Soft cover. 126 pages, illustrations/photos, references, reading list, indexed. Focuses on current therapy and philosophies of both traditional mainstream and “natural” shoeing and barefoot care of horses. Author is a well-known holistic veterinarian, former farrier and researcher in hoof physiology (Michigan State University). Her articles frequently appear in [Hoofcare & Lameness: The Journal of Equine Foot Science][1].

Note this book has been endorsed by farrier author Henry Heymering with a resoundingly positive back cover review, and you know how hard that is to come by! He says, among other good things, “Much of the research on hooves from ancient to current times is explained with unmatched clarity. The more people read this book, the more sound horses there will be.”

Chapters:

1. Holistic Hoofcare (Holistic practitioner, chronic condition issue, farrier’s role in holistic hoofcare, horseman’s role in holistic hoofcare)
2. Hoof and Lower Leg Anatomy (terminology, anatomical structure)
3. Reading the Hoof (evaluating soundness, understand balance, three-dimensional balance)
4. Hoof Care Research and Theory (The nature of research, hoof deformation research, history of hoof deformation research, breakover, 4-pt trim and natural balance)
5. To shoe or not to shoe (Balance, conformation, advantages of barefoot, disadvantages of barefoot, things to discuss with your farrier, dealing with pain)
6. Laminitis and navicular (laminitis, what is laminitis, causes and mechanisms, metabolically based theories, how is laminitis diagnosed, horse do you know if your horse has laminitis, what to do if you suspect laminitis, prevention and treatment, navicular syndrome, clinical signs, diagnosing navicular, speculative mechanism and risk factors, relationship between inner and outer structures, prevention and treatment of heel pain, foam padding for heel pain, holistic approach)
7. Sound management (support team, selecting a farrier, how to keep a farrier, doing your own trimming, safety, record keeping, scheduling, your horse’s health is in your hands)
8. Action gallery (holistically-managed--mostly barefoot—sound horses in competition and recreation
9. Forms, appendices, references, resources, index.

[1]: http://www.hoofcare.com or http://www.hoofcare.blogspot.com