Keeping horses comfortable and sound can be a complicated and often times stressful process not only for the owner, but also for hoof care professionals. The author started her learning journey out of personal frustration with these issues. Her goal was initially just to find solutions for her own horses. Eventually her hoof research provided results applicable to every horse. A must for anyone (owners, trainers, trimmers, farriers, and veterinarians) wishing to be well-versed in the hoof, readers will without a doubt gain new insights from this book on topics not found in other hoof related publications. This book is a new look at the hoof, focusing on a detailed look at its morphology (shape) and function, and discussing implications for how the hoof should be trimmed and cared for. The information is backed up with the presentation of accurate measurements from thousands of horses’ hooves, as well as examples painstakingly collected over the author’s 20 year involvement with trimming the hoof. This book contains over 300 color images, many with measurements and annotations, and will be an excellent addition to your hoof care resources.

Keeping horses comfortable and sound can be a complicated and often times stressful process not only for the owner, but also for hoof care professionals. The author started her learning journey out of personal frustration with these issues. Her goal was initially just to find solutions for her own horses. Eventually her hoof research provided results applicable to every horse. This book is a new look at the hoof, focusing on a detailed look at its morphology (shape) and function, and discussing implications for how the hoof should be trimmed and cared for. A must for anyone wishing to be well-versed in the hoof, readers will gain new insights from this book not found in other hoof related publications. This book contains over 300 color images of the foot and will be an excellent addition to your hoof care resources.

The equine hoof is a complex marvel of natural engineering, built to withstand tremendous forces and able to adapt to an astonishing range of environmental conditions. It also changes daily–for better or for worse–in response to external and internal factors. Few horse owners have the opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of the hoof, which limits their ability to advocate on their horses’ behalf and make informed decisions about hoof care and management. This book is the first resource of its kind to combine the most current and useful information available, gleaned from the research and wisdom of top hoof experts around the world, with a unique “hands-on” approach. The authors provide basic terms and anatomy, clearly illustrate the differences between healthy and unhealthy feet, discuss biomechanics and management concerns, and cover the causes, treatments, and prevention of commonly encountered problems, including laminitis, white line disease, and thrush. Along the way, readers are given activities to help them better analyze and understand the most important aspects of equine hoof health, such as hoof balance, depth of sole, and point of breakover. Easy–to–follow language, over 400 full–color photographs, and do–it–yourself exercises promise to empower horse owners and caretakers of all experience levels with the tools they need to accurately assess hoof health and keep their horses as sound and happy as possible.

Help your horse put his best foot forward! Stressing the critical importance of hoof care to your horse’s overall health, this guide covers all aspects of proper hoof maintenance — from dealing with lost shoes, cracks, and thrush to promoting healthy hooves through a balanced diet. With in-depth discussions of hoof anatomy, the role of the farrier, and the importance of daily routines, Horse Hoof Care provides everything you need to know to give your horse a solid foundation of healthy, strong hooves.

Natural hoof care is now being recognized as the most important new direction in horse care. At the forefront of this artful science is Pete Ramey, experienced natural hoof care practitioner. Pete has written Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You for horse owners, vets, and, of course, hoof care providers, wanting "straight talk" and reliable information on how to "cross-over" into natural hoof care. Pete's book is written in an easygoing, maverick style, that will guide you with confidence away from the pitfalls of shoeing and into the heart of true natural trimming, booting, and natural horsekeeping practices. Book jacket.

Foot problems are the bane of horses' and horse-owners' lives. With the aid of over 1000 photographs, this book looks at various aspect of hoof care, and describes more than fifty common hoof problems. It describes how to recognise good and faulty shoeing, explains mechanics of foot in motion, discusses foot balance, and more.

The original guide to barefoot hoof care. Step by step instructions for horse owners wanting to do their own natural hoof care. Based on Jaime Jackson's research with wild horses and his many years as a successful hoof care provider and clinician. Includes recommendations for dealing with unnatural hoof shapes and problem hooves. Essential reading for anyone who intends to take his or her horse barefoot. Over 200 illustrations, photographs and diagrams.

Many horses will, at some point during their lives, suffer hoof problems which, in extreme cases, can cause permanent lameness. So why should oustandingly healthy, hardworking feet be a relative rarity? Performance Hoof, Performance Horse explores the idea that, given the right conditions, healthy hooves are not difficult to maintain and neither do they need much in the way of human intervention, and that the unshod or 'barefoot' horse can be tough, strong and sure-footed. The book offers practical advice on how best to work with a horse with compromised feet in terms of nutrition, surfaces and exercise in order to restore its hooves to optimum condition. Topics covered include: assessing hooves and hoof balance; the pros and cons of trimming; fixing problem feet; and developing stronger hooves. Fully illustrated with 87 colour photographs.

Horses with good conformation move fluidly, experience less wear and tear on joints, and are more apt to stay fit. Explaining how conformation relates to structure and function, Heather Smith Thomas shows you how to identify a horse’s desirable attributes and potential faults. You’ll learn to train your eye to see past an animal’s physical beauty and recognize proper balance, leg angles, and height as you confidently select horses that have superior durability, trainability, and athletic potential.

Examine the anatomy of a horse from an entirely different perspective. This intriguing and original explanation of the 11 internal body systems of horses shows them painted on the outside to describe everything on the inside. The horse is a highly sophisticated living organism so to enable him to reach his full athletic performance and give him a happy, healthy quality of life it is vital to understand both his capabilities and limitations within the context of his structure and function. Gillian Higgins turns her trademark technique of painting internal diagrams directly onto live horses to show how all the systems work, and work together, to influence performance and reduce the risk of injury. Divided into 12 chapters, Horse Anatomy for Performance combines high quality photographs and intricate paintings with top tips and fascinating facts to provide a practical and useful guide to horse anatomy. Visually appealing, original and easily understandable, the book explains how anatomy influences the way we manage, ride and train our horses. This book is a sequel to How Your Horse Moves by Gillian Higgins; together the books provide a comprehensive guide to horse anatomy in action "Finally a book where you can learn how your horse ticks - inside out - and it is easy to understand and fun to read. A must for every serious equestrian." --Dr W. Bechtolsheimer