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The Bare Truth

! You and I both know that the relationship between horse and rider is much more than that of pet and owner. It’s a bond that most people will never understand. Horse owners throughout the world can tell story after story about the unique relationships they enjoy with their equine friends.

You love your horse. And you want to make sure your horse is happy and pain free. If you thought your horse might be experiencing pain, soreness or even mild discomfort, you would do everything in your power to get him on track to living the healthiest, happiest, longest life possible.

And that is what makes this the most important message you will ever read.

As you know, you can expect a well-cared-for horse partner to be around for 25 – 30 years or more. There have even been a few of these exceptional creatures who lived into their 50s and 60s!

So why is it that, every year, hundreds of thousands of “teenage” domestic horses have to be put down because of mysterious, chronic health and lameness issues?That’s precisely the question I asked after I lost several of my own good equine pals who were diagnosed with various lameness issues while still in their prime.

What Horse Lovers Deserve to Know About Metal Horseshoes

It Took Devastating Losses to Realize Something Wasn’t RightI am going to explain everything you need to know to understand the devastating pitfalls of following traditional practices without question. Page 2

Nothing Seemed to Prevent the Repetitive, Destructive PatternsPage 3

The Solution Seemed So Simple

Eventually, my research lead me to thermographs...Page 4

How Tradition Could Be Hurting Those You LoveIf metal shoes restrict blood flow, what good are they?Page 5

More Proof that Metal Can Seriously Hurt Your HorseIn 1983, Swiss Cavalry, University of Zurich, Switzerland: Veterinary Medical Faculty...Page 6

The Results Were Absolutely AmazingBetween removing the metal horseshoes and using hoof boots for temporary....Page 7

Maybe It Was Us… Maybe It Was “Mankind” Who Was Responsible For

The Majority of These Problems That Our Horses Were Having!

By Carole HerderPresident, Cavallo Horse & Rider

Find out about an issue that’s “all the buzz” these days in equine chat forums all over the internet. An issue that just doesn’t seem to want to go away….THE ISSUE OF HAMMERING METAL

INTO YOUR HORSES HOOVES.

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It Took Devastating Losses to Realize Something Wasn’t Right

I am going to explain everything you need to know to understand the devastating pitfalls of following traditional practices without question. You see, I really care about horses and I’ve discovered some information that was like uncovering secrets - secrets that were hidden and so have prevented us from changing for over 1,500 years. It’s important for me to tell you what I’ve learned so that you can benefit from my mistakes. And if you think this is about costing you money, it is not. In fact these simple solutions will actually save you money.

Now, let me share what I’ve learned the hard way.

I really care about horses. In fact, for over 25 years, the horses I’ve owned have been what I’d consider to be my best friends. They’ve been like children to me. Or “soul mates”, you might say. There have been a few of them over the years, however, it all started with… “Rocky”.

Rocky was a magnificently built, fourteen-year-old, Sorrel Quarter Horse. He had a fiery temperament that matched my own and the two of us instantly bonded and became the best of friends.

I took fastidious care of Rocky. But, like many horses at fourteen, he had his share of medical problems which included Ringbone, Side Bone, smallish Splints and mild Arthritis. After a year of treatment that included products containing glucosaminines, MSM and anti-inflammatories and visits with numerous veterinarians, it got to the point where he had so many ailments and was so irreparably lame that it would have been inhumane for me to continue riding him.

As the afflictions continued to mount, I found myself dealing with numerous “qualified” farriers and veterinarians who all told me that what was happening wasn’t unusual.

“What’s happening here Carole… just happens to horses.”

Anyway, after nearly a year of trying to nurse him back to health… a sympathetic vet offered to take Rocky off my hands to closely manage the problems (an offer I took up). However, eventually my best friend had to be put down.

That was, by far, the saddest day of my life. But what made it worse were the many “qualified” farriers and veterinarians who kept telling me that this was normal. What happened to Rocky – just happens to horses. They experience swelling, inflammation and various problems in their legs and feet because – they are horses.The Magnificent Rocky

The truth of it is, the quandry was fast becoming unacceptable to me. Now don't get me wrong I know some amazingly talented farriers and well qualified vets....now. Rocky and I just fell into the wrong hands.

