Kirrily Niswander, APF

My barefoot journey started long ago with a foundered kill pen rescue Standardbred, Mocha. At the time, living in Michigan with soft footing on most trails, my horses didn’t wear shoes, but just had regular farrier trims. Mocha forced me to learn more about hooves and why the trim matters so much. Shoeless is not the same as ‘barefoot’.

After moving to Kentucky, with its rocky terrain and lush grass, my education was forced to continue. Diet management became difficult and hoof protection necessary for trail rides.

Fast forward several years, and several more metabolic horses. I became obsessed with everything hooves and diet. I am now seeing incredible results with sound rock crunching hooves, even training for endurance on rocky trails completely barefoot, without boots, on previously laminitic insulin resistant horses that used to be too footsore to even lead at a walk over gravel. Now they can carry a rider at a trot and canter over gravel for miles without missing a beat.

This success has just fueled the fire. If I can achieve this, how much more is possible? How many horses can be saved from diagnoses such as laminitis and navicular? How many performance horses can stay sound for longer with better hoof care? How many horses can simply live a healthier happier lifestyle?

Prior to pursuing hoof care full time, I was also a vet tech. This gives me a unique perspective that results in a balance of natural horsekeeping with modern medicine, always striving to provide the best of both worlds for horses. (Source)