Welcome to my new web site!
Last Updated 7.14.2011
Jan 2010 photo courtesy of Caroline Young
HI! I am a horse owner, hoofcare professional and I really love horses. Since I created this site myself, it contains my own thoughts and conclusions based on my education and experience. I am a hoof trimmer that really rides so I can tell you from experience that barefoot can work for you and your horse. Please look through my website for lots of information on hoof stuff. I frequently update it with new information.
I ride my mare barefoot and bitless. Right now I have 3 horses.
If you are a fellow horse lover, I hope you will find this web site useful.
I also love to paint pet portraits, especially horses! Please look at my art.
I have written several articles for Suite 101 and The Horse's Hoof magazine.
If you have questions about your horse's particular problems. I am happy to help with photo consults too.
Thanks, Sandy
I ride my mare barefoot and bitless. Right now I have 3 horses.
If you are a fellow horse lover, I hope you will find this web site useful.
I also love to paint pet portraits, especially horses! Please look at my art.
I have written several articles for Suite 101 and The Horse's Hoof magazine.
If you have questions about your horse's particular problems. I am happy to help with photo consults too.
Thanks, Sandy
NEW!
Look for my latest article titled, "Transition = Resurrection" in next FULL COLOR issue of The Horse's Hoof Issue!
NEW! Section on the Coffin Bone
Also check out the Expanded information and photos on the Founder page.
Please explore all my pages! There's lots and lots of info on each one.
Hoof Trimming
Most horses love to have their feet trimmed! They will lick and chew or yawn when trimmed correctly. Once they realize how much better their feet feel, they look forward to being trimmed! With serious pathology, it may be necessary to trim often and with great precision. I have the skills and ability to perform trimming of this kind and the education to explain what the owner should expect and do to help the horse recover from serious problems such as founder, navicular disease, white line disease, and other hoof ailments.
Contact phone 336-698-0784 or 336-380-5543 Email: sandra.judy@att.net
Contact phone 336-698-0784 or 336-380-5543 Email: sandra.judy@att.net
"Sandy introduced me to barefoot 7 years ago and I am forever grateful! Sandy has spent numerous hours studying and practicing the ART of barefoot trimming (and it IS an art!) She knows the hoof both inside and out and how proper trimming of the hoof affects the health and comfort of the entire horse. Sandy is not only knowledgable but willing to take the time to explain what she does and why, so that the owner is well informed. Not only is she a great trimmer but a geat teacher! She is honest, hard-working and knowledgable about her craft. I think she is an asset to barefoot and she also lives what she teaches." ~ Lynn K.
READ MORE TESTIMONIALS
READ MORE TESTIMONIALS
CONTACT ME ABOUT TRIMMING YOUR HORSE
Visit my Contact and Pricing page for more info.
Conformation Changes in Before and After Trimming
When a horse has untrimmed or incorrectly trimmed hooves, it will usually stand in an uncomfortable posture like this. The front legs will be back under the horse; the hinds will be tucked forward. The shoulders will look too straight while the butt is tucked under. The neck will look "ewed" with under-side muscles developed.
| After trimming, conformation changes!
After trimming, the horse is much more relaxed and can stand with its legs perpendicular to the ground. Ideally, massage therapy should be used to help the muscles recover.
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About Balanced Conformation & Head-low position...
This is an illustration I did to show people the balanced skeleton of the horse in the most natural position: with the head low and legs perpendicular to the ground. This posture is so important! Horses should be eating and drinking from ground-level because that is the most natural posture for the teeth alignment and for the soft tissues of the throat to be able to swallow and breath properly. It is also important when riding the horse so that breathing and bone alignment can best cope with the rider's weight. As you see, the coffin bone (P3) is ground parallel and the joints of the limbs are in harmonic alignment. This combined with the ligaments which run forward from the withers and the ligaments which run back over the spine carry the horse much like a suspension bridge. This is all part of the "stay apparatus" which allows the horse to sleep standing up with little to no muscle tension as the extensor and flexor systems are in balance.
 | Diagram of the bones of the front footThe Cannon Bone is the large bone with two splint bones on either side.
