Hoof Trims

Natural Balance hoof trims with dedication to correctness to maintain functional healthy hooves and working with the horse. Michelle has been doing trims on her own horses and her client's horses that are in training with her (horse owner's option) for over 5 years with great success at encouraging better hoof quality through true balance (that of the mustang hoof as studied by Jaime Jackson). All of her horses are enjoying the barefoot movement, exhibiting increased hoof growth and remarkable positive changes in hoof quality. Their quality and freedom of movement and in some cases, soundness, has improved, some remarkably since being bare. All are more sound now than when shod, including foundered Chief. Click here for horse stories. Each hoof is trimmed and balanced individually, preferably with an angle grinder (as taught by Phil Morarre) to ensure the best possible job and ease the physical stress on the horse. Experience with warmbloods, drafts, different gaited breeds, foals, TB's to name a few. Training available for young or problem horses. Serving the East Bay Area.

Equine Body Awareness®

Innovative and very powerful system of body awareness and connection for the horse based on Linda Tellington-Jones Ttouch principles performed in two to three phases.

Phase I finds and releases tight locked muscles, creates neurological pathways (awareness of that place on the body), and establishes a conditioned relax reflex cue that can be triggered at any time to help tense, edgy, fearful, or hot horses to relax, calm down, and think instead of react.

Phase II educates the horse in possibilities of movement of each leg in any given direction, lightens the horse to leg aids, teaches correct leg movement for leg-yield and side-pass, and gets the equine thinking about hoof placement. It will educate any horse, but especially the uncoordinated horse, where its feet are and individual placement of each hoof. Essential for safe trail horses, Dressage, and Hunters.

Phase III, if needed, continues the relax reflex and establishes correct stretch of the top line during movement while on the lungeline without the use of devices.

Referal from former owner of Kizzy, Melissa St. John:

Michelle has a talent for working with troubled horses. I've seen her use body work to literally transform a horse that was given to me as "unride-able" (she was putting everyone who tried on the ground). Michelle could see right away that the mare was in pain. She had the patience and knowledge to work through the mare's muscle issues, developing her into a nice riding horse that is now part of her lesson program. I know without a doubt that Michelle has taken that horse to her full potential, keeping her productive and happy, when others were ready to give up and put her out to pasture.

Referal from Susan Binford owner of Legacy:

When Michelle started trimming my mare 4 years ago, her hoof walls were thin and soft, and she had whiteline disease. After 3-4 months of natural balance trims, the white line disease was gone and her hoof walls were thicking. Now, her hoof walls are about 1/2" and very healthy. Because of being balanced regularly her hooves grow more evenly, and are strong and tough. Since Michelle started trimming her, she's never had an issue with lameness. She's sound and happy!