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Nothing Seemed to Prevent the Repetitive, Destructive PatternsAs time passed, I owned other horses. I saw to it they received the best care I thought possible. But they, too, experienced similar patterns of deterioration in their health. They developed pain and discomfort in their hooves and legs and I knew that it didn’t make sense that God would design such beautiful animals just to let them suffer so many ailments at such a young age. Even feral and wild horses showed better health and longevity than my pampered friends.

After years of experimenting with different feed, different exercise, more rest, new saddles and saddle pads, the problems kept raising their ugly heads.

In May of 1999, I became the proud owner and friend of a gorgeous Paint Mare named “AsBadAsMyDad,” nicknamed, “Dot.” Dot cost me a lot of money, but she was a well-bred, magnificent animal for competitive barrel racing. Her daddy’s name was NoMoreMisterNiceGuy. This is a lineage of champions.

She exceeded my expectations and was a winner in all kinds of competitions, including the prestigious “Canadian Supreme” – an Alberta based cutting horse futurity.

Then completely unexpectedly, Dot started to develop those vicious, unexplained health challenges. A fetlock would swell one day, and heat would develop in a foot the next day. Dot would be stiff and unable to pick up the proper lead. Sometimes the soreness would manifest for days in a row.

I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands. I refused to stand by and listen to one more person tell me that this was all just part of horse ownership. I wanted answers and I wanted them RIGHT NOW!

After heavy research and lots of soul searching, I had an epiphany. Maybe the problem wasn’t the horses. Maybe, just maybe, the problem was what mankind was doing to the horses. What was the main difference between the treatment of domestic horses and the wild and feral horses?

Metal shoesEquiss has been roaming our planet for millions of years, changing and adapting to the one-toed creature we know today. Since survival of the fittest has a lot to do with those adaptations, the source of these so-called “normal” challenges had little or nothing to do with the way the horse is designed. Through the years, horses have run wild through the world, worked farms, plowed fields, been ridden across the plains, and gone to battle – without metal shoes – and thrived.

The more I thought about the idea, the more it made sense to me. I tried to imagine what it would be like to jog around with metal plates nailed to the bottoms of my feet. The thought of all that pounding reverberating through my feet, and up my legs, and to my hips made my whole body ache.

No wonder horses were breaking down at such an early age!

METAL nailed into LIVE TISSUE creates PROBLEMS

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Eventually, my research lead me to thermographs such as those above that show the difference in blood circulation between a shod foot and unshod feet. Another x-ray showed me how metal shoes nailed to the bottom of my horses’ feet was mangling them from the inside out.

Study after study seemed to confirm that applying metal shoes can cause pain, stress fractures, and impaction damage to the horse. Metal shoes also interfere with the natural function of the hoof.Simply put, a healthy hoof supports the weight of the horse. It spreads and flexes as the horse walks and runs. The flexing of the hoof promotes increased blood flow and provides shock absorption for the horse’s legs and hips. Even some farriers will agree that it’s healthier for most horses to go barefoot.

The next question I had to ask was ”Why metal shoes?”I couldn’t understand how not one of the equine “experts” I had consulted with had ever mentioned the possibility that the root cause of my horses’ problems could be due to the poor blood circulation that occurs when metal shoes are nailed on the horses’ hooves. I decided to study the problem some more.

It Was Time to Think DifferentIn fact, here’s a list of some of the benefits

to barefoot hooves that are now being discovered.

Barefoot hooves:• Flex naturally• Grow normally• Have better blood flow• Have complete sensation (no numbness due to lack of

blood flow)• Have greater traction• Allow full function of the digital cushion, resulting in --

normal hoof function• Provide better shock absorption• Promotes full functioning of the frog, which also increases

blood flow• Allow the entire frog and soft sole of the foot to strengthen

and toughen up so that the need for shoeing becomes less• Improve footing on uneven ground

“Which foot is shod with metal? Which leg is cold due to lack of blood !ow?”

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The biggest reason I could come up with for the use of metal shoes on horses was that shoes are more convenient for people. Metal shoes seem to prevent soft sole bruising, but maybe that is because shod horses really can’t feel their feet.

People think shoeing protects their horse’s feet, but just think about it - the outside wall of the hoof is already hard and this is where the metal shoe is nailed. It is actually the sole that requires protection, which metal shoes do not provide unless there are pads inserted as well.

My research led me to realize that any potentially perceived benefits of nailing metal into the live tissue of horses hooves is outweighed by the damage caused, especially when poorly done.