The Long Pastern is the next largest bone. The two Sesamoids at the back of the fetlock allow the Flexor Tendon to slide easily over the angle of the back of the fetlock. The Short Pastern is next. Then the Coffin Bone is the last bone in the foot. It is also called the distal phalnyx, P3, pedal bone. The Navicular Bone is the also called the Distal Sesamoid and performs a similar job as the other sesamoids, allowing the flexor tendon to make the bend to attach to the underside of the coffin bone. There are many ligaments and tendon attachments in the lower limbs of the foot. If you've ever suffered a sprained ankle, you know how painful and how long it takes to recover and how important it is to walk on level ground with well-balanced shoes on your feet. The hoof capsule performs a similar function for the horse as our shoes. And like our shoes get worn unevenly sometimes, the hoof capsule has to be trimmed to keep it balanced. |
Cross-section thru cadaver foot
I've kept this cadaver in my freezer for several years now. It's been thawed out a number of times but it's still a good example.
Many people think that the coffin bone sits at an angle because this cross section view is the most common view. But what is forgotten is that this is thru the middle of the coffin bone which is concave. See my section on the coffin bone for more info.
Many people think that the coffin bone sits at an angle because this cross section view is the most common view. But what is forgotten is that this is thru the middle of the coffin bone which is concave. See my section on the coffin bone for more info.
Overgrown hoof experiencing damage Before my first trim   Diagram A. The Strasser Trim My Healthy Foot Trim Parameters Diagram B. My Trim
| This hoof is what I see when a horse has gone a long time without trimming (or improperly trimmed). You can see that the bar has gotten way overgrown and the toe has gotten long. The coffin bone is tipped up and this shears the attachment as well as pushes it against the toe wall reducing circulation and building up pressure within the vessels of the coffin bone and navicular bone. Continued pressure in these blood vessels will cause bone erosion. Also the tip of the coffin bone will become "ski-tipped" when viewed on X-ray. A horse that stays in this position for a long time is prone to founder. There is the possibility that the extensor process can be fractured due to the force put upon it by the short pastern. Note the angle of the coffin joint. This puts extra wear and tear on the cartilage in the joints from improper alignment. A small amount of slack is put in the flexor tendon which is taken up by the flexor muscles in the shoulder. These muscles are continuously flexed, keeping the shoulders hunched and the butt tucked.
The long toes pull on the attachment and contribute to the coffin bone's laminar horn damage by stretching. The quarter cracks, flared toe and hairline dragging down show that this hoof has high bars, heels and poor coffin bone suspension. Diagram A. Strasser Trim:
1.ground parallel (coffin bone (the determining factor is a 30 degree hairline) 2. Front feet; toe angle of 45 degrees (can range to 50) Hinds: 55 degrees 3. heel height 3 cms (approx. 1 and 1/8 inches) from hairline to ground 4. concavity, measured from the tip of the frog at the dirt line, 1 cm (approx. 3/8 inch) in fronts and 1 and 1/2 cms (5/8 inch) in hinds. 5. the bar height 1 cm (3/8 inch) in the middle of the bar. 6. sole is smoothed to the dirt line in the collateral grooves Over the years in my own experience, I have found that this trim because it is designed for rehabilitation, can destabilize the coffin bone within the hoof capsule. In the wrong application it can cause more pain and a different kind of damage than it may fix. Please read my thoughts on the Strasser trim on my FAQs page. My Trim parameters for a healthy front foot (Diagram B My Trim): 1. closer to 50 degree toe angle on a quarter horse or other hard-hoofed horse, varying to 48 on a draft cross or TB. 2. heel height of 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch, I generally do not roll the heels and quarters, only the toe 3. concavity of 5/8 to 3/4 inch 4. bar height of 5/8 to 3/4 inch 5. only the caulky sole