Hoof Care For Horse Owners at Creekside Arena

Are you confident in assessing if your horse's hooves are in an optimal state?

Would you like to gain knowledge in order to have a teamwork-based conversation with your trimmer?

Do you want to begin the journey of learning how to trim yourself?

If so - you need to join us in Melfort on November 27 for a hands-on clinic!

This will be a multi-faceted workshop in addition to the theory portion of the course.  Options include:

9:00 - 1:00 - Hoof Care For Horse Owners interactive class.  $79. per person.

(This is a pre-requisite in order to attend any additional portion of our day.  If you have already taken this course, you do not have to participate in this session, but you are welcome to repeat it for a discounted cost of $49). 

For a full description of the course modules please visit https://www.primeequine.ca/copy-of-equi-health-courses-1

1:30 - 6:30: One-on-one session with you and your horse. 

Option 1: Introduction to owner-trimming-techniques: $105.

We will do a visual analysis of your horse based on all the things we just learned in the morning.  We will make a plan, and then begin the trimming lesson.  I will do basic technique demonstration, but then verbally walk you through the trim.  This is a rasping-only technique, so ideally your horse should have been trimmed within the last 3-4 weeks, or we will not be able to complete a full trim.  This 1-1 takes approximately one hour, and owners should expect to get 2 hooves trimmed.  Owners who want to continue their trimming journey should have their own tools (rasp, hoof knife, hoof stand) but I will have limited extras on hand if you are not sure what to purchase. I will also have stock of our horse-owner-approved radial rasp and bar/sole rasp for purchase.  

Option 2: Individual hoof analysis with photo markups & written report. $40.

We will analyze your horse together live, and I will then take photos of your horse and after the workshop provide you with a written report with photo markups.  If you have recent x-rays to share the cost is $50.  Repeat markups within 6 months are 1/2 price (virtual).

There are limited spots available for the above 1-1 options, spots will be confirmed via registration payment and openings confirmed in the event chat.

If you would like to audit the afternoon but not bring a horse, you may for $10.  If you have a 1-1 booked, you are invited to audit the afternoon for free as part of your registration.

Haul ins (if you do not have a Creekside riding membership) are an additional $20 per horse, paid directly to the facility.

Hoof Care for Horse Owners covers:

Module 1 - Analyzing Hoof Anatomy:

- What are the structures of the foot, what role do they play in soundness.

- Micro-tips I have found over the years that are pinnacle to the overall structure of a healthy hoof.

- Common ailments and their impacts on the horse's body

- Identifying and assessing a hoof (flares, contracted heels, frog atrophy, digital cushion, negative plantar angles, underrun heels and more).

- Confirmation vs posture

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Module 2 - To Shoe or Not to Shoe:

- Common problems with shoes and their root causes

- Shoe fit, perimeter vs structure, sizing and more

- Requirements for successful shoeing

- Transitioning out of shoes

- Barefoot trims vs shoe-prep trims - the difference.

- Tracking progress in trims and shoe cycles

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Module 3 - The Importance of Diagnostics

- Types of diagnostics

- Tracking progress

- How to take proper photos for tracking

- Marking up photos to analyze change

- Radiographs, their importance, and tricks to ensure you receive quality images

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Module 4 - The Responsibility of Horse Owners in Hoof Care

- Littlebit's story - the horse that got me into hoof care

- The role of nutrition in hoof care

- Creating the ideal hoof habitat

- Tools of the trade

- How you can learn to trim too - if you want to!

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Check our events page for live sessions, contact us for private/in-person events, and coming soon will be HCFHO on demand!

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About the Instructor:

Adelle Stewart has been trimming horses for 5 years.  She has a unique story about being forced to take hoof care into her own hands when her good saddle horse came up lame.  With no obvious diagnostic as to why (after xrays, ultrasounds, MRI, etc) Adelle began to dig deeper and thought her mare's feet looked "weird."  Despite being told they were "fine" - Adelle began to learn to trim herself by watching online videos, paying for a professional trimmer in Pennsylvania mark up hoof photos and track her progress.   Adelle attended a symposium in 2018 at the WCVM with Dr. Robert Bowker, who advocated for everything Adelle had been taught so far.  She knew she was on the right path at that point (combined with the fact she had rehabbed her own horse with her trimming).  She began sharing her knowledge of hoof care with her customers and audience at Prime Equine.  One rehabbed horse became 2, 3, 4 and more horses of her own herd whose feet got healthier, and horses sounder.  Adelle does not take outside customers although has rehabbed several outside horses on special exemption.  Her passion is for helping the average horse owner become excpetional, and understand as much about their horse as they can.

Hoof Care For Horse Owners has been professionally reviewed by a farrier from Alberta, Canada.