Barefoot trimming course

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Sults

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Has anyone taken a barefoot trimming course?

which one and would you recommend or not recommend...

(just an owners course, not thinking of starting a new career of trimming anyone elses horses...)
 
I posted this the other day but had no response so watching with interest.
I'm interested for the same reasons as you, just to trim my own
 
I took a course with KC Lapierre many years ago -- maybe 10 now. It was the smartest thing I ever did. The course was very expensive but I got the basics. I then was lucky enough to have made friends with one of the best barefoot trimmers in the UK, a woman named Charlie Girdlestone.

Charlie no longer trims for people but back then she did. She'd trim my horses when I was too worried about taking off too much, etc, and did a lot of free coaching for me. I was lucky to have her!

I still trim my own and my horses have never needed shoes. I would say that if you are doing a lot of jumping in mud, they might, but you'd be amazed at how tough their hooves (eventually!) become.

Word of warning: as much as I appreciate what KC and others teach, I do think that the trimmers sometimes take off more than is necessary, especially at first trim. You can gradually reduce the heel or toe rather than a single big plunge and the horse will stay sound, well and fit. If you just pull the shoes on a horse and start trimming too much, you may make the horse sore for work. Even that will sort itself out, however.

And, obviously, stay away from anything Strasser-related....

Btw, I don't even trim the frog -- I know that farriers do. I just leave it and make sure to take back flare, even out the heels, etc. The frogs get tough. Some horses may need a little help exfoliating the frog and that will become obvious.

My horses' feet are amazing....and I was as scared as anything when I first started.
 
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