We Cater to the Sole of Your Horse
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We Cater to the Sole of Your Horse
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What is "Hoofmanship" - The application of the skills and knowledge to care for the equine hoof in a way that results in optimal form and function. This knowledge is based on the physiology, locomotion, and other factors that impact hoof quality, including lifestyle, diet, and use of the animal. What is "Natural Hoofmanship" - The application of natural horse care theories to the basic knowledge and skills of Hoofmanship. What is "Genuine Texas Hoofmanship" - A style of natural hoofmanship developed in Texas by Gates Billette and Susanne Elmer.
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Susanne Elmer started trimming horses in 1994. Her first horse was diagnosed with mechanical founder secondary to white line disease. After being unable to find a farrier to trim her horse, she got the farrier instruction books from Oklahoma State University and picked up her first set of trimming tools. The information available at the time on founder was very scarce. Susanne regularly searched the web for information on founder and laminitis. Two years later during one of these research scans, she found the natural trimming methods that claimed to be able to help foundered horses when used in conjunction with natural living conditions and a more natural diet. For years she picked up every book she could find including books and videos from Jamie Jackson, Dr. Strasser, Pete Ramey, and KC LaPerrier. In 2001, Susanne had her first opportunity to go to a hands-on clinic for barefoot hoof care with Martha Olivo. This started her journey into specialized trimming for rehabilitation. For 2 years she dedicated her time to horse rescues in Texas, trimming any hoof problems that came into the foster home. These horses primarily had laminitis/founder issues, but there were a few with navicular or hoof injuries that needed special care. In 2004, Susanne was certified as Mentor Hoof Groom through Martha Olivo's two week hands-on training program. In 2006, she joined the AANHCP organization but was unable to comply with the new directive in early 2008 on how to trim foundered horses by calculating angles. She dropped the student status in Feb 2008. Susanne still focuses on trimming primarily rehabilitation cases that are in the greatest need of specialized care. She trims primarily in the north Houston and College Station area for any horse, and will travel to central and east Texas for special rehabilitation cases. |
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For more information on Natural Hoofmanship and Gates Billette, call 940-867-5208 or e-mail gatesbillette@hotmail.com This website designed and maintained by Carter Equine Productions. For technical assistance regarding this website, please contact my Webmaster, Lisa Carter at lisacarter@hughes.net |