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Gunnar's Page
This
page is dedicated to my young Friesian gelding, Gunnar of Honor
Bright. A beguilingly handsome and most affectionate
fellow, his photos tell only part of the story of this very special
horse.....
When I began my
search for finally owning my own horse, after years of leasing,
catch riding, etc., I originally had Iberian breeds in mind for
their willingness, intelligence, temperament and beauty. It
did not take long to realize that Lusitano and Andalusian
conformation is not well-suited to me or the more
longitudinal stride I enjoy. So I turned my attention
towards Oldenburgs and Hanoverians with the hope that I could find
one that was a good schoolmaster, still liked his work, was
affordable and wasn't at the point where only expensive
and extensive veterinary upkeep would keep him sound.
Assuming all that, then the next trick would be my
ability to sit big warmblood gaits.
About this
time, I realized that my horse would need the steadiness
required of a demo horse to be useful in my clinic
presentations on bodywork therapy. This brought to mind
my pleasant experiences with Friesian stallions, graciously
leant by their owners as demo horses at the various equine expos at
which I've presented over the years. There's something to be
said for young stallions that willingly agree to
have their limbs flexed and extended while a dozen or so mares
in season call out to them. I also have
Friesian owners/trainers as clients and can not help but be
struck by the breed's kindness and intelligence. There is
nothing like a Friesian hug and tacit "Thank You!" for
helping them inhabit their bodies more comfortably.
So my
quest went off in a new direction and, long story short, you
might say that my horse found
me! I am ever so grateful
to Geneviève de Montremare, Gunnar's breeder, for knowing
we were right for one another and making the magic
happen. Gunnar's sire, the beautiful stallion Wicher 334, whom he very much
resembles, passed away June 8, 2003 when Gunnar was
not yet 1 year old. Gunnar is now 4, has acclimated
beautifully to life in NC, and is an extremely happy horse. He
has quite a sense of humor too! [If you join us at our
Clinics, chances are, you're sure to meet him!] Now we are learning from
one another.
The
Barefoot Horse
One major point Gunnar has reinforced
for me is the importance of hoof
balance,hoof health and maintaining
both. While a correct trim is all important for
soundness and maximizing way of going for any horse, it is
particularly vital for the barefoot horse. There is
simply no shoe for the hoof to hide behind. Bravely, I
decided to try to maintain Gunnar's feet myself between trims and
now own a fair complement of farriery items, including a hoof
stand and chinks! Luckily, I have a most able farrier and AFA
Journeyman, Mike Stine (Equine
Dynamics) to guide me and steer me away from
trouble.
Between Mike and
Gunnar and studying the principals and techniques of some
of the experts (see below), I have learned to look at hooves
with a new understanding of what a healthy hoof in
natural balance is and have a fair idea of what's required to get
there. Unfortunately, the healthy hoof is not as
common a sight as we might imagine.
Due to the poor
hoof health and imbalance I see in too many of the horses with
which I work, I am of the opinion that if your horse can transition
to barefoot and stay sound, then why not head in this
direction? This is not to say that barefootedness is right for
all horses or in all situations, but it is certainly worth a
try. The barefoot horse enjoys better circulation to the
entire hoof capsule, and more hoof surface comes into contact with
the ground resulting in safer and more
efficient locomotion.
Just understand
that the longer your horse has worn shoes, the longer the
transition may take for the hoof capsule to regain its healthy
state. In addition to a good farrier who is well-versed in
performing a balanced, barefoot trim, it also requires
balanced nutrition and the return to a more natural environment
(more turn out, less stabling).
There are also
ways to make it easier on your horse during this transition such as
hoof packing, boots, foot soaks, etc. And to help you and
your horse successfully make the transition, look under
the Natural Hoof Supply section at
our Online
Webshop to be added soon. Among the
items will be our specially formulated Horse Holistics
Hoof Blend (therapeutic grade essential oil blend for
topical application to soothe stretched, painful laminae during
the healing phase).
For instructional
books and videos on the subject of Natural/Barefoot
Trim, see our Suggested
Reading page. Below are links to
natural hoof specialists:
Every journey begins
with a single step!
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