is trimmed (when the hoof has been soaked, this caulky sole will flake off with a hoof pick!) 6. hairline close to 30 degrees (coffin bone only slightly less than ground parallel) 7. I like to roll the toe wall (breakover) from 10 to 2 (basically, the toe) and leave the toe pillars. The ideal breakover is 1/2 inch in front of the coffin bone. I will angle the wall at whatever direction is needed to achieve my goals or leave it flat to the ground but it depends on the horse, the use and the owner. Each horse varies individually and I have learned what works! If I need to trim for rehabilitation, I will use whatever trim technique works effectively. Wild Horse Trim (Diagram C) 1. close to ground parallel coffin bone, (only slightly less) 3. rolled edge all the way around, even the heels 4. the bars are passive in that they are only trimmed to the "live" sole, which is to say that they are not weight-bearing; the toe is rolled back to the "waterline" of the wall horn all the way around. 5. concavity can be up to 3/4 inch as sole in the toe callous area thickens. |
Example of Front foot with Strasser measurements
The red line shows a 30 degree hairline and the blue line shows a 45 degree toe. (This is a 5 year old draft cross that I trim) If this was a Quarter Horse, I would look for a 50 degree toe. Drafts and draft crosses as well as some warmbloods have wider flatter feet while ponies, quarter horses, Arabs, Paso Finos, etc, have tighter and slightly steeper feet. Also I will be trimming this foot to achieve greater toe height over time. The main thing to understand about angles is you need to have a good attachment with good suspension, concavity, and healthy horn. If the coffin bone has been damaged, sometimes the best you can do is make the best of what you've got! Coffin bones come come in a variety of sizes and shapes but generally have about a 45 to 50 degree profile so I base my angles on the attachment and if I have xrays, they can help to see both how much coffin bone is left on a damaged foot and how well it is attached.
Front foot of a hard-hooved horse
The harder hooved horses like this Paso Fino can have a 50 degree toe angle. Note the angle of the heel. It has a similar angle to the ground as the front (blue line).
Interestingly, all horses are supposed to have the same number of tubules, the coiled hair-like structures that make up the hoof wall. Since large hooves like drafts, have the same number of tubules as a hard-hoofed pony, the difference in the hooves can be explained by the spacing of the tubules. It is easier to have a flexible hoof on a draft than it is on a pony.
Interestingly, all horses are supposed to have the same number of tubules, the coiled hair-like structures that make up the hoof wall. Since large hooves like drafts, have the same number of tubules as a hard-hoofed pony, the difference in the hooves can be explained by the spacing of the tubules. It is easier to have a flexible hoof on a draft than it is on a pony.
Warmblood Front Foot
This is a recent photo of my warmblood mare. You can see how this image compares with my diagram of my healthy hoof trim parameters. Approx 50 degree toe angle with good attachment.
I need to add that this mare was "foundered" and has a coffin bone with a "ski tip" profile on x-ray. So for her to stay sound, I have to maintain this trim.
I need to add that this mare was "foundered" and has a coffin bone with a "ski tip" profile on x-ray. So for her to stay sound, I have to maintain this trim.
Conformation of the hoof on a hind hoof
The hind hoof should be steeper in the toe angle of 55 degrees but the hairline angle (shown in yellow) should still be 30 degrees.
This toe was longer before the first trim and the stretched lamina can be seen at the toe in this photo. | Same hind foot after 7 months regular trimming
After 7 months this foot has improved in better hoof wall attachment and toe height.
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Bulb of Front foot sits on the ground
This is my mare's left front foot. As you can see, she is weight-bearing on the bulb; the foot has a bell-shape and the lateral cartilages ( indicated by the highlite on the hair-bearing skin above the hoof on either side) have good distance between them.
