Want to learn to trim your own horse’s hooves?
Do you have a herd of horses at home and hoof trimming is getting too expensive? 
Do you want to learn to be able to take care of everyday trimming needs
 just for your own horses but you are unable to take several months off work or can not afford to attend a
 full time, long farrier school?  
  Here is a solution! 

 Learn how to  do everyday, basic barefoot hoof trimming 
 and pull shoes, properly trim and balance a hoof safely. 
Be able to maintain your horse’s hooves in between farrier visits.     

WE SUPPLY TOOLS AND HORSES FOR CLASS USE .
You may bring your own horses with prior arrangement.  

NEW!!! All registrations include an informational and instructional 
package including the detailed
 "Natural Balance Hoof Trimming" DVD by Gene Ovnicek.You will recieve this
 by mail soon after your registration deposit is recieved.
   

  
NEXT DATES :
ONE WEEK TRIMMING CLASS :
 April 26th through April 30, 2010*   APRIL IS FULL.
      
 July 12th -16th 2010
Class sizes are limited to six participants. 
 
JULY IS FILLING  FAST. THERE ARE ONLY THREE SLOTS LEFT AS OF FEBURARY 17TH.   REGISTER SOON TO INSURE YOUR SPACE.
If the July class fills before the registration cut off date, another clinic will be scheduled in October.
*If a deposit is received after a class is filled , we will contact you and see if you want to roll it over
 to the next available class or have it returned.  


 The instructor, Patty Stiller CNBF, CLS,   is a certified Natural Balance Lameness Specialist.
She was most recently the instructor for the Pikes Peak Community College Farrier Science.
She is also a former staff farrier for University of California Davis veterinary teaching hospital.
Her complete resume is available at www.hoofcareonline.com

  Classes are held at the home facilities of Natural Balance in co-operation with
the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization Farrier School (www.ELPOfarrierschool.com) in Penrose, Colorado.  
Information about the ELPO is available at  www.e-hoofcare.com

 In these five  day classes, horse owners will receive instruction in basic barefoot hoofcare techniques
using Natural Balance principles.
In these classes you will receive more “hands on” practical instruction for the price than in any of the other
barefoot hoof trimming classes you may have seen advertized . 

This class is also very good for already working profesional hoof trimmers who wish to expand on their
education by learning  Natural Balance hoof trimmming principles and techniques, or to pepare for a future 
ELPO  level 2 Natural Balance hoof trimming certification exam . Please note that Hoofcare Specialties LLC
and The Equine Lameness Prevention Organization both take pride in the fact that the Natural Balance
certification is a truly professional level certification.   
Therefore if you have never trimmed hooves before, this class will not  prepare you enough to pass the
stringint ELPO profesional certification exams, but will give you a very good beginning in which to build. 

 Participants in this class need to be physically fit, able to twist and bend to get under horses in farrier
positions, and lift heavy objects. *2

 The classes are intensive five day sessions, 7 class hours a day.
Occasionally students may have to drive to another facility to trim available horses. However we make
every effort to have class horses brought to our facility.  
 
Classes run from 9 AM to 5 PM with a one hour lunch break .  Horses are supplied. *3



 CLASS OUTLINE:
This is a general outline. Class  may not run exactly in this order but all these subjects will be covered. .  
Day 1: Morning: In depth anatomy and function of the lower limb.
Discuss foot form and anatomy related to movement and soundness .
 We use Power point lectures, diagrams, and videos. 

 Afternoon:    Introduction to hand tool use and positions.  Demonstration of hoof trim by instructor .   
Hands on ,Learn how to measure, evaluate and map hooves to achieve proper hoof balance and form.     

evaluate, map and  trim specimine (cadaver) feet.
 Q and A .

 Day 2:
Morning:  Hands on, learn to pull off horse shoes  (cadaver feet) 
Dissect cadaver feet , discuss anatomy.

Afternoon :Lecture  and Power Points , classroom.
Continue learning to recognize common hoof distortion which will lead to gait faults and lameness.
Learn to identify hoof diseases.  
Recognize a good shoeing from a poor shoeing . 

Day 3: Morning to early afternoon. : Demonstration of positions under a live horse and hoof handling.  
Practice positions and hoof handling.
Trim live horses .  'One on one' instruction, then  more hooves as students are physically able.  
  
Late Afternoon when time  ,classroom.  Evelauting a horses ability to be barefoot, overview of boot choices.   

Day 4: all day:
Positioning under the horse and horse handling.   Trimming live horses.
 This will be on a team basis, to facilitate more individualized instruction.

 Day 5:
More trimming live horses , instruction as needed with instructor watching everyone. .
This will take most of the  day.   End of day  REVIEW  Q and A.

 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

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  Classes are limited in size to insure each participant will receive maximum hands-on individualized instruction.

 TUITION   $700.  On site group housing availble $100 per person per week.   
 
 Sorry, No auditors
.

 Admission registration and  Deposit of $300 for  class, $350 if reserving housing. 
                    DEPOSIT must be received no later than 30 days in advance to hold your place.

 You may transfer your admission deposit to another eligible person if you can not attend.
Deposits are only refundable if class is cancelled. 
We have indoor facilities, so weather will not cancel classes. 
If classes are cancelled due to any reason such as not having minimum number of students,
 you will be notified 30 days prior to class date and deposit refunded. Minimum of 4 participants required to
hold class, maximum of 6.

 In the unlikely event of cancellation of the class by Hoofcare Specialties LLC 
due to lack of registrants or instructor's incapacitation or illness ,all amounts received will be refunded to the
registrants.  We can not be responsible for expenses other than tuition and deposits such as travel , etc due
 to cancellation of this class. In the unlikely event that listed instructor is unavailable a substitute instructor
 of equal qualification (level 4 Certified Natural Balance Farrier)may fill in.

 

 No person under 18 years of age allowed unless accompanied by a paid attending parent or guardian.

 No dogs allowed. No smoking in the housing. Nearby motels, and RV hookups within 11 miles are available,
as well as our own student housing .
Click on "student housing" link for housing  information.

 For questions or more information contact:

Hoofcare Specialties LLC,
P.O.Box 142 Penrose, Colorado 81240
719 372-6703   or Email Patty Stiller at  pstiller@bresnan.net


  ****Click on registration page for form and payment  information and to print a registration form****


*1) Class is not intended in any way to replace regular farrier school for those desiring to enter hoofcare as
a profession. The classes are intended as only an introduction to hoofcare and for horse owners desiring
to do some “at home” hoofcare.

*2) Participating in any form of equine activities involves an inherent risk of bodily injury.
Participants will be required to read and sign a copy of the Colorado Equine Professional Liability act
 and sign a hold harmless agreement.

 *3) HORSES: We will supply horses.  Participants may bring their own horses, *by pre arrangement only*. 
No overnight stabling.   Horses must meet the behavior and training criteria to be in a group setting and
have their hooves handled quietly.  We do not accept young horses or those who need ground training.  .
NO stallions!

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