Welcome to High Desert Hoof Care
My name is Leslie Carrig and I am a natural hoof care practitioner serving the Carson Valley in northern Nevada. I have been involved with horses for most of my life and am always striving to find the best way to care for them. My journey led me to study the hoof, natural hoof care, lifestyle and diet.
Once I came to understand how the hoof was meant to function and how a horse was designed to live, I could understand why so many of our horses have lameness issues. Shoes are no longer the “necessary evil”. Hoof boots have changed that. With consistent natural trimming and attention to diet and lifestyle, any hoof will improve from its current condition to a healthier one. Hoof boots make it possible to continue riding, and in most cases, improve the movement of your horse.
If you think barefoot could be for you and your horse, please feel free to contact me with any questions or to schedule a consultation. I carry the Easyboot Epics, Bares, Grips, Old Mac G2s, pads and all repair parts. If you’re just looking for boots, I would also be happy to come to your place and fit your horse. I’ve just been selected to join Team Easyboot. You can check out their website at www.easycareinc.com.
Lifestyle
February 2008 
It’s hard to talk about hooves without mentioning lifestyle. It’s true that in the wild, only the strongest survive. But, the wild horses have a big advantage over our domestic horses. It’s their lifestyle.
Wild horses move anywhere from 20 to 30 miles a day, grazing here and there as they go. What they eat looks rather spares to us, yet they are generally pretty healthy, with beautiful strong hooves. Maybe we should look to them for answers. The closer to the natural way we can keep our horses, the better over all health they will have. Including they’re hooves.
Movement is a key ingredient in producing a healthy hoof. This can be challenging for those with small properties, but most situations can be improved upon with a little thought.
Give your horses a reason to move. Is the hay next to the water, next to the salt block, next to the gate? Your horse need not go anywhere to fulfill he needs. Horses grouped together will move more than a horse standing alone. Besides, they are very social and must have companionship for their physical and mental health.
Place your hay in small piles spread far apart. The boss horse will suspect the other guys have something better. They will keep pushing the other horses off their pile and you will get more movement between mouthfuls.
Keep your horses outside. Barns and stalls are for people, not horses. They are prey animals and are happier when they can see what is coming. Why limit their movement by locking them up?
Exercise your horse. The healthiest hooves I trim, are the ones that work the hardest.
Don’t forget diet. Low carb forage (stick to the grass hay), available most of the time is ideal. Stay away from grain. If you need a handful to feed your supplements in, try LMF’s Low Non-Structural Carbohydrate or well rinsed Beet Pulp without molasses added.
If you want to really think outside the box, pick up a copy of Jaime Jackson’s “Paddock Paradise” available at www.star-ridge.com/. It will give you some great ideas on how to utilize your space creatively. You can not only increase your horse’s movement and the health of his hooves, but also decrease his boredom, reducing stress and the bad habits that come with it.
Leslie Carrig is a Natural Hoof Trimmer and Boot Fitter, in the Carson Valley. She has training with the AANHCP, Easy Care Hoof Boots, and continues to study Pete Ramey’s techniques. She is a graduate member of the Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners.
