Included with the trimming book is a concise Trim Sequence Guide and gaugesPreface
This 80 page manual will teach a method entirely new and on a different plane from anything of the kind that has yet been presented. Educators
on trimming and management of the equine hoof are numerous, but their writings leave novice trimmers without the tools to help them improve hoof
form while doing no harm. I have developed a useful algorithm to map and chart the hoof prior to trimming that can do just that.
The ABC HoofPrint Trim method insures balance heel-to-toe and side-to-side, even for the beginning trimmer.
Case studies on foundered horses were the impetus for developing the HoofPrint Trim. A need to come up with a usable and easy trimming
protocol that safeguards the hoof from harm was the driving force. For many hoof care providers, mapping and understanding how to balance the
hoof can take years to learn and master. The HoofPrint Trim method has shortened this long learning curve by giving students of the hoof a basic
understanding of its structure through the use of three gauges which help them decide where to trim. They now have a quick and easy mapping
method to use when trimming hooves.
I have developed this method not because I expect to be financially repaid but because I hope that by a careful and unbiased study of its contents
the reader may acquire knowledge that will be of benefit to our equine friends. I trust that my experience, as set forth within these covers, will be of
assistance to each reader in correcting the unbalanced capsule and to understanding the importance of trimming.
I have attempted to make my explanations so simple with illustrations and photos that the reader will be able to use the HoofPrint Trim for almost
any puzzling hoof condition. When done correctly, this method enables the trimmer to form a correct prognosis and an accurate plan of action. I have
personally researched and challenged myself for years to prove the consistent reliability of the HoofPrint Trim by teaching others this simple and
safe practice for balancing and trimming hooves.
The theories presented herein to the reader are those that I have tested thoroughly and found to work. Like any new approach in an age-old
practice fraught with dogma, some readers may be skeptical. I hope that even the most doubting reader will test the methods with an open mind.
Although not all hooves can be brought to a complete and rapid recovery, the HoofPrint Trim provides a healthy boundary to assist the most
difficult of hooves to achieve a form that better protects their internal structures during the stages of repair. Poor hoof conditions result from many
factors: lack of timely trimming, disease in the hoof, bone demineralization, lack of good hygiene or diet, and poor hoof care for a long period of time.
Consequently, these hooves do require more frequent trimmings and treatment to affect recovery, whether the recovery is complete or the best that
can be expected in light of permanent damage to the bones and internal structures.
This is an age with scientific equipment to prove out theories, an age when our equines are more friends and companions than vehicles for tasks. It is
a time that we listen to the needs of these amazing creatures with unbiased interest and fairness. What you will read in the following pages is evidence
that hoof care is vitally important for our equine friends. This book is for them.
Included with the trimming book is a concise Trim Sequence Guide and gauges
to map out the hoof.
The book explains the ABC HoofPrint Trim protocol and use of the gauges so
that even the beginner will be able to achieve a balanced hoof.
Chapters on pathology and how to recognize the problems in hooves that prevent
them from thriving and being comfortable barefoot.
A great deal of pictures to help you "Hone" your eye to see what you are looking
at in regards to invasive and embedded excess bar horn. And also the subtle changes
that weaken the back of the hoof from fungus and bacteria.
Understanding the reasons we need to trim and address problems in the hoof
that will not go away on their own. Problems created by living in a limited space
and how to keep the hooves from failing.
A better and clearer understanding of the responsibilities and treatment of our
equine to insure they do have hoof capsules that will not interfere with the articulation
of the joints.
Multiple step-by-step guides showing the easy use of the gauges and developing a trimming
plan using the ABC HoofPrint mapping tools.
Using the method taught within these pages will help you trim the most difficult of feet.
There are many pages with hoof pictures covered in mylar to practice "honing your eye" with
an eraseable pen developing a plan prior to trimming that you will learn in the pages of the
ABC HoofPrint Trimming Manual. Practice on these pages using the hoofprint ring
will quickly develop your eye to see many of the clues on the hoof you will learn about.
There are 14 informative question and answer pages addressing with the most asked concerns
about the equine hoof. Questions like:
How come barefoot is claimed to be better for hooves?
My horse always has some pink on his soles. Why does he bruise so easily?
I tried barefoot for two months and my horse blew an abscess. Could this be caused by a stone
bruise since he is lower to the ground now?
My horse foundered and I was told that she could never be barefoot why?
How long does a callus take to build up on the sole for trail riding?
What can I do to help create sole toughness?
What happens if I over trim the hoof?
and many more important questions with answers giving insight to the hoof.
