barefoot trimming

You can have a trim to prepare the horse for a shoe, and a trim to remove excess hoof wall in order for a horse to work barefoot. They are subtly different, a good farrier will be able to do both, and a trimmer will obv trim with a view to the horse working barefoot. A big difference is that for a food prepared for a shoe, the farrier will usually pare away part of the frog and sole to tidy up, though it is a big no no to do that in a horse working without shoes.
 
A barefoot trimmer balances the hooves slightly differently to a normal farrier. To be honest if you have a good farrier there is not much in it!! love my barefoot pony!!!!
 
I think there is a difference in a farrier pasture trim and a performance trim.

The pasture trimmed horses on my yard could not do dr, xc or sj like mine does. They are incredibly boxy with long toes and high heels.

There is much more emphasis on the sole, frog and balance and also diet in a barefoot trim. I think farriers are getting better (they have to as barefoot is making much more sense to people nowadays) but they have a way to go to reach max performance quality as some barefoot trims have achieved i.e. Nic Barker & co.
 
Trimming is done before shoeing.

A barefoot trim aims to achieve a natural, rock hard barefoot hoof and is not a 'Pasture Trim'.

Have a look at Pete Ramey's site to learn more and you will be able to see photographic examples.

http://www.hoofrehab.com/
 
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