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Acerca de

BAREFOOT
TRIMMING

Antique utilizes a more natural, holistic approach than traditional farriers to provide a healthy, long-term solution for a wide variety of hoof shapes and conditions.

Main advantages over other trimming methods:

  • No abrupt changes causing discomfort!

  • Hooves are balanced gradually, protecting the limbs from stress.

  • Unique filing technique that controls abrasion.

  • Works with the hoof and environmental conditions to correct and prevent distortion.

  • Treats the cause of hoof distortion, not just the symptoms.

  • Reverses and/or prevents hoof problems and discomfort.

PREVENTIVE HOOF CARE

A healthy horse starts from the hoof up.

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AND YOUR HORSE?

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GOING BAREFOOT

If your horse is not already barefoot, we will get you there safely and comfortably.

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RELIABLE SCHEDULE

Your horse will be put on a 3 to 4 week trimming schedule, designed to give you maximum results.

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HEALTHY HOOVES

Once hoof distortion is corrected, we will continue to maintain healthy hooves and prevent future issues.

PREVENTION IS KEY.

​Effective and regular hoof care should be a priority, one that enables the horse to have the best quality of life.

Our objective is to achieve the best possible condition for each individual hoof of each unique horse.

Many horses today suffer due to hoof distortion. Our preventive treatment corrects deformations before your horse shows signs of lameness or other symptoms.

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Prevention

WHY GO BAREFOOT?

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BARE IS BEST.

Solving severe hoof problems, AND preventing them, is only possible by regular trimming in short intervals on the unshod hoof.

To correct and maintain hoof shape, the hoof material needs to be exposed to abrasion, and the mechanics of the hoof needs to be stimulated with each step.

Shoes cause:

  • restriction in the hoof mechanics

  • ​lack of natural stimulation through the hoof

  • poor blood circulation

  • unhealthy new hoof growth

  • nail holes perforate the hoof wall

  • encourages bacteria to enter the hoof

  • cracks, fissures and breakage to increase

  • horse cannot feel as it walks, so is more careless with limbs, causing potential injury

  • increased risk of sliding

  • compensation on uneven surfaces causes increased stress to hinge joints

  • greater risk of injury to humans and other horses

Shoes will not repair those conditions.

Shoes become unnecessary once hooves are trimmed properly and your horse is given time for recovery.

There is no such thing as a horse "being too old" to go barefoot. The natural production of hoof horn material does not alter with age.

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Removing shoes does, however, require an adjustment period as healthy hoof material grows back, and weight is distributed more evenly. We will work with you to make sure your horse is kept as comfortable as possible during this transition period.

Barefoot

THERE IS NO HEALTHY HORSE WITHOUT HEALTHY HOOVES

Goal

OUR PRINCIPLE GOAL:

Our main goal is to go beyond treating symptoms to prevent and / or eliminate hoof conditions that are detrimental to your horse.

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In order to achieve the best possible condition for hooves, we take the whole horse: genetic or disease-related predispositions, feed, environment and occupation into account. 

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Your horse will be able to use its limbs properly and walk its way into a naturally corrected shape. This enables your horse to move more freely, with better quality of life.

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  • What does the ideal hoof look like?
    The ideal hoof is a healthy hoof with weight from the body distributed uniformly. This means that each part of the hoof capsule bears weight equally when bearing weight. The inner structures within the hoof capsule determine the shape of each individual hoof. Because of this, the ideal hoof for your horse may be different from the ideal hoof of another horse. The hoof specialist makes sure that each hoof becomes balanced -- not by radical hoof wall cutting, but by applying specific, and precise filing techniques.
  • Why the short intervals between trims?
    The horn of the hoof wall grows about 8mm (about 5/16ths inches) per month. The older material at the bearing edge is exposed to ground-reacting forces which continuously form and deform the hoof. In the course of the treatment, the newly produced hoof wall will grow down in a new orientation and the hoof will shape new. This is only possible if the treatments happen in short intervals to keep the hoof in the best possible shape. Only short maintenance intervals guarantee the further restoration of the natural, healthy shape of the hoof.
  • Can every horse go barefoot?
    Yes. Metal shoes provide protection from abrasion when the abrasion rate exceeds the rate at which the hoof can grow new material. This condition was common in the past and occurred when horses were used for hard labor for many hours a day, presenting shoeing as an indispensable option. Today we have alternatives, like temporary hoof protection, without the negative effects that shoes will invariably cause. Metal shoes will not allow any corrective measures. Once the hooves are rehabilitated, hoof protection in general is very often not necessary anymore. If the horse needs further abrasion protection, alternatives to the shoe are hoof boots.
  • Is there a complete cure for laminitis?
    Yes, there is! Taking into consideration the biomechanical processes that are occurring and knowing that it is not the coffin bone that rotates, but rather the hoof capsule in which the bone is held, the consequences of laminitis and the changes to the hoof capsule are reversible by the right hoof treatment. Even chronic conditions are improvable depending on how much the lamellar dermis is already damaged - the best possible conditions are achievable.
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TAKE THE
FIRST STEP
TODAY.

CONTACT US.

Congratulations! You just took the first step towards harmony with your horse.

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