Strong hooves, naturally!
Natural Hoofcare Northwest
My Services
Trimming
I provide a regular trimming service within the North West for all horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. I predominantly cover Cumbria, North Yorkshire and North Lancashire, but please contact me to discuss your location and needs.
Prices: Trim £30 per horse/equine
First appointments
First appointments can be expected to take a little longer than a regular trim (typically up to 1hr), as I like to hear about your horse and any issues or considerations I need to be aware of.
I will generally take some photos of each hoof, before and after the trim, so that we can track progress. These images can be provided to you for your own records.
There is no additional charge for this service as I feel it is necessary in order to provide you and your horse with the best possible service.
We will then arrange a next appointment - this will usually be between 4 to 8 weeks depending on your horses needs and hoof growth, and can be adjusted as required.
Reasons to stay Barefoot
Horses evolved to travel 25 miles each day over rugged terrain, all without the need for metal shoes. Most of our horses don't live this way, but we can try to mimic this through how we keep our horses and how we trim their hooves.
By respecting the natural form of the hoof and how the foot has evolved to function, our horses benefit from:
Improved soundness
Reduced wear and tear on joints and tissue
Better break-over and movement
Barefoot horses also experience better grip over a range of surfaces, and you'll never have to worry about losing a shoe again!
About me
I'm Josie and I live in South Cumbria with my husband and my three horses, Reiver, Bluebell and Kiwi.
My introduction to barefoot was around eight years ago when I started sharing a gypsy cob who was unshod. I was amazed how he and his friend could do everything the shod horses could, but with no slipping on our steep lanes or days off work with lost shoes. His stable mate was even driven barefoot. By the time I bought my next horse, I was convinced that this was the way to go.
Having ridden since being a child, I had been used to a more traditional way of doing things, but as an adult I've been lucky to find some wonderful and knowledgable friends and trainers and develop my own approach. Learning about natural hoofcare has been part of this journey.
I was incredibly fortunate that my hoofcare provider was also an instructor with Liberated Horsemanship and looking for an apprentice, so alongside working through the Liberated Horsemanship Certified Hoofcare Professionals programme, I was able to train alongside her.
I'm now very honoured to be able to share what I have learned and provide hoof trimming for all horses, ponies, donkeys and mules, based on the principles of the natural trim.
“The natural hoof [...] is what nature has intended for the hooves of the modern horse”
Jaimie Jackson
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