I know just how my horse felt when I took this photo many years ago. Following some surgery, he’d been stuck inside for a couple of weeks, so I carried a camera with me (pre-digital days, I might add!) as I turned him loose again for the first time. He was ecstatic!

The weather here in northeastern Ohio has been absolutely miserable this year, so I’ve been feeling rather trapped as well. But I’m fairly confident that soon the snow will disappear for good, the flowers will bloom, and another season of horse-related activities will begin! And to that end, I want to share some information about upcoming clinics and other appearances I’ll be making over the next couple of months.

First up is the Ohio Equine Affaire, held annually at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, OH. Although I’m not a speaker at this year’s event, I’ll be both attending the show and spending some time in the university’s booth – #702. If you’ve never been to the Equine Affaire (either here or in Springfield, MA), it’s well worth a visit! There are always plenty of horses to see, seminars and events to attend, and a whole lot of shopping. So check out the show schedule on their website, and if you come, please stop by our booth to say ‘hello!”

I’m once again offering my Understanding Natural Hoof Care workshop in May. This 5-hour lecture/demonstration is a wonderful introduction to the science behind proper hoof care, challenging the participants to set aside their preconceptions and watch as we reveal a logical, science-based approach to healthier hooves and happier, better-performing horses! And for those who’ve been curious about the actual trim experience, you can sign up for the full-day workshop version where we discuss the tools and techniques of proper trimming and conclude with cadaver hoof trimming. This is a great opportunity to share the advantages of “true” natural hoof care with others, so be sure to bring your friends!

I’m very excited about my new Equine Hoof Pathologies: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options clinic, which is an offshoot of the teaching I do for Liberated Horsemanship in Warrenton, MO! I talk to many horse owners whose animals are collectively suffering from a relatively small number of pathologies that are directly tied to management issues such as feeding and footing. This 6-hour lecture/demonstration takes an in-depth look at the origins, diagnosis, and treatment of laminitis/founder, navicular disease/syndrome, white line disease, hoof cracks, abscesses, and infections, with an emphasis on simple preventative steps for the horse owner.

And I’ll once again be traveling to Spain for a presentation at Liberated Horsemanship’s Spain Gateway to Hoof Care for the 21st Century Clinic, where I’ll be doing a talk called Navicular Disease and the Forces of Impact: The Connection between Improper Landings and Long-Term Lameness. This 5-day clinic is a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of the most well-respected and highly-educated working hoof-care professionals in the world in a beautiful setting in rural Spain, and I hope to see many of my international readers there!

So, there are a few more possibilities for your “horse calendar!” We cover a lot of material in my clinics, but remember: once you’ve paid to attend a clinic, you can always retake that same clinic – any time or place it’s offered – as many times as you want for no additional charge.

Happy Spring!