Okanagan School of Natural Hoof Care

If you've ever wanted to learn how to trim your own horse but felt intimidated about where to start, this course is designed for you.

Most horse owners begin their hoof care journey looking for exact formulas and clear-cut answers. But every horse is different, and confidence doesn't come from memorizing a trimming recipe; it comes from understanding what you're seeing and why you're making specific decisions.

The Online Hoof Anatomy, Theory & Trimming Course presented by Okanagan School of Natural Hoof Care provides 30+ hours of foundational hoof education, helping horse owners develop the knowledge and assessment skills needed to confidently evaluate hooves, understand trim priorities, and support long-term soundness.

✔ 30+ Hours of Hoof Education

✔ Self-Paced Online Learning

✔ Certificate of Completion

✔ Prerequisite for In-Person Training Clinics

Enroll today for $199.99 CAD at https://www.oksnhc.com/offers/oToedzbm/checkout

One of the biggest things students struggle with initially isn’t usually the trimming itself.

It’s confidence.

Most people come into hoof care looking for exact formulas and exact answers. They want to know exactly how much heel to trim, exactly how short the toe should be, or exactly where breakover belongs.

A lot of people also feel extremely intimidated to even start learning because they’re terrified of making a mistake or somehow wrecking their horse.

But the reality is that every horse presents differently.

Movement, posture, pathology, compensation, environment, workload, conformation, and hoof capsule distortion all influence trim decisions. What may be appropriate for one horse may be completely inappropriate for another.

That can feel overwhelming at first, especially when people are trying to sort through conflicting information online.

It also takes a certain kind of horse owner to even want to take this journey on in the first place. The people who choose to learn hoof care themselves are usually the ones who care deeply about their horses and are willing to keep learning, asking questions, and developing their understanding over time.

One of the biggest goals inside both the Online Course and Hands-On Courses is helping students learn how to assess the horse standing in front of them and understand why they are making specific trim decisions.

Confidence comes from understanding.

Not memorizing formulas.

Watching students go from nervous and overwhelmed to calmly working through horses, asking thoughtful questions, and developing their own assessment skills is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.

We try to support students through that entire learning process by offering online training first, then hands-on learning, followed by ongoing support inside the Virtual Classroom so students continue building confidence and developing their assessment skills over time.

If you’ve been wanting to learn more about hoof care but have felt intimidated to start, more information on the Online Courses, Hands-On Courses, and Virtual Classroom can be found at www.oksnhc.com

Following up on my recent blog post about heel height…

One of the things I find interesting is how many different “rules” exist when it comes to trimming heels.

Some methods advocate lowering the heels to the widest part of the frog. Others recommend trimming to the hard sole plane. Both of these approaches can be appropriate some of the time, but they can also be completely inappropriate for the horse standing in front of you.

Looking at these feet, it should be obvious that they are not all the same, and they should not all be trimmed the same.

Before deciding on heel height, we need to consider much more than the foot itself.

We need to think about:

• The orientation of the coffin bone to the ground.
• The horse’s posture and limb angles.
• Hoof capsule distortion.
• Whether the horse is landing heel first or toe first.
• Whether the frog and digital cushion are healthy enough to bear more load.
• Tendon and soft tissue tension.
• Existing pathology and compensation patterns.

And that’s only part of the picture.

Heel height should support the horse standing in front of you, not a formula.

This type of assessment-based thinking is exactly what we focus on inside the Online Course and Hands-On Courses. Visit our website to explore our course offerings online, in person and via our virtual classroom.

https://www.oksnhc.com/

VERIFYING YOUR SOURCES IN THE AGE OF AI

Take a moment and look closely at the two images posted here before reading further. Both appear to discuss the same horse, the same hoof, and many of the same concepts.

One is original educational content published by OKSNHC in December 2020. The other is repackaged content published by an AI-assisted entity in May 2026.

This isn't about calling out a specific page or person. In fact, we've intentionally removed identifying information because this topic is much bigger than any one account or post.

As AI-generated and AI-assisted content becomes increasingly common, it is getting harder to determine where information originates and whether it comes from lived experience and professional expertise, or whether it is a repackaging of someone else's work that may lack in context and accuracy.

So how can horse owners evaluate the credibility of an educational source? Here are some questions to ask yourself when you are considering the validity of online sources:

✅ or ❌ Can you find the creator outside of social media?

✅ or ❌ Are their credentials, experience, and body of work visible and verifiable?

✅ or ❌ Do they share original case studies, articles, photos, videos, clinics, courses, or other evidence of their real-world involvement?

✅ or ❌ Do they actively engage with their community and answer questions?

✅ or ❌Can you verify reviews, testimonials, students, or clients?

Follower count is not a credential.

A polished post is not proof of expertise.

A published photo is not proof of real-world experience.

And while AI can be a valuable tool, it should never replace the knowledge that comes from trusted sources and practiced, practical, hands-on expertise.

At OKSNHC, our goal is to empower horse owners through science-backed education, online and in-person learning opportunities, and ongoing mentorship within the supportive framework of an engaged community. Your horse deserves information that is transparent, accountable, and grounded in real-world human experience.

Visit us online at https://www.oksnhc.com/

One of the most oversimplified conversations online is heel height.

Should heels always be lowered? Should underrun heels always be brought back immediately? Are “high heels” always incorrect?

The reality is that heel height is far more complicated than most social media discussions make it seem.

In this new blog post I discuss:

when I may intentionally leave additional heel height
how heel height relates to coffin bone orientation
concavity and solar pressure
caudal hoof weakness and heel first landings
why lowering heels aggressively can sometimes create more problems
when I may choose to use composite shoes, wedges, and packing instead

What may be appropriate for one horse may be completely inappropriate for another.

This type of assessment-based thinking is exactly what we focus on inside both the Online Course and Hands-On Courses.

Read the full article here: https://www.oksnhc.com/blog/heelheight

JUNE 26–28 | 3-DAY BAREFOOT TRIMMING COURSE | KELOWNA, BC

‼️ Special Offers Below ‼️

Join us at OKSNHC for an immersive, hands-on learning experience focused on functional barefoot hoof care.

Over three intensive days, participants will explore:
• Functional trimming principles and hoof mapping
• Balance and movement assessment
• Anatomy and pathology recognition
• Practical application on live horses
• Real-world case discussion and problem-solving

This clinic combines classroom-style learning, live demonstrations, and guided hands-on work in a supportive, collaborative environment with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

Whether you're brand new to barefoot trimming or returning to refresh and sharpen your skills, this clinic offers valuable practical experience and deeper insight into hoof function and rehabilitation.

✨ SPECIAL JUNE OFFERS ✨

▶ FIRST-TIME PARTICIPANTS
Register for the June 3-Day Barefoot Trimming Clinic and receive:

$150 OFF a future 2-Day Glue-On Composite Clinic registration using code FIRST150

▶ RETURNING / PAST STUDENTS
Want to come back for a refresher or brush-up?

Receive $250 OFF the June 3-Day Trimming Clinic registration using code RETURN250

⏳ Offer expires Friday, June 12 and clinic spaces are limited.

Learn more or register:

https://www.oksnhc.com/hands-on-trimming