Example of my trim on a healthy foot
This owner has me trim this horse every 4 weeks. He grows about 5/8" of heel and almost a full inch of bar at the ends. he has about 1/2" concavity, which is perfect for a front foot on a draft cross. As you can see here, I have trimmed the heels; lateral and medial walls from about halfway; the tip of the frog and smoothed the sole on either side of the frog; and trimmed the bars back to about halfway up the frog. Since this is a Right Front, there is some bar pooling on the outside bar which I trim to level with the sole.
Below shows how to measure concavity. Concavity is measured at the tip of the frog from the area of sole that connects to the frog tissue (often called the dirt line). It should be about 1/4 inch or 1 cm. in fronts and 1.5 cm in hinds. Farriers may refer to it as the sole cup. Contracted hooves often have excessive concavity due to the contracted coffin bone which is unnaturally vaulted. Foundered horses often have convex soles as the coffin bone may have pulled away from the dorsal wall and rotated, pushes against the sole. To see what a foundered coffin bone looks like, go to my founder section.  |  Bulb view  Dorsal view. I rasp straight down the wall of the hoof rolling only the toe from 10 to 2. Rasping only 1 inch or less up the hoof wall is acceptable in a normal healthy hoof. Excessive rasping of the hoof wall is not recommended. Only in pathological cases would there be significant rasping done. Another hoof half trimmed
Only the bar and heel have been trimmed in this photo. This is a regular trim on a healthy draft cross hoof.
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A hoof with severe damage is similar to a person's fingers recovering from frostbite!
This photo exemplifies the damage caused by a lifetime of shoes. It causes damage similar to frostbitten fingers. Even though the shoes were removed and this horse was turned out to retirement, the damage done from years and years of shoeing caused severe CONTRACTION. Contraction is the number one reason for most lameness diseases.
In a horse with feet this bad, a trim designed to restore proper circulation will ultimately release toxins from dead tissue into the horse's bloodstream. The kidneys and liver have to process these toxins and the heart has to work extra hard as the painful rehabilitation returns the foot to a healthy state. I do not recommend corrective trimming of a horse this old with this severe degree of pathology. It could kill him.
Even a younger horse with pathology this bad, the risks of rehabilitation must be considered. This is not a quick fix! It takes about 9 months to a year to grow a new hoof capsule and reversing contraction is often impossible.
If there is significant bone damage, there may not be enough bone to grow in enough of a healthy attachment sufficient for performance. If there are laminitis triggers which are not controllable, it is impossible to maintain steady progress in rehabilitation through trimming alone.
If you chose a trim "style" which does not allow the hoof to function and allow healing, you might keep the horse "usable" for a few more years.
The decision to return healthy function to the foot should not be made lightly. Consider the age of the horse, when he was first shod, what his lifestyle has been, how often he was reshod, the amount of time and effort YOU are willing to put into rehab...all of these factors are very important to consider before you make the decision to transition your horse. Some horses have an easy transition, some do not. There is no real way to know but all factors must be considered.
In a horse with feet this bad, a trim designed to restore proper circulation will ultimately release toxins from dead tissue into the horse's bloodstream. The kidneys and liver have to process these toxins and the heart has to work extra hard as the painful rehabilitation returns the foot to a healthy state. I do not recommend corrective trimming of a horse this old with this severe degree of pathology. It could kill him.
Even a younger horse with pathology this bad, the risks of rehabilitation must be considered. This is not a quick fix! It takes about 9 months to a year to grow a new hoof capsule and reversing contraction is often impossible.
If there is significant bone damage, there may not be enough bone to grow in enough of a healthy attachment sufficient for performance. If there are laminitis triggers which are not controllable, it is impossible to maintain steady progress in rehabilitation through trimming alone.
If you chose a trim "style" which does not allow the hoof to function and allow healing, you might keep the horse "usable" for a few more years.
The decision to return healthy function to the foot should not be made lightly. Consider the age of the horse, when he was first shod, what his lifestyle has been, how often he was reshod, the amount of time and effort YOU are willing to put into rehab...all of these factors are very important to consider before you make the decision to transition your horse. Some horses have an easy transition, some do not. There is no real way to know but all factors must be considered.
