It's been a month since we attended Lisa Huhn's Performance Natural Trim Seminar and Hands-On Workshop ( May 7,
2005) and my horses' feet, performance,and disposition continue to amaze and delight me.
I have 2 Missouri Foxtrotters:
a mare, Shanay, who is 15 years old, and a gelding, Spirit, who is 14 years old.
Shanay was a brood mare
most of her life and has been mine for the past 2 1/2 years. She had been in iron shoes for 4 months prior
to the Seminar at the farriers insistence because "she has no heel." Upon Lisa's inspection the day of the set
up trim, it was noted that the bars were pressing so hard on the sides of her frogs that Shanay was walking around
with the equivalent of an ingrown toe nail. Ouch! The farrier also stated that her soles would never grow, and that she
would always be tender footed. I couldn't believe that as she had never been ouchy on trail, but lately, a
few months prior to the seminar, she had tired more easily.
Nadine took videos before the Set Up Trim and after of all the horses. Before showed
Shanay's back muscles and shoulders tight and her reach restricted. After the set up trim, she glided over the ground with
relaxed back and shoulders. Her reach was incredible. Needless to say, we enjoy our rides together much more than
before and she is not so eager to get back to the trailer as she was prior to the trim. She doesn't get tired.
I've trimmed her twice and each time is easier. She didn't have contracted heels but the walls were separated from the
sole and that has repaired itself in just one month. Lisa and Nadine also saw that her glands were quite swollen in her neck
and under her head. Lisa advised to not feed any processed commercial food, ever, just good grass hay, salt, and
fresh water. I took away all Shanay's vitamin supplements and pellets-and in 3 days the swollen glands were back to
normal.
As for Spirit, he is 14 years old and he's been with me for 6 years. Prior to my
buying him, he was a West Coast Champion show horse.
When Spirit and I were in the show circuit for 2 years (about 4-6 years ago) his
trot was very rough. So rough that my back would hurt right after the ride and for a few days thereafter. Sometimes
I would even get headaches the pounding was so intense. During the time we were showing, another woman asked if
she could ride him and she also commented that his trot was very hard. Even after we stopped showing, I continued running
him through his gaits, a few times a week for years, just to keep them fresh. Always, the trot was hard. This
past weekend, a month after the Seminar, I put Spirit through his gaits and felt as if I was riding a different horse!
His trot is so smooth now, and I'm thinking it's because his feet land flat on the ground. A few weeks prior to the
Seminar I was watching my horses run in the field and noticed they both would land toe first. I can only imagine
how their bodies must have felt after a 2 hour ride if mine hurt so badly. Riding is so much more relaxing now that
their conformation is corrected. I never would have thought the feet have so much influence to the entire
horse if I hadn't witnessed it myself.
I showed him for 2 years and we continued to collect many
ribbons and awards. Now, looking back, I can't believe he did as well as he did in the shows with his feet like they are. He's
had iron on his feet most all his life, except for 1 1/2 years in the past 2 years. He was barefoot, but the trim was
wrong. His heels remained contracted, the walls thin and chipping, and his sole was not attached to the walls of his front
feet. The farrier insisted he would never be able to go barefoot successfully because he doesn't grow sole. If the farrier
continued to trim the sole and remove the toe callous how could we tell if he grew sole or not? Spirit was so ouchy I purchased
Boa Boots for him and that worked until he broke off his front toe and the boot swam around. The other toe grew out so the
boot was too tight. Not a winning situation. And let me not forget that the farrier told me Spirit's heels would always be
contracted. No so. In the past month his heels have spread at least 1/4" on both fronts. This is an ongoing process. Lisa
advised all the students that this is not a quick fix. It took a long time for the feet to get in the condition they
are in and it will take a long time for them to correct themselves.
I love to ride. But I love my horses
more, and if it takes 6 months, a year, or more for him to get into a place where he can go on trail rides barefoot and not
ouchy, then so be it. I'd rather he be healthy and happy than miserable because of my desires.
I am a 62 year old woman and have wanted a horse since I was 2. Some
dreams take awhile to materialize. At first the trimming was difficult, but as the weeks go by it gets easier. I will
continue to do my own trims as long as I can and then I will teach someone to do it for me if that becomes necessary.
Every time I look at my horses' feet I learn something new.
I am indebted to Lisa for her knowledge and brilliance for developing this technique
and passing it on. To Nadine for her patience while teaching me to trim, and to my friend Ursula for first making
me aware that my Spirit has contracted heels (and to her daughter, Miriam, for finding Lisa!)
I told some of my riding friends that I am now doing my own trims and about Lisa's Seminar.
I was met with such resistance it was unbelieveable.
Lisa and Nadine are so dedicated to the well being of the horse and keeping them in as
natural an environment as is possible including the trim. I only wish every horse owner would open their minds to the Performance
Natural Trim for the well being of the horse.
