Hoof protection

• Hoof boots

• Other options

• For working horses through transition period/horses with poor hoof form

• For rehabilitation – i.e. pads

• Boots available in the market and their features

• Sizing and fitting boots

• Booting as part of a business – client skills

What is a correct hoof trim?

• Trim principles and procedures – Non invasive trimming

• Specific trimming requirements – foals, donkeys, etc.

• Ensuring optimum comfort levels for horses prior, during and after trimming

• cadaver leg trimming

• live horse trimming

• reinforce horse and manual handling

• Record details of trim

Horse handling - Practical

• Understanding horse behaviour and communication between horses

• Dealing with problem horses safely

• Safe hoof and leg handling

• Balancing the horse for trimming

• Handling stallions, young stock, mares in season and unhandled horses, foals

• Donkey handling

• Ensuring horse and trimmer are in relaxed and safe surroundings

• Suitable equipment

• Recognising problem horses. Whether to refer to educator.

• Working on both sides of the horse

Manual handling - Practical

• Trimmers body posture and correct stance

• Fitness - exercises, and stretches for optimum trimming fitness

Assess Conformation

• Understand conformation in the horse

• Conformation abnormalities

Assess Movement and soundness

• Recognise heel first landing, break-over

• Understanding and learning gaits of the horse

• Identifying lameness

• Body mechanics relating to hoof form – Good and Bad

• Problems from hoof related issues

• Performance horses and their requirements

Optimum environment for healthy hooves

• Conventional boarding v natural environment

• Simulating natural conditions which include companionship, freedom of movement, natural forage feed, water, shelter.

The horse above the hooves - The holistic horse

• Overview of the whole horse

• Nutrition and digestion brief overview

• Relevance of teeth and good dentistry

• Body work i.e. chiropractic and sports massage for performance

• Saddle fit

• Understanding role of trimmer in network of horse industries

Hoof pathologies and rehabilitation

• Principals to natural healing

• Understanding radiographs and their interpretation

• Recognising hoof pathologies and incorrect hoof form including:

Foals with special trimming needs
Founder/Laminitis
Navicular
Pedal osteitis
White Line Disease
Other - club foot, long toe/underslung heel, quarter cracks, flat feet etc)

• Transition both towards healthy hooves and those regressing through neglect/delayed trimming (transition being where hooves are unhealthy or less than optimum hoof form for performance.

• Abscessing

• Soaking boots and poulticing

• Foals with special trimming requirements

• Live case studies

• Assessment and examination of the horse

• Working with veterinarians – when to call the vet

• Monitoring vital signs (hydration, heart rate, pulse, temperature etc)

• Caring for injured lame horses

• Horse first aid kits – to travel with.

• Pain management (conventional and alternative)

• Common health problems:

colic
mud fever
sunburn
coughs
lice
back pain
joint pain
skin conditions – rain scald

• Worming

• Alternative therapies:

Determine horses condition and nutritional requirements

• Effect of feed on hooves. - signs and symptoms

• Reading food product and what s in it?

• Types of feed and grasses

• Poisonous plants

• Natural feeding position

• Basic digestive anatomy, stomach capacity etc

• Body condition scoring

• Feed requirements for performance/exercise, breeding stock, young

• Assess pasture feed – know species and safe grazing times

• Arrange supplementary feed- knowledge of minerals

• Manage the feeding of horses – consulting clients

• Monitor the feeding plan

Provide basic First Aid

First aid for the Trimmer – Senior First Aid Certificate

• Customer service (highlighting horse/client relations, education)

• Respond to customer questions – be able to source information

• Establish pricing

• Identify customers special requirement, strategies for negotiating resistance

• Public speaking, developing a presentation strategy – industry promotion is practiced at all available opportunities

• Business Management.

• Marketing and promotion (personal presentation, business image, advertising your service, marketing tools, continual review of service, building repeat clientele, selling your service, public relations)

• Book keeping

• Record keeping & scheduling – Time management

• Territory management

• Maintaining customer base
  

• Safety principles with horses

• Sexual harassment

• Health issues – transmitted diseases

• Safety equipment and tools used effectively

• Assignment – hazards to people and horses associated with trimming

• Reasons for good equipment and first aid kit
  

• Develop product / service knowledge

• Advise and market boots and tools

• Recommend specialised products and services
  

• Collect information

• Process workplace information

• Maintain information systems
  

• Maintain accommodation

• Monitor and maintain a program

• Implement and advise on health maintenance program

• Implement a program of care and maintenance for the hoof

• Manage the care of the horse applying knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology