Whose Method Is It? - The Truth About the Barefoot Trim

Many people ask the question “Whose Method is it?” when it comes down to Natural Hoof Care.  The response received can be very daunting.  There are many professionals out there claiming to have their very own method.  The truth is, it’s the horse’s method; the method of all horses and not just the wild ones.  No one can own this, or put a label on it, it belongs to the horse.

Why is the natural trim based on the wild horse? Many ask. The wild horse trim does not attempt to turn domesticated horses into wild horses; it simply mimics the “natural wear” they would get if they were moving around as much as nature intended for them.  Wild horses move around as much as 25 miles per day foraging for food, water and minerals.  Our domesticated horses simply do not get anywhere near that amount of exercise.  This means then that our horses do not wear their hooves down naturally like the wild horses and will require regular trimming of the hooves.

The American Association of Natural Hoof Care Practitioners (AANHCP) is currently the only association that bases the trim method on the wild horses as the model for hoof care.  It is non-invasive, and conducive to healing and prevention of all types of pathology as well metabolic issues due to un-natural feeding practices.  What we must first recognize is that it is not our tools that heal horses; it is the horse that does the healing. We as horse owners and horse care professionals must simply open the door and lead them back to what’s natural so they can begin to heal.

Along with hoof care, AANHCP practitioners follow the wild horse model to help horse owners follow natural diet regimens as well as horse keeping, handling and riding practices.  The truth about our horses is that nothing about domestication is “natural” to them. All the “un-natural” influences that are placed upon them in domestication are factors in slowly breaking them down.  The AANHCP has recognized the need for the addressing of the whole horse and not just the hooves when it comes down to true soundness for horses.

The AANHCP has practitioners spreading rapidly throughout the world.  It is time to spread the word about natural horse care practices in Canada.  There are not nearly enough certified practitioners in Canada at this time to meet the rising demand. 

We would like to invite you to an open discussion or question and answer forum about natural horse care and the AANHCP.  In each newsletter, the 5 certified AANHCP practitioners from Canada will be candidly answering questions pertaining to natural horse care using the wild horse model. Topics to be discussed will include but not be limited to diet, exercise, boarding practices and health as well as trimming and hoof care practices.

For more information about the AANHCP, how to get involved or to find an AANHCP practitioner in your area, please visit www.aanhcp.net

We look forward to sharing our knowledge with you and helping to address any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely, AANHCP Canadian Practitioners.
 

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