Because metal shoes can:

How Tradition Could Be Hurting Those You LoveIf metal shoes restrict blood flow, what good are they? Why did people start shoeing horses in the first place? What other problems can be attributed to the use of metal shoes on horses’ feet?

• Restrict blood flow in the feet and legs• Don’t allow natural hoof expansion• Don’t allow natural hoof flexing• Prevent the frog from functioning• Hamper the ability of the coffin bone to work properly• Cause 60% - 80% loss of the hoof’s natural shock absorption, which leads to chronic lameness,

damage to the hoof wall and may set the stage for future arthritis• Triple the pounding force and pressure to the hoof, muscles, tendons and bones• Force the pastern joint to flex on uneven terrain, increasing lateral tension to the lower leg• Are linked to many forms of lameness• Require the use of nails that compromise the structural integrity of the wall of the hoof• Allow foreign material to access the internal hoof where infection can set in• Done incorrectly (the number one cause of lameness in horses) causes infections, swelling bleeding,

lameness, and extreme pain to the horseFor 1,500 years man has been shoeing horses with little to no change in the procedure.

You now have a choice.

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! In 1983, Swiss Cavalry, University of Zurich, Switzerland: Veterinary Medical Faculty Scientist Luca Bein, published a dissertation on the shock absorption of a barefoot hoof compared to a shod hoof. He reported that a conventionally shod hoof loses 60 – 80% of the hoof’s natural shock absorption. He also demonstrated that a shod hoof on asphalt, at a walk, receives THREE TIMES (3X) the impact force that a barefoot hoof on asphalt receives at a trot.

Bein also reported that a metal shoe, upon impact, vibrates at about 800 Hertz (Hz) – a level that can seriously damage living tissue.

Needless to say, I had had enough. I would not allow Dot to suffer any longer. I immediately called my farrier and explained my concerns. I told him that I wanted the metal shoes taken off Dot’s feet. When my farrier (and good friend) balked

and tried to politely explain that I would be making a big mistake, I held my ground. I knew he meant well, but I never wavered in my decision. He kindly offered future support if needed.The shoes were removed from Dot’s feet and she was given lots of tender loving care: proper rest, proper nutrition and natural remedies to speed her healing, proper movement and exercise, and a trusted veterinarian to watch over the entire process.My goal was to let Dot go barefoot for at least 6-8 months to see how it would impact her health. If her health problems didn’t improve, then I would go back to having her shod. My farrier respected that.

When the shoes were removed, Dot’s feet were tender. Tender… and inflamed.

She was given plenty of rest and adequate amounts of MSM – sulfer – to help blood circulation. But Iknew she needed to keep moving, so I was out there hand-walking her up and down the road. She was in good hands.

Not long after removing the metal horseshoes, I was encouraged to get a pair of hoof boots to help support Dot as her hooves healed.

And…

More Proof that Metal & Nails Can Seriously Hurt Your Horse

Damaged hoof with metal shoes, clips, and nails

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The Results Were Absolutely Amazing!

Between removing the metal horseshoes and using hoof boots for temporary, additional support, Dot’s posture, her demeanor, her body language, and mannerisms all improved by a good 80% - 90%! Before long, she was walking with no noticeable signs of pain or discomfort.

Since 2001, Dot has continued to run around PAIN FREE! With a little rehab and a steady training program that involved regular use of those hoof boots, not only was Dot able to race again, but her first time out, Dot achieved a personal best, completing the course in just 16.8 seconds!

And she did it barefoot!

Dot’s companion, my old friend and trusted trail horse Slash, has also enjoyed the barefoot benefits for the same amount of time. With results like these, why aren’t more people removing metal shoes from their horses’ feet and letting them go barefoot?

Dot Shaved An Astonishing 1.2 Seconds Off Her Previous Best Time When She Was Shod!

I couldn’t believe it.

My friends couldn’t believe it.

My competitors on the barrel-racing circuit couldn’t believe it either.

Here she was… a horse that had been sidelined with obscure hoof issues, leg issues and discomforts that it was once in question whether she’d ever be able to compete again WITHOUT DRUGS… yet there she was… not only back out there on the racing circuit competing again…

She Was Out There “Rockin’ & Rollin’!”

