Customer Reviews

Horse Owners Guide to Natural Hoof Care

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For 300 pages, so little is said. I totally agree with all of Mr. Jackson's opinions on the natural hoof and the need to bring domesticated horses to a natural, holistic lifestyle to avoid the common and prevailing problems that plague a huge percentage of kept horses. He obviously has a deep understanding and wisdom on this point.

BUT one thing that really bugs the heck out of me is when I spend good money on a big fat book and am continuallly directed to "see resources to find out more in one of my other books." Grrr!! >:0( Just when something gets a little beyond the basics in this book, I'm told to go buy another of his books! It's an awful lot of repetition and fluff and peddling. He could easily have said the same things in a book 1/3 this size for a much more affordable price.

For the extremely green baby beginnner, this might be a fine book to get. But my advise- spend a couple of evenings searching out reputable names in natural hoof care on the web, what they have to say, and various forums on this topic. You'll learn at least as much as you would in this book. You'll also find oodles and oodles of photos of "bad" feet and perfect barefoot natural feet, learn terminology and see diagrams. You'll learn about natural rememdies, like the mild vinegar solution for white line disease, and about the optimal natural diet and environment to promote healthy feet.

I'm grateful to Mr Jackson for his pioneering observations of the hoof in nature and for writing them up. But I didn't find the book itself particularly useful. It has very little step-by-step, practical text or pictures; and throughout there is a tendency towards pomposity that gets very off-putting.

I bought this and Pete Ramey's book at the same time, reading Jackson's first, as Ramey advises in his book. Never re-read Jackson, but Ramey's is dog-eared from studying again and again. I also appreciate Ramey's voice--humble, sincere, doesn't have to be "right;" eager to learn from any source and to incorporate new research and better technique the minute they occur.

I've been trimming my own horses' feet for over ten years but I had been using methodology common to farriers preparing the hoof for the application of shoes. This book took me to the next level, and took me there immediately. The methodology is simple and concisely explained in a very comfortable style.

I purchased a lame mare and had worked diligently on her feet for two years with no real positive outcome. The difference after I started applying the methodology described in this book, although not an "overnight miracle," has returned this mare to a much sounder state. She no longer appears to limp whenever she walks and her good progress continues. My son rides this mare barefoot over rough and rocky areas and she performs without any of the signs of her previous lameness. My other horses have benefited as well. Their hooves have never been healthier and stronger. This book is just what I needed to allow me to keep my horses' hooves in top condition.

I recently attended a two day hoof trimming workshop where Jaime Jackson's book was on a recommended list. This book is a fabulous reference book. I am beginning to trim my horse's feet on my own and I've learned more from this book than from the workshop. He has a casual communication style that belies a no-nonsense professionalism. The book is set forth in a step by step manner so it is easy to find the exact area of focus. The photos are clear and elucidating. The finished hoof trims are so clean and beautiful. He suggests we strive to attain the same excellence in our own trims and his examples inspire me to do so.

Jamies book covers more than just trimming a hoof, it gives you the big picture. The whole horse from wild to domestic. The best way to give the horse its most ideal living conditions and feeding. What I really liked was where to get certain supplies. There is a listing in the back of the book with web page addresses. Jamies sketches are also very good and help you understand the anatomy of a good barefoot trim.
Because products do become dated, I encourage the reader to do some research on horse boots. The new easy boot epic is a great boot for barefoot horses. As barefoot trimming becomes more accepted, there are going to be more boots on the market.

Jaime Jackson writes in a way that is easily understood by the average person. He imparts a wealth of information about the horse in a natural state as well as a domestic state. I recommend this book to anyone interested in or researching barefoot horsemanship. It is also, a good book to begin with if you are interested in caring for your own horse's hooves. Be sure to get the whole set of books by Jaime Jackson and Pete Raimey. Pete picks up where Jaime leaves off.

I really am enjoying this book. It will serve as a great reference for me if I can manage to get it back. I am already offering to loan it out to friends because it is so full of information, has great photos and clear instructions on how to trim. I found the writer to be non-nonsense and extremely clear. The only disappointment I have is that he refers to a companion video and I never got this, nor did I know it even existed. Even so, the instructions are clear enough that you can figure out what to do without the video I think. I really like this guy because he was a long-time farrier and so he really has had lots of experience with horses feet. He dispels myths about lots of things people tell you in order to keep your horse in shoes. H e obviously has the horse's best interest at heart. I recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of having their horse go barefoot or already has a barefoot horse. It appears to be a reliable source of information and it is written with such clarity. If you haven't gone barefoot yet, I think you will after you read this book.

This book is a great beginners book. It goes into detail about the structure of a hoof, both wild and domestic, internal and external. The detailed instructions for trimming are very helpful and easy to follow. I recomend it highly.

Decent book to give you an idea about barefoot trimming and keeping your horse in a more natural manner. Johnson's style of writing is not the greatest for an informational book. Tends to be too wordy and goes out of his way to use mile long words. Reading the book, I get the idea that Johnson is trying to impress upon us the extent of his scholarship.

Excellent body of work on the natural hoof and how to achieve it. Contains some very good pics of wild horse's hoofs and confirms the fact; that nature has it right. Keep spreading the word Jamie, God knows the horses need it!

Regards

Noel Landers