Holistic hoofcare using the Strasser Method
Why Holistic hoofcare?
The hooves are the base upon which the horse stands. If there is pain and/or imbalance in the hooves, it will be reflected throughout the horse and affect everything from the way the horse moves to its disposition. Conversely, such things as saddle fit, training and riding methods, nutrition, overall health of the horse, and its living conditions (among others) have a direct effect on hoof health. When all of the pieces of the puzzle that make up a healthy and happy horse are in place, optimum performance becomes possible.
Once the horse owner has decided to make a healthy and happy horse the primary goal, it only makes sense to start at the base.
Why the Strasser Method?
In an article titled "Most of your income comes from shoeing lame, but still used, horses" (American Farriers Journal vol. 26, Nov. 2000), editor Frank Lessiter quotes Walt Taylor of the World Farriers Association and Together for Equines regarding the overall health of the world's estimated 122 million equines (horses, mules and donkeys). Taylor's assessment is summarized as follows:
 | "... no more than 10 percent are clinically sound, exhibiting no sign or effect of trauma or disease that diminishes their utility." |
| "Some 10 percent are clinically, completely and unusably lame. They are kept for various reasons, but are 'used' little, if at all, by their owners." |
| "The remaining 80 percent of these equines are somewhat lame, but still usable." |
The gist of Lessiter's article was that the modern farrier needs to become a specialist in shoeing lame horses to make them usable. It was clear from the content of the article that these figures did not come as a surprise to him.
They sure came as a surprise to me, as I heard them for the first time at the Strasser Basic Hoof Seminar I attended in July of 2001. I was horrified! Even if you cut the numbers in half, that would still mean nearly half the world's equines are lame. My response was "What are we doing wrong?"
I was to learn the answer to that question during that 3-day seminar with Dr. Hiltrud Strasser of Germany and Sabine Kells, SHP, of British Columbia: Conventional horse-keeping and hoofcare practices are creating an epidemic of lameness in the world's horses.
Dr. Strasser tells us how we can heal and prevent the vast majority of lameness. What she teaches is that environmentally correct living conditions, combined with correct hoof form, lead to a lifetime of soundness for horses.
During the past 20 years at her hoof clinic in Tuebingen, Germany, Dr. Strasser has been curing horses many conventional veterinary/farrier practices consider incurable, such as founder and laminitis, as well as toe/quarter cracks, over-thin soles and a variety of other problems. And now, a growing number of Strasser Hoofcare Professionals in North America have been repeating her success with rehabilitating lame horses all over North America.
Why not the Strasser Method?
I often hear people say the Strasser Method is good for some horses but not for all horses. Strasser Hoofcare Professional (SHP) Dan Hofford answers that question by saying, "The Strasser Method IS good for ALL horses; it may not be good for all owners."
Those who are looking for a quick fix, for someone else to solve the problem, or to save money on their hoofcare by going barefoot should look elsewhere for the solution. Those of you who think your horse is sound just because it is not obviously lame, need to review the statistics quoted above. Your horse may be one of the 10 percent of horses worldwide that are absolutely sound, but it is unlikely.
Successful implementation of the Strasser Method requires a paradigm shift on the part of the horse owner. The horse owner will have to be actively involved in the rehabilitation process in order for it to be successful. He or she will also have to be willing to allow the horse whatever amount of time is necessary to heal and become sound. Speed of recovery is directly proportional to the owner's commitment to the horse and involvement in the rehab process.
Because much of what Dr. Strasser advocates is considered controversial and runs contrary to conventional farrier and veterinary advice and there is a huge amount of misinformation out there about the Strasser trim, the horse owner may encounter lack of support or even downright opposition to pursuing this method from his/her vet, friends and many in the conventional farrier community.
If you are still hanging in there and interested in learning more ... check out the rest of my website:
| Strasser Method: A brief overview of the Strasser Method; links to other websites with huge amounts of information about the Strasser Method, founder, laminitis and other lameness problems; and reading recommendations. |
| Case Studies: Before and after pictures of some of my clients' horses who are in rehab. |
| Pictures & Other Stuff: Includes pictures of healthy hooves, soaking pools, and information about the Strasser trim in Florida's climate/terrain, etc. |
| Services & Fees |
| Contact Info |