The Enlightened Equine Podcast

Steve continues his discussion of the positive and negative aspects of horseshoes, including correction and enhancement, and explains why - all considered - horseshoes aren't really the better option for your horse.

Steve weighs in on the advantages - real and alleged - of horseshoes, and explains what actually can, and can't, be accomplished with them. He also discusses lacks in the typical farrier's education, as described by Dr. Deb Bennett, and finishes up with talking about the idea of horseshoes providing protection to the horse's foot.

In Episode 15, Steve explains a bit about why he believes many of the current approaches to hoof care are flawed and moving in the wrong direction, and uses the common idea that feet are "supposed" to land heel-first as an example. He also describes how Enlightened Equine Workshop's science-based approach to hoof care requires a fairly simple, yet very specific, set of knowledge to enable all types of feet to be successfully trimmed.

Steve discusses an extremely common, yet rarely recognized and often misidentified, source of lameness in the horse, along with advice on how to identify and treat it. You can see Steve & Dora at Art of the Cowgirl in Wickenburg, AZ this week!

Steve brings Dora back for a discussion about some of her thoughts and experiences in dealing with asymmetries in the horse - their causes, consequences, and how to go about identifying and addressing them.

This episode finds Steve discussing what, for him, makes a client that he wants to have a long-term professional relationship with.

Steve discusses the underlying cause of, and solution for, flaring of the hoof wall, which leads to discussion of proper and improper hoof landings.

In response to a listener's request, Steve brings Dora back to discuss some aspects of training, including a description of operant conditioning after his usual rant about bad hoof care education.

After another bit of ranting about yet another group of non-science-based hoof care educators (who quite honestly, ought to know better), Steve finally brings his favorite horseperson - his wife and professional partner Dora - on for a discussion of Dora's horse background, her opinion of the state of hoof care and hoof care education, and some of her contributions to the Enlightened Equine Workshops.

In this episode, Steve discusses some very commonly-held - but incorrect - beliefs related to hoof care, including the notion of "support," the alignment of the hoof-pastern axis, "correcting" conformation "faults" at the ground, and mismatched hoof pairs.

Steve discusses exciting news about website updates, offers some more explanation about equine body weight and its connection to laminitis, and talks about how and why he and Dora became involved with the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.

Steve discusses the problem of overweight horses, the hoof symptoms of impending laminitis, and tools and techniques owners can use to successfully plan and implement an appropriate diet for their horse.

In this episode, Steve talks about the flaws in the entire common notion of a hoof "model," and explains what, in his opinion, constitutes a "real" model that correctly anticipates the function and form of every hoof, regardless of circumstances.

Steve discusses ranch history and philosophy with his friend Russell True - co-owner of the White Stallion Ranch, where Enlightened Equine Workshops hold their Comprehensive Hoof Care Workshop.