If you prefer to read more later and get your boots now you can just - Click here

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Dr. Tomas Teskey, DVM!"Every horse that wears steel shoes suffers some degree of laminar separation. There are a myriad of other malfunctions that also occur in a shod hoof, and they all contribute to the hoof functioning in a completely different and abnormal fashion and it leads to a severe contraction in their size, so much so that when the shoe is removed the horses can no longer walk comfortably on their own feet. For the presence of steel on a horse's feet, we are able to observe profound damages that occur due to the stagnation of blood within the hoof and the diminished return of blood back up toward the heart through the veins of the lower leg. Metal shoes interfere with the hoof’s natural blood - pumping mechanism. Period. I will never ask any client of mine to consider shoeing their horse with steel. I have conviction in my belief about this and it is unwavering. I feel that farriers and veterinarians and trainers and horse people must learn the truth about this and tell their clients, friends, and colleagues that shoeing horses damages them and robs them of years of their lives."

Dr. Robert Bowker, DVM

From Horse & Rider, Feb. 2006, "Is Barefoot Better?" “The blood in horses' feet does much more than provide nutrients to hoof tissues. It also enables the unshod foot to function as a hydraulic system, in much the same way that gel-filled athletic shoes do. We need to be trimming hooves so that more of the back part of the foot – including the frog -- bears the initial ground impact forces and weight. Horseshoes provide a much smaller surface area to absorb shock. So if a bare hoof landing after a jump experiences, say, 1,000 pounds of loading per square foot, then with a traditional shoe, there's going to be 2,000 pounds per square foot."

“All horses hooves are healthier without shoes, and barefoot horses are healthier than shod horses. They live longer, happier, less

painful lives. Barefoot is a requirement for health and should be accepted as a condition for keeping a horse. Humane management is not just preferable, it is non-negotiable. The foot evolved to function unshod. Nature has developed the perfect design for grip and slide in all conditions and provided for unsurpassable shock absorption. The foot cannot expand and contract with each step when clamped. Blood supply to the foot is impoverished and horn production becomes deficient. When the foot is prevented from functioning correctly, the pastern, fetlock, cannon, and knee are also placed at risk. This leads to bone, joint, & soft tissue injuries”.

Dr. Robert Cook, FRCVS, PhD, Professor of Surgery Emeritus at Tufts University

Why the Age Old Tradition Is Still Holding Us BackMy guess is that there have been too few articles by “trusted sources” and it takes time to dig up information. When I started digging, I wanted the truth. So I started at the top. Below are a few samples of the documented studies, claims, and comments I found from some of the most famous, most respected equine veterinarians and scientists on the planet.But getting this information was not easy. It wasn’t just waiting to be discovered. It took some real effort for me to find credible sources to reinforce the conclusions I’d come to.

Here’s what the EXPERTS say....

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Barefoot “Proof” Continues to GrowI had what I was looking for from the professionals. Now, it was time to spread the message and see how other horses (who seemed to deteriorate for no apparent reason) would do barefoot.

As word continues to spread about Dot’s remarkable improvement in movement, flexibility, speed and overall health – not to mention her success on the racing circuit – more and more of my fellow riders are joining the ever- expanding “barefoot (and hoof boot) brigade” of horse owners.And the results are great.The movement is definitely growing. And I will tell you why – it’s because

the processes we’ve blindly followed are now being questioned. Proof has emerged that maybe nature does know best after all. It’s just sad the bare truth hadn’t been discussed or revealed earlier.

Over the years I’ve experienced my fair share of loss and heartache with horses. Most of the losses have come as result of health issues which start in their hoofs and legs….health issues which could have been prevented … if only I’d known then what I know now.

With proper care, especially with focus in the area of natural hoof

health care, horses can easily live to be over 30 years old (and still ride-able). Just imagine your “best friend” living to be 30 – 40 years old! I’m talking about 30 – 40 years of remarkable health, happiness and a level of comfort in their feet & legs which most horse owners don’t even realize is possible!It kills me whenever I think about Rocky, and how his life was cut short due to all the inconclusive advice I’d received from numerous well-intentioned farriers and veterinarians who couldn’t agree on and/or provide me with answers about the hoof & leg issues that were causing him so much pain. I wish they could all just agree.

It kills me that never, not even once, did any of them point out or even hint to the possibility that the root cause of Rocky’s problems may have been due to “poor blood circulation”… poor blood circulation that was being caused by the metal horseshoes that were nailed to the bottom of his feet.Just how many of these horses’ lives could have been saved, if their owners had this very same advice which I am now sharing with you?Don’t let your equine friend become another one of those statistics!Do everything in your power to increase your best friend’s chances of living the healthiest, happiest and longest life possible.

