Maureen Tierney – barefoottrimming

1. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Contents • Why do we trim? • The Hoof Capsule vs The Foot • Listen to the Hoof • The Hoof is Dynamic • The HGM Trim • Summary Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

2. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Why do we trim? To remove material the horse cannot remove on its own. We should not trim from the perspective that the foot will grow too much if we don’t. The hoof is not grass, it is not hair, and it is NOT a fingernail. A healthy hoof grows to demand An unhealthy hoof will grow faster Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

3. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method This hoof was trimmed 11 months ago! (The ground has been wet for 2 months) Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

4. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The foot is shorter now than in July 2012 Hoof after last trim in April 2012 July 2012 March 2013 And it looks more comfortable! Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

5. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Remember, the ground doesn’t think! In the wild the hoof is trimmed by the GROUND. • The ground does not micro manage. • The ground does not measure. • The ground has no “ideal” in mind. • The ground is passive. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

6. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Compare the action of the heels vs the toe. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

7. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method It’s clear that the range of motion of the toe results in greater abrasion. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

8. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The heel lands and while the toe is being abraded, the heel is moving up. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

9. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The Heel is compacted by impact The Toe is abraded by friction It only makes sense that we would trim the heels LESS and that the toe is what needs our help due to lack of abrasion. In fact, the heels seldom need trimming on a healthy hoof. Trimming of the heels sends a message to the foot that it has suffered a great amount of excess wear – or even injury – causing the heels to GROW. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

10. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Bottom Line Trim only to help the foot, not control it. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

11. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The Hoof versus The Foot The horse has both a foot and a hoof capsule. We need to consider both. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

12. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The Hoof Capsule is a Bionic Shoe It is created and maintained by the horse’s FOOT – the internal structures. Internal problems cause things like tall bars, tall heels, and thickened soles. External conditions cause forward toe, frog migration, weak or infected frogs. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

13. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The Foot is What is Inside the Hoof Capsule • Coffin bone • Navicular bone • Lateral cartilages • Digital Cushion • Coria • Blood vessels • Etc. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

14. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Hoof Form Affects the Foot A hoof that doesn’t fit the foot causes pressure on delicate tissues, puts stress on tendons, tears laminae, and can cause atrophy of internal structures. Even mild hoof capsule “poor fit” can cause pain. We have all worn shoes that were just a little too tight or rubbed on our little toe. Imagine having to live in those shoes 24/7. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

15. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Just a few Examples . . . Long toes cause tearing and separation of the laminae and the wall – and can result in mechanical founder. Ouchiness leads to toe-first landings and all associated problems. Flare creates what is basically too large a “shoe” for the foot resulting in “slop”. (See side by side foot comparison.) And it also can cause pinching where it bends inward from leverage forces. We do not really know all the damage done by hoof capsule deformity, but it is most likely the cause of arthritis, back and shoulder pain, and other forms of lameness. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

16. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method A healthy foot Tight wall connection Coffin bone supported Robust Frog Small area of sole in front of frog Tight wall/sole connection Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

17. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method A not so healthy foot Too long a toe is pulling away from the bone. Thin weak frog Coffin bone unsupported Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

18. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Compare these feet! Look at the back of the foot, look at the position of the coffin bones. Hoof form DOES make a difference. Which means the TRIM makes a difference. Too long a toe is pulling away from the bone. Tight wall connection Coffin bone supported Robust Frog Small area of sole in front of frog Thin weak frog Coffin bone unsupported Tight wall sole connection Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

19. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method More unhealthy feet Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

20. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method More unhealthy feet Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

21. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method More unhealthy feet Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

22. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method More unhealthy feet Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

23. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method What happens inside is not always pretty. Incorrect trimming has a devastating effect on the internal structures. These feet are from the same horse – left is hind, right is front. Hoof capsule has been removed. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

24. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The foot must be given time to heal internally. As the previous images show, the inside of the foot takes a beating. Nagging at the foot and over-trimming delays and often prevents healing entirely. It’s not all about the hoof capsule. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

25. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Bottom Line It is not necessary to know all the structures in the foot. But it is necessary to always keep in mind that everything WE do to the foot has consequences. We need to make sure we don’t cause problems. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

26. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The hoof reacts to conditions – both external and internal The hoof is not static, it is DYNAMIC and can effect change in a very short amount of time, and in ways we would never imagine. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

27. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Look at some of the changes that can occur in almost no time . . . Post trim 2/9/13 7 days later! Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

28. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method A very different foot with minimal trimming 9/6/12 10/4/12 Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

29. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Angle reversal by leaving the heels alone and backing the toe. 11/7/12 12/11/12 Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

30. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method A third bar . . . what? 1/6/13 3/6/13 Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

31. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Bottom Line The fact is that the FOOT makes all positive change and effects all healing. Nature does the work, we only help by doing what the foot asks and needs. The hoof is not an inanimate object. It is not a block of wood, and what it does, it does for a reason. The hoof is capable of transforming itself very quickly - when allowed to do so. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

32. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The HGM trim is very simple There are only 4 steps There is no guesswork The trim is the same for all feet It’s not about pretty Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

33. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The Four Steps Clean the foot and exfoliate dead sole Address the toe Address the heels and bars Bevel the foot Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

34. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Step One Clean the foot and exfoliate any dead sole. Dead sole is sole that comes off easily. NEVER cut into the sole Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

35. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Step Two Address the Toe This is where reading the foot tells you exactly what to do. The sole ridge is the foot telling you where it wants the toe. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

36. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Addressing the Toe What does the toe have to say? Examine the following examples Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

37. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method This sole says to bevel the toe back. Yellow arrows point to sole ridge Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

38. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method This sole says to bevel the toe back. Yellow arrows point to sole ridge Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

39. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method This sole says no backing – just bevel No ridge means just bevel the toe wall. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

40. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method This foot is saying, “I don’t need a trim.” Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

41. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Listen to the foot • The ridge – or lack of ridge – dictates where to trim. • Honor the ridge by beveling to just in front of it • No ridge – just bevel the wall. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

42. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Step Three . . . What do the heels and bars have to say? Examine the following examples Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

43. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The bars say leave them alone. One heel wants to be trimmed. The bars are hard and close to the sole. The bottom heel is at sole level. Since we always trim the heels to the same height above the sole, we can lower the higher heel to match the lower one. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

44. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method These heels and bars say to leave them alone. The bars are self-trimmed and barely above the sole. The heels are even and less than 1/4 inch above the sole. Leave them alone. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

45. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The heels say leave them alone. The bars do not need trimming as they are not too high. We do not have to make the foot pretty. The bars COULD be trimmed very slightly, but it is not necessary. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

46. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method These heels say to take them down to 1/4 inch above the sole, the bars need trimming – but should be left above the sole. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

47. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Step Four Bevel the foot. Whenever possible leave 1/8 inch or so of wall above the sole. In founder cases take it all the way down to the sole. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

48. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method A nicely beveled foot Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

49. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method The results . . . Notice that the heels were not touched. Yet they are lower. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com

50. Natural Barefoot Trimming The Hoof Guided Method Nature at Work This is a foot still healing and improving – the next slide shows the lateral views. Maureen Tierney – www.barefoottrimming.com