SASKIA - NETHERLANDS

Profile:  1999 was the first year that Saskia, from The Netherlands, came to visit.  In a combined holiday of two Alberta Ranches, we were lucky Saskia chose to come back to the LAZY M – year after year! 

We think the big draw was a little Grulla weanling that we had just purchased – affectionately known as ‘Mouse’.  It was ‘love at first sight’ for these two.  Saskia returned to keep tabs on ‘her’ youngster until she arranged to purchase and fly ‘Mouse’ home to Holland (not an easy task for a working girl)!

Saskia's Comments: 

BARE FOOT PARADISE!

During the process when Lane and Margie made the transition with their horses to bare foot,

I was at the Lazy M and Lane asked me the most effective question ever: “Why is your horse still on shoes?" Know what? I couldn’t give one reason, not even an answer!

As soon as I got home I called my farrier to come and get those things off. I started to read books, websites, articles etc., and got interested in a one-day workshop ‘Natural trimming’, which I attended together with my best friend Bernadette.

Saskia on the right pictured with her friend Bernadette on the left

Horsemanship has always been a big interest and certainly the LAZY M methods fit with what Saskia liked and believed.  Over the years Saskia watched as the experiences, education, focus, and changes occurred on the Ranch.  Saskia remained keenly involved and interested in all and has embraced much, including the Barefoot methodology - 100%.

Saskia provides a GREAT Example at her stable in Holland for POSITIVE horsemanship as well as practicing very successful barefoot trimming and hoof care. 

In 2006 Saskia came to the Ranch for a month of ‘learning’ and 2007 she’s back again.  THIS is a Dedicated and Passionate Horse Lover!

I am fortunate to have a horse with naturally strong feet, but of course Mouse’s hooves suffered from chips breaking off etc.!  Also his soles were thin and of course now and then he tiptoed! People at the stable were worried: ‘If it was my horse, I would put shoes back on again’. But I stuck to my decision ánd my promise to Mouse to NOT EVER have nails hammered into his feet again.

We made trail rides 3 to 4 times a week. The cycle path we have to use before entering the wood, is paved. In the woods most paths are sandy, some with tree roots, but seldom rocky or with gravel. Because of these circumstances Mouse’s feet had an easy period of transition.

Front Hooves - August, 2006

Left Front Hoof - August, 2006

Rear Hoof - August, 2006

Rear Hooves (bullnosed) - August, 2006

In the beginning I had my farrier trimming the feet regularly, as I didn’t feel safe yet. I didn’t dare to touch frogs and/or soles. Still they grew excessively, because Mouse didn’t (and doesn’t) wear out those parts. Also, because Mouse is dragging his hind feet, it looked like the hooves were ‘bull nosed’ which gave (and give) the hooves a tricky shape - difficult to work on if you don’t feel safe!  Although my farrier just trimmed the feet, he was still a farrier and I felt the hooves didn’t look ‘natural’ to me.

Last summer I worked on a lot of different hooves at the Lazy M. My idea and thoughts about how to work on Mouse’s feet grew stronger and stronger every day. With a lot of information and suggestions from Lane and all I had learned from him, I felt a lot safer when going home. My farrier doesn’t come anymore...

At home I measured Mouse’s hooves with a special hoof meter and it confirmed my thoughts: heels too high, toes too long. Little by little I started to work on that. I also discussed Mouse’s diet with the stable manager and stopped feeding horse pellets completely and put him on beet pulp and hay.

A lot of horse owners do not know the effects of too much fructose and sugars on hooves! (Diet is another VERY interesting AND IMPORTANT subject in connection to hooves!)  After awhile, I have to admit, I noticed it was not a good decision, because with horse pellets come the minerals and vitamins. I put Mouse back on half of the portion of horse pellets.

Last January when Lane was in Holland, I was so happy to hear him say I had done a fine job. He was impressed with Mouse’s frogs and the concavity. The most important thing to watch was, is and remains to remove dead sole material regularly, for which he made me a nice rounded little rasp.

As Mouse’s hooves have the right shape and height now (matching his legs, hooves and bone structure) , the only thing I do now is keep them balanced and prevent excessive growth of frogs, bars and sole.  Only now and then I find some separation (I changed his diet only half a year ago), which I clean very well, remove tiny stones and chipped edges, round it off, and treat it with tea tree oil to keep bacteria away.  I’m also lucky that we finally found a natural trimmer in our neighborhood, to check our work now and then.

Although Mouse is boarded at a modern stable with not a lot of pastures, I do my very best

to give him a natural lifestyle as much as possible and most of all: to have LOTS OF FUN together!

Front Hoof - January, 2007

Front Hoof - January, 2007

Rear Hoof - January, 2007

Mouse - January, 2007