TopHuf                                                  

welcome to TopHuf

Barefoot at its best for horse and owner



It all started 55 million years ago, as the Cretatious Period ended and the dinosaurs disappeared, Hyracotheium (Eohippus, Dawn Horse) came out from under the ferns and started its evolutionary journey into the form of the amazing animals we know today as Equus Caballus. In all that time mother nature has been developing the complex and fascinating mechanism that is the horse and its hoof.

 

Only 15,000 years ago the cavemen of Lascaux were painting their pot-bellied ponies on their walls, and a mere 8000 years ago man started domesticating the horse.  The first iron shoes were used at the start of the first millennium and it was not until the middle ages horses were being kept in close confinement for use in  war and farming.  Even so, shoes only became commonplace in the 1900's.  

 

Today horses have become less agricultural in their work/seasonal in their use and more sports and recreational.  They are being worked throughout the year without breaks in their training and shoeing regimes,  There is research that shows the degenerative effects of long-term shoeing are real.  Jack Willis, a farrier by trade pioneered a Hoof and Health care system based on his research of the Mustangs of the Wild Basin.  His work combines exercise, diet and hoof management known as the AANCHP (Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices) has written several books and runs a training centre in the US for those interested in advancing their knowledge of hoofcare.       

 

At TopHuf we have an ongoing commitment to integrate the demands of modern life, competition, fun and to take the responsibility of providing an environment that is more natural for horses to flourish, heal and be happy.  By de-shoeing, going barefoot you have an incredible opportunity to combine the best of science and nature to balance the foot, the body, the exercise and diet so your horse can be at their best and live longer with less health problems.  

 

At TopHuf we can support you from the moment you decide to de-shoe to competing successfully unshod. Our facilities are set up with the help of the vets, physios and hoof-care professionals to help horses recover from laminitis, tendon / ligament / suspensory injuries, navicular syndrome, collapsed heels, contracted bulbs, poor hoof wall quality, unexplained lameness, pedal bone disintegration, pedal bone rotation and any of the secondary effects of uncomfy feet that can manifest in their backs, necks, and throughout their bodies including their digestive and endocrine systems....