Here at Cavallo, our goal is to help horse lovers, like you, make that transition from metal shoes to barefoot. Sure, your horse may require some additional support after wearing metal horse shoes for so long (Dot did), but with few exceptions, there is nothing better you can do for your horse’s health.

Cavallo is embraced in 28 countries around the world. Tens of thousands of pairs of boots are sold each year. And that number is growing.

***Come visit us at www.Cavallo-Inc.com where you will find additional resources about how to care for barefoot horses. And you will get answers to any additional questions you may have.

Click here and see the outstanding Hoof Boot options Cavallo has for your needs.

I also welcome you to email me at caroleherder@cavallo-inc.com or call me toll free at1-877-818-0037. Let me know how I can support you in this movement... Changing the World One Horse at a Time.

Cavallo “Simple” Cavallo “Sport”

I think you'll agree, once you look at all your Hoof Boot options, Cavallo will be the obvious choice. Cavallo design, quality and workmanship simply make them the "easiest to use, most durable and most protective" hoof boot on the market today!

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I’M 10 YEARS OLD and amjust learning to ride. Jasmine, the horse I ride, doesn’t wear metal shoes so she needs some protection when we ride on the trails and gravel roads. My mom brought home some Simple Hoof Boots for me and they were perfect! I can put them on and take them off all by myself. Simple boots are sooo easy to use. Now I can go riding anywhere and every step is comfortable for Jasmine! – Samantha Iles-Highton – Roberts Creek, BC Canada

I love my Simple Boots. I used them on a seven hour ride without any wraps going through some of the nastiest mud I have ever been through in my life. Plus, we love playing in the Chesapeake Bay in our Simple boots. Seeing is believing! Thanks for a great product!–Roberta Young – Roanoke, Virginia USA

I have used the Simple Boots on all three of my horses for the last 4 years. I run my horses barefoot, but when we go up into the Tetons, I always boot them. There isn't anything we haven't experienced in our gorgeous mountains. We have been through deep rivers, sucky mud, slick ice and snow, smooth granite slabs, rocky trails and greasy, muddy slopes. We have never had a boot come off or had one wear sores on my horses feet. Out terrain is rough but incredibly breath taking. I'm 64 and depend on my horses to get me to and from these incredible mountains safely. Thanks Cavallo, for a boot that even a more seasoned (old) lady can get on and off with ease. – Lois Sedgwick – St. Anthony, Idaho USA

AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (a 165+ mile trail, consisting of eightsegments that encircle Lake Tahoe), I am frequently consulted for advice on riding the Trail by horseback. Having only hiked the entire Rim Trail by foot, I have made it my mission to ride it and have chosen to do it on my Kentucky Mountain Spotted Saddle Horse, F&R’s Pony Girl. My girl Pony and I began this project last year and have now completed all but two of the segments. The longest segment of the Tahoe Rim Trail is a 33-mile stretch that runs from the Echo Lakes to Barker Pass, and it is by far the rockiest segment of the eight. Pony and I completed this segment last year in 2 days (we wanted to enjoy the beauty of the Trail) with two of my friends and their horses. We started out this 33-mile segment in a pair of two-year old Cavallo boots. My friends,well … they rode that segment in newer “xxxx boots” (one of your competitors brands of hoof boots) which ended up not being so easy. While my friends had difficulties getting their boots on their horses, Pony and I stood and patiently waited. While my friends had difficulties getting their boots to stay on their horses and had to stop to put them back on, Pony and I would take a break and patiently wait. When my friends had to tighten wires and replace lost screws, Pony and I waited. Pony and I walked right through piles and miles of rocks, lakes, streams, boggy meadows, mud and some pretty rugged terrain and never missed a step (or a boot for that matter). Pony and I have now just finished up another season of riding in those exact same boots (for a total of four years), and I know we are gonna just keep on going. With only two more segments to complete the Rim Trail, Pony and I will not only have made the entire 165+ miles in just one set of (used) Cavallo boots, but we will have ridden lots and lots of other trail miles in those same boots. Pony and I want to thank Cavallo for making such a reliable, easy-to-use and enduring product. – Deby O’Gorman – Genoa, Nevada USA