Better Be Barefoot        

Welcome to

Better Be Barefoot

Natural Trim, Rehabilitation, &

Education Center

Hollistic Horse Care - it all starts from the ground up!  

Whether you ride for pleasure, compete in equestrian sports, drive your ponies, or just admire their beauty, your love of horses makes you want to see them happy and healthy.  The well being of a sound horse begins wth good footcare.  There is no doubt that a horse with good feet will have a longer, happier life and will be more sound. 

Go back to basics - start at the gound and work your way up when caring for a horse.  At Better Be Barefoot, we will help you build a solid foundation for good horsekeeping.  Let us be your resource!

Not all barefoot trims are alike.  Consult with Sherri and you will be amazed at the results.

  Better Be Barefoot is not for everyone!!!   If you are considering our services - read this FIRST!

 We are committed to natural horsekeeping.  The barefoot trim is a vital building block in the art of keeping your horses healthy.  But it is not magic.  Other "pieces of the puzzle" are integral in making a good environment for a healthy horse.   Since we are so committed, there are a few things that you must understand about our philosophy before you call us for our initial consultation:

• Better Be Barefoot promotes barefoot horses 365 days a year - so if you plan to shoe your horses in the summer - or for eventing or the like, our services are not for you.  We are interested in helping you keep your horses barefoot all of the time.
• Horses that live in stalls do not benefit from our services.   We do not believe in having horses live in stalls - PERIOD. Natural horsekeeping means horses are out 24/7 or at least all day, everyday.   Horses that live in stalls have restricted movement and limited walking/running time.  So the trim cannot be expected to "do its job" if the rest of the picture is not complete.   Cribbing ,stall weaving, pacing, and other bad behaviors are often the result of horses that are left to live in a confined space.   To illustrate life in a stall for your horse, consider what it would be like if you were doomed to live in a room the size of your powder room for the better part of your day.  Once in a while, you would be allowed out - but if the conditions were not right or if it was not convenient, you could would just stay in the little room with no interaction with others and no activity to keep your interest.  If that sounds unattractive to you, consider that your horse has no say in his environment - he counts on YOU to make his life good and interesting and stimulating.   People wonder why a horse has bad stall manners - just think about that!  Little wonder some reach out to nip at passers-by or charge the door when it is opened.  So if you keep your horse at home, consider constant turn-out.  If you board, make sure your barn puts the horses out at least all day every day.  Horses don't melt in the rain and they love to play in the snow.    If you have a horse that lives inside, we are not the service for you.
• Nutrition is vital in natural horsekeeping.  Horses are made to graze and to get good quality forage and food.  If you do not allow your horse grazing time and work to make sure his diet is good, Better Be Barefoot cannot help.   We will offer suggestions from time to time and we promote herbal supplements and chemical free foods.  If your horse shows consistent health issues from sub standard feeding programs, our trim will not help you.
• Your horse needs to be trained for trim services.   For your services,  the horse should be brought to a safe work area and can either be held by a handler or tied.   Not every horse will be a model citizen, but our goal is to help him accept farrier service so it is safe for him, safe for us, and safe for you.   YOU can train the horse by teaching him to stand and tie, by teaching him to lift his feet and hold them up, and by teaching him to accept hoof picking.  He should not bite, bolt, rear, or kick.  If you anticipate that he will do any of these things, let me know and we can come up with a plan to teach him.
• If you currently have a shod horse and want to make him barefoot - the process will start with pulling the shoes.   Barefoot trims are not done on the same day as the shoes are pulled.  I typically do the initial evaluation,pull shoes, and book your first trim appointment on the first visit.  This allows the horse time to get used to having shoes off.  It allows circulation to start surging through the foot, and it permits unrestricted hoof growth prior to the first trim.   In addition, if the horse is new to you, it gives everyone an opportunity to lower the stress level before he is asked to accept a new farrier and a new "feel" for his feet.   If you are in a hurry to get everything done, Better Be Barefoot is not for you.
• Barefoot trimming is a process.  It often takes several trims to get the desired result.  As the circulation and balance is improved in the hoof, the growth rate will change. The frog will "come alive" and the horse will feel different when he walks.   It is the same to a horse as it would be to you if you stopped wearing tight fitting high heels and started going barefoot around your house!  You can suddenly wiggle your toes and relax.   It just plain feels good!  Plus the calluses go away, the blisters diappear, and the pain stops.   But while there is some immediate benefit, the real rewards come after a little time.
• We ask that you carefully consider the services we offer and if you are ready to make a commitment to natural horsekeeping, we will help you.   But if you want your horse to be barefoot to save money, or you want just pieces of natural horsekeeping - we may not be able to help.  Think it over.

We are special....

Better Be Barefoot starts assisting you by offering natural balance trimming.  So many farriers and blacksmiths will tell you they offer a good trim.  But a balanced trim - one that aids in circulation and movement, one that supports the weight and gaits and posture of your horse, one that creates a body balance - that is the trim that will keep your horse natural and free.  That is the trim we will achieve for you.

 But we are more than that!  Our rehabilitation center offers "whole horse health care".  We continuously educate ourselves on the health of horses and we can get horses on the road back to good health.  Whether at your farm or ours, our rehabilitation efforts cannot be matched anywhere.  Before you "give up" or "settle for a horse with limits", check with us.   We have changed the course of life for many horses and owners.

 Better Be Barefoot also educates.  We will teach you one on one or in a group, casually or structured, with and without demonstration - you name it!  Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge to work with us as we work together to keep your horse vital.

In the pages that follow, you will see lots of information.  But the best way to see what we are made of is to call us in for a consultation and a trim.  You will be amazed!

Remember that it takes many hours of experience to become skilled at barefoot trimming.  Don't accept just anyone who does not put shoes on a horse - Sherri at BBB has devoted her life to the natural trim.  Accept no substitutes!

Don't wait to call - the road to a happier, healthier horse can start with just one call.