Integrating Hoof & Body Health

ABOUT US

LH is an educational corporation.

Our programs are designed around the recognition that the feet of equines and other ungulates are a living part of the whole body and that the relationships between hoof, mind, and body are reciprocal and inseparable. Factors that affect the health of one, either directly or indirectly, affect the health of the others.

The information in our programs is vitally important for understanding the risk factors, causes, and management of hoof pathologies and for properly identifying the origins and treatments of hoof, gait, and postural abnormalities. Hoof shape and health are also essential diagnostic windows into the state of overall physical and mental health.

Established in 2003 by Bruce Nock, M.S., Ph.D.

*Upcoming events are listed below.*

 

HOOF CARE TRAINING PROGRAMS

Training & Certification For People Aspiring To Be Hoof Care Professionals

This course is for people seeking a career in hoof care or who are already trimming professionally and want to augment and validate their knowledge and skill through our certification program.

 

Training & Certification for Mounted Professionals

The Houston Mounted Police helped to legitimize natural hoof care when they successfully transitioned their horses from shoes to barefoot. Twelve Houston Mounted Police Officers have attended our training programs. Now, LH offers a training program, led by Houston Police Officers Scott Berry and Danny Pryor, designed especially for people who care for mounted working horses.

So, you don’t think your horses can go barefoot? Read Mounted Police: Why Your City Can and Should Have Mounted Police written by Dr. Bruce Nock, M.S., Ph.D. & Senior Police Officer Scott D. Berry, BAAS, MSSL.

 

Training & Support for Non-professionals

A program designed for non-professionals who might want to trim their own horses or perhaps just want to be able to knowledgeably evaluate the health of their horse’s hooves and the work of their professional hoof care provider.

 

Zoo Hoof Care Professional Certification Program

People have been trying to maintain and improve the health and integrity of the hooves of horses for hundreds of years. A lot was learned over those years. Until recently, however, most of it was about how to prepare and apply shoes or some other artificial contrivance … none of which is in any way relevant to barefoot zoo animals. In fact, such devices are known to increase harmful impact vibrations on the hoof and leg bones and interfere with natural hoof functions. Instead, successful hoof care for animals living out of the wild requires a multifaceted approach that includes trimming that encourages the hoof to grow toward its optimally functional aboriginal form, along with lifestyle and environmental living conditions that support hoof and animal health and prevent the emergence of abnormalities and pathologies. These principles and the methods to implement them are the focus of the LHZ certification program.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• May 1-4, 2025. Hoof Health Workshop for Zoo Professionals at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens in Naples, Florida. Registration is closed. It was another wonderful workshop at Naples Zoo.

• June 2-5, 2025. International Hoof Health Workshop for Zoo Professionals at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, in Blair Drummond, Stirling, Scotland. Registration is closed.

• October 4-7, 2025. Two events will be held simultaneously on these dates: a Hoof Health Workshop for Zoo Professionals and a Gateway to Hoof Care Clinic. Both will be held at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. The zoo has been an exceptional venue for our events. It’s going to be a special week with overlapping and separate classes, with extraordinary benefits for the participants. Registration is open for both events and will close 9/4/25 or when the event is full.

All LH equine hoof care programs begin with the Gateway Clinic. After attending a Gateway Clinic, all other phases of the hoof care training programs are scheduled at the convenience of students and instructors.

The LH program for zoo professionals starts with the LHZ Workshop.