been doing more and more hoof work. We didn't want to sell our horses, since we really enjoy taking them out trail riding as often as possible, so working with horses seems like the logical answer. Plus, there aren't many people looking to buy a horse, or take on any extra expense. The horses we own and horses all over the country must be taken care of - especially their feet. As the saying goes, "No feet, No horse". Craig and I look at this as an opportunity to work together and actually make a difference in the horses' life. It's the beginning of a new part of our lives; to get to share what we have learned over the years trimming our own horses and those of friends. My dad always said, "Find a need and fill it - if you like what you do you'll never work another day in your life." We always wanted to find a business we could enjoy together and since we'd been doing hoofs ... maybe we should check into becoming certified ... that's when we found Pete Ramey's hoof care school. We took the course and we've seen great results. We read everything we could by every author we could find just so we would have a true understanding of the hoof and the horse working together with diet and exercise.
We believe, as does Pete, that diet and exercise play a significant role in maintaining healthy hoofs. Lisa is an herbalist and makes up a bucket (lasts a month) of different powdered herbs that their horses need on a daily basis. We have a Pryor Mountain Mustang named Nikah that has Cushings Syndrome which is now totally controlled with herbs, and Buddy Love, a Quarter horse that's Insulin Resistant. His IR is now totally controlled with herbs also. Both of the mentioned conditions cause the hoof wall to separate and flair. This problem is what initially lead the search on hoof care. We love our horses so much and we could tell that these conditions we not something that would just go away. Buddy was drinking excessive amounts of water every day. Lisa's brother is diabetic and she remembers him not being able to get enough to drink. Drinking too much and the poor hoof quality lead us to research insulin resistance. Nikah was just plain nasty (she was a rescue - very underweight with very long, flat toes, founder lines, her sole was literally rotten and bloody underneath - abused by people and horses - she'd kick you if you didn't give her the right kind of pellets) and would take forever to shed her long 'curly' winter coat. Key word - curly - unless you have a breed that has a curly coat (there are only a couple) it usually means 'cushings'. There is a lot of information out there on cushing's syndrome - or if you don't want to read - give me a call and I can direct you to the needed herbs for your horses condition. It doesn't take very much to be effective - just consistency - like everything else in life. Both of our horses are much happier, healthier, more gentle and calm - easier to deal with around people since they've been getting herbs regularly.
Barefooted, booted horses now dominate the world of endurance racing, where traveling at speed over rugged terrain is the norm. You can also find shoeless horses in many other lines of work and areas of competition, including Western performance.
**Here's what Pete Ramey said when asked to talk about why the barefoot lifestyle might be right for your horse.
What are the key benefits of a shoeless foot?
It's not about the foot alone; it's about improved overall health. Recent blood-flow studies by Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD, show that the horse's foot gets at least twice as much circulation when he's barefoot on yielding terrain, as compared to when he's wearing a metal shoe. The back part of the foot is designed by nature to flex, twist and distort with uneven terrain and turns--it helps reduce stress and prevent injury to joints, ligaments and tendons. Metal shoes prevent most of that twisting and flexing the hoof was designed for.
Going barefoot is natural for wild horses, but don't horses carrying riders need to wear shoes for support and to keep their hooves from wearing down?
The added weight of the rider does have an impact--it creates a need for more energy dissipation and shock absorption. And that's the whole point of moving away from steel as a means of protection. We can provide protection through a firm-but-yielding impact by working a horse on bare feet or in padded boots. At the same time, this provides maximum support, because the whole foot is working as a unit rather than having the weight of the horse hanging from the laminae and the hoof walls.
The herbs I think horses should get on a regular basis are:
Garlic - provide nutritional support to resist infections & repel pests
Vitex - to balance the hormonal system (aka: chaste tree berry)
Kelp - Trace minerals necessaty for metabolic activity, high iodine content to support thyroid function
Pau D'Arco Bark -boost the immune system and help fight Protozoan type invaders
Cinnamon - Reduce blood sugar levels, increase natural production of insulin.
Burdock - Very high in chromium, zinc, and magnesium needed for sugar balance. Balances pituitary and hypothalamus gland for overall glandular balance.
Nettle - High in zinc for blood sugar balance, stimulates circulation, mild diuretic.
Apple Cider Vinegar - organic - distilled in wood - and a little bit of cooking oil
Phone: 619-518-1121
Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9AM - 5PM
Sat: 10AM - 5PM
Sun: Closed (unless you have an emergency: founder abscess lame or won't move, etc.)
