Yes, My Barefoot Trimming Practice is Safe

by Audrey Bryant

Audrey Bryant is a familiar and welcome presence around Freedom Farm—we all appreciate her wisdom and skill as a professional hoof trimmer and adviser on equine health. -MG

I’m often asked about the way I trim—with the horse lightly tied, or lead rope loose on the ground—and whether or not it’s really safe. Safety has always been paramount in what I do; I have a definite approach to horses, grounded in my understanding of their psychology and behavior, and tested for many years of practice in every kind of farm setting. So yes, my method of barefoot trimming is very safe—the few times I have felt otherwise were when I did not follow my own rules!

A Visit to Freedom Farm

by Maya De Vogel
Woerden, Holland

Maya De Vogel has been visiting us since late August as part of a placement, or work experience, program at her university in Holland. A bachelors candidate in Animal Husbandry, Equine Sport & Business at Van Hall Larenstein University, she wrote the piece below as part of a longer report for her advisors. I thought it would be nice to share with our readers as a perspective on her time here. Maya has made herself a valued member of our little community over the past month or so, and we're not sure we are going to let her leave in November! -MG

Maya adds:
I contacted Freedom Farm because I was looking for something other than the ordinary, traditional stables, to learn about natural horsemanship and find out what it would mean for me. To summarize, it is not only a school placement, it is a personal adventure as well!

I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to come here to this amazing barn and to meet so many awesome people! It is my 6th week here already and I am absolutely not ready to leave.

Equestrian Lifestyle, Feet First, Part Two

by Mary Gallagher

Ben Robertson, 14,  on Joy Ride, Oregon Last of Summer Show, 2017

Our Freedom Farm Hoof Beats Horsemanship Team has competed successfully in a number of
A-rated shows around the Pacific Northwest this year. It has been a pleasure to watch these young people come into their own as competitors, and I am super proud of their horsemanship, sportsmanship, and superior talent. I've also been reflecting on the part that our horses’ herd lifestyle has played in their success.

Equestrian Lifestyle at Freedom Farm: Feet First

By Jerry Schmidt and Mary Gallagher

A natural lifestyle is the foundation of our horses' health at Freedom Farm. Foundational to that is the care of their feet, which are, without exception, barefoot. It's a great first topic of this series on natural equestrian lifestyle. -MG


Our boarding and training business, dedicated to keeping horses in a more natural environment, is a huge undertaking in the horse industry today. The way our horses live – moving barefoot with a herd, enjoying access to natural grasses and hay 24/7 – is not how horses are typically cared for, especially if you have competition aspirations. Yet that is how our horses live and compete: barefoot and in a herd environment.

The Transformation of Niko's Feet: Progress Report

 by Mary Gallagher

“My horse has bad feet and can’t be ridden without shoes.” It’s a sentence I hear too often. At Freedom Farm, hoof care and rehabilitation are part of our creed and a cornerstone of our work. This post is about sharing one horse’s story, but it is certainly not unique to him! We’ll be sharing more and offering classes in trimming and hoof care, so I hope this post will offer some inspiration on the subject. - MG

As I was trimming Niko’s feet this week I thought it would be nice to give everyone a look at what has changed in the two years he has been without shoes.

Niko moved off the rubber floor and has been living out with one of the gelding herds 24/7 for about 8 months now and doing great. His training continues with less and less need for hoof boots.

The Transformation of Niko: Mary Gallagher comments

by Mary Gallagher

Niko recently.

Michelle’s series on the transformation of her off-track Thoroughbred, Niko, is a testimony to time,
healing, balance and perseverance as cornerstones of natural horsemanship. We were privileged to welcome Niko to Freedom Farm and help with his transition from promising but challenged prospect, to the happy, healthy guy he is today. Michelle has done a great job of sharing her journey with Niko, and now Jess Crouch and I are relating some of our contributions along the way. I hope this article series will prove helpful and maybe even inspirational to anyone with a horse in need of transformation.