Travel Area:
I travel to clients' locations anywhere in Santa Cruz County. I also make regular visits to areas in San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Benito and North Monterey Counties.
Trimming Frequency:
Most horses require trimming every 4-8 weeks, with 5-6 weeks being the average after a few trim cycles. In an ideal world we'd not have to trim at all because your horse would be self-maintaining. That's extremely rare in the domestic world, so trimming more frequently allows the changes to be less dramatic and more tolerable for the horse. Even the most minor pathology is nearly impossible to fix on an 8-week schedule. By the time the hooves look to be in need, the hoof is often too out of balance to be brought back in one visit.
What to Expect:
It's been my experience that most horses have a very easy transition to physiologically-correct trimming. Many horses do better with boots, which are a sound investment anyway. The hoof boot market has progressed at warp speed, leaving metal shoes in the dust. I can measure and help you with getting the right fit. Soon I will carry boots from EasyCare, Inc. and Renegade. The top two things that an owner can do to help their horse is encourage as much movement as possible and ensure that the horse's diet is as close to ideal as they can get. The trim, while very important, is only one small piece of the whole puzzle.
I am always happy to share what I've learned with horse owners. If you'd like to learn how to care for your horse's hooves yourself, I can help you get started on that goal.
Travel Fee of $5 applies to locations outside of Santa Cruz County. Waived if more than 4 horses in same location.
Regarding Behavior:
Having invested a considerable amount of time and money towards deepening my understanding of horses and their behavior, I have much patience for youngsters, troubled horses and arthritic old ones. They're all special to me! I believe that horses always have reasons for their behavior, and it's up to us to figure it out. I find that if we slow down and present the idea in small increments, in the end it will take less time. Often just finding the horse's most comfortable sweet spot makes trimming a less stressful event all around. I'd rather get down low (and work out my thighs!) than feel the stress in a horse from lifting their leg too high. There are occasions where I'll be working with a horse for some time, and in those cases, I will have to charge more.
