Shoeless Horse
Leo, My Horse

Member of:

American Hoof Association 

  Equine Sciences Academy

Wild Horses Don't Wear Shoes
why should yours?

Online Resources

Our spiritual and emotional life with horses is a journey.

We will never know in one lifetime all there is to know about the equine body, mind and spirit. But that is not to say we should ever stop trying. There are so many facets to our relationship with our equine friends: their health care, the equipment we use, the "inter species" dialogue that occurs between us and them, and how our own bodies affect theirs. The sites listed below have a lot of solid information about many of these issues, and I personally have found them helpful in my journey. That is not to say that I whole-heartedly endorse everything each site says; I glean what I can and apply as appropriate. Hopefully they will be of use to others too!

Natural Hoof Care


Iron Free Hoof
Paige Poss & Ruth Green
This site has very helpful photos and great trimming instructions.

Tribe Equus
Cindy "Hawk" Sullivan
Information on the wild horse hoof and great links for barefoot resources.

Hoof Rehab
Pete Ramey
Pete has written some excellent articles on the treatment of common hoof pathologies.

Barefoot for Soundness
Marjorie Smith
Excellent instructions on how to barefoot trim, and an extensive resources section.

Paul Chapman
Another nice site with good descriptions of a solid barefoot trim.

American Hoof Association
Looking for a trimmer? The AHA is currently compiling a list of qualified professionals.

Wild Horses


Wild Horses in British Columbia
The southwest United States is not the only place in North American with wild horses; we have some here in BC. There's about 400 roaming the Chilcotin area, with no laws to protect them. The Friends of the Nemiah Valley are trying to establish a preserve for these horses and pass protection laws. This could be a great opportunity for the study of wild horse hooves and lifestyle in an ecosystem that more closely resembles what the average northwest domestic horse lives on. There is much to learn from these wild ones.

Wild Horses of Alberta Society
...and Alberta has some too, equally unprotected with no place they can truly call their home.

Bureau of Land Management
The BLM manages the wild horses in the United States. These two sites provide information on the BLM, wild horses, and wild horse adoption.

Education


Equine Sciences Academy
The most comprehensive school of natural hoof care in North America.

American Association of Natural Hoof Care Practitioners
This program teaches Jaime Jackson's trimming method.

Equine Podiatry
K.C. LaPierre's theories and methods are presented here.

Hoof Boots


Easy Care
Manufacturer and distributor of Easyboots, Easyboot Epics, Easyboot Bares, Old Macs, Old Mac G2s, Boa Boots... and much more!

Horse Mocs
These is my preferred boots for pathological hooves. Custom-made for each horse.

Marquis Boots
Another option in hoof protection. Virtually all boot components are replaceable.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies


Bach Flower Remedies
This is where the Bach Flower Essences got their start. This site gives excellent descriptions of the 38 flower remedies.

Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
Looking for a holistic vet? You might find one here!

Herbalism


Herbs
One of the best websites I've found for holistic health care information. Geared towards humans, but if you want to use herbs on your horse, this is a great site for quality information.

American Botanical Council
Professional, scientific site with educational material about herbs, herb regulation and the herbal industry.

The Hermit's Grove
If you want bulk herbs for your equine friend but are having trouble finding the quality you want, I highly recommend the Hermit's Grove. They consistently carry the best quality herbs around.

Bridle Alternatives


Bitless Bridle
While you're rethinking iron on horses' hooves, you may rethink iron in a horse's mouth. You might be amazed at how well many horses ride in just a halter!

Nurtural Bitless Bridle
I know many happy clients, horse and human, who use this bridle.

Saddles and Saddle Fit


Balance Saddles
Proper saddle fit is extremely important to your horse's health and happiness. This site describes the common pitfalls in saddle fit and how it affects the horse.

About The Horse
Dave Genadek's saddle fitting DVD should be in every horse owner's video library.Happy Horse!

Sensation Ride Treeless Saddles
A truly treeless saddle. Their slogan "Love at first sit!" says it all!

Freeform Saddles
Another truly treeless saddle that I like.

Riding


Centered Riding
You owe it to your horse to become the best rider you can be.

Connected Riding
Another great resource for improved riding.

Trainers


(This list is by no means exhaustive; the trainers listed here I have personally worked with, and have been thrilled with what I learned.)
Mark Rashid

Josh Nichol

Bo Bishop

Veli Levaaho

Recommended Reading


I've always loved a good book, and if it's a good book about horses, all the better. These are a few of the books I have found very helpful. Perhaps brew a cup of tea or make hot chocolate and enjoy a good read! And if you have any other recommendations, please email them to me. I welcome any excuse to buy more books, especially on horses!

Horse Owner's Guide to Natural Hoof Care, Jaime Jackson.
The Natural Horse: Foundations for Natural Horsemanship, Jaime Jackson.
Founder: Prevention and Cure - the Natural Way, Jaime Jackson.
Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You, Pete Ramey.
The Sound Hoof, Lisa Simons Lancaster.
The Lame Horse, James R Rooney, DVM.
Principles of Conformation Analysis, Vol I, II, & III, Deb Bennett, PhD.
Beating Muscle Injuries for Horses, Jack Meagher.
Herbs for Pets, Mary Wulff-Tilford.
The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable, Juliette de Bairacli Levy.
Essential Oils for Horses, Carole Faith.
For the Good of the Rider, Mary Wanless.
The Natural Rider, Mary Wanless.
Centered Riding, Sally Swift.
True Horsemanship Through Feel, Bill Dorrance and Leslie Desmond.
True Unity, Tom Dorrance.
Considering the Horse, Mark Rashid.
Horses Never Lie, Mark Rashid.
A Good Horse Is Never a Bad Color, Mark Rashid.
Horsemanship Through Life, Mark Rashid.
The Tao of Equus, Linda Kohanov.

There are many more.