Shoes can damage the feet
80 to 90% of shock is absorbed at the point of impact. How much shock do you think a steel shoe absorbs? NONE! In fact, the shoe INCREASES the effect of shock. Shock damages the capillaries (capillary walls are only one cell thick), not only in the foot, but can cause breakage of vessels in the nose causing nose bleeds! Not only are the blood vessels damaged, but the bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, heart, liver and kidneys are damaged with shoes.
The hoof is always growing. But the shoe doesn't grow. As the hoof grows, the shoe restricts growth and causes the hoof to contract. Removable hoof boots are more like the shoes we wear. Nailed-on metal shoes, especially with clips, inflict irrepairable damage to the internal parts of the hoof. There is just no excuse for humans to inflict this type of damage on an animal.... and yet people do it every day without thinking that there could be an alternative. Sadly, even vets, who you would think want the horse to be healthy, often recommend shoes.
The horse industry is built around a shod horse. Even farriers and vets will admit that shoes are damaging but they still think there are horses that benefit by having them applied.
Transitioning and the true function of the hoof is not understood by most conventional professionals, which makes owners less likely to try taking their horse barefoot if it's against their professional's recommendations. Also, there is a shortage of trained hoofcare professionals. Vets and farriers feel very threatened by owners who have learned about healthy hoof function.
The hoof is always growing. But the shoe doesn't grow. As the hoof grows, the shoe restricts growth and causes the hoof to contract. Removable hoof boots are more like the shoes we wear. Nailed-on metal shoes, especially with clips, inflict irrepairable damage to the internal parts of the hoof. There is just no excuse for humans to inflict this type of damage on an animal.... and yet people do it every day without thinking that there could be an alternative. Sadly, even vets, who you would think want the horse to be healthy, often recommend shoes.
The horse industry is built around a shod horse. Even farriers and vets will admit that shoes are damaging but they still think there are horses that benefit by having them applied.
Transitioning and the true function of the hoof is not understood by most conventional professionals, which makes owners less likely to try taking their horse barefoot if it's against their professional's recommendations. Also, there is a shortage of trained hoofcare professionals. Vets and farriers feel very threatened by owners who have learned about healthy hoof function.
Contracted Hoof with the "Butt Crack" aka "Kissing Cartilages"
This hoof has extreme contraction with unilateral contraction beyond the vertical due to having been shod. Compare this with the above photo of my mare's foot where you can see both walls diverge. The hoof should be shaped like a bell. This one is more like an ice cream cone.
It shows that the palmar processes and lateral cartilages have been deformed. Making an effort to widen this hoof on a mature horse invites fracturing the palmar process.
It shows that the palmar processes and lateral cartilages have been deformed. Making an effort to widen this hoof on a mature horse invites fracturing the palmar process.
Even young horses can have serious problems after a few years in shoes!
This 4 yr. old has contraction, coffin bone rotation and separation issues as well as a serious vertical INWARD toe crack in the hoof capsule that goes from the coronary band to the toe. The flattened surface of the front of the hoof wall indicates pressure on the front surface of the coffin bone which, by having been pushed forward and tipped up against the front wall, has seriously damaged the laminar corium and horn. Rings indicate inflammation from shock of impact as well as trauma from the coffin bone being tipped downward. One other thing about young hooves is that the coffin bone's palmar processes are not fully formed and can be seriously deformed when shod before the age of 5. Even if the horse was trimmed properly all it's life and had not been shod, shoes would still do some damage for the length of time they were on. When shoes are left on longer than 4 -6 weeks, damage can be exacerbated as the foot continues to grow but the shoe does not. This is the kind of foot I like to see x-rays on before trimming. (Please see the x-ray of a 6 year old on my Founder page .)
Best use of horse shoes I've ever seen!
This is a sculpture in downtown Port Angeles, WA. where I stayed during my Strasser Hoofcare course. The city had sculpture and art all around the city and this one was a perfect use of horse shoes!
