Ethos
Fortunately it has become a trend for horse owners to endeavour to keep their horses in as natural an environment as their facilities will allow.We often come across concerned owners who ask us if it is in the horse's interest to have their teeth rasped or feet trimmed, and why they should need to have muscle therapy as obviously they would not have received any of these treatment living in the wild.
I have never yet been to any stable yard or met a private owner that has managed to keep their horses in the equivalent conditions for which nature had originally designed them. I am in no way criticizing their efforts but it is a situation that is practically impossible to achieve how ever hard one strives. However, we believe that with the right treatments and maintenance program, it is possible to work with nature to give the horse the best conceivable chance of staying fit, healthy and happy.
There have been many in-depth studies and books written regarding the effects of domestication and the environment on our horses. As this is an enormous subject in its own right I am giving a very simplistic overview, examples such as how the movement of the herd across the plains, and the flight from predators helped to keep the horse's muscles and the horse's joints moving freely. The constraints of stable buildings, reaching up to hay nets, different food products, various items of tack,an assortment of bits in the mouth, iron shoes, wearing rugs,carrying the weight of a rider on their back, schooling, jumping, dressage, cross country etc. These are just a few of the reasons that contribute to the horse living a less natural way of life. In the wild their natural life span was likely to have been shorter, for example the old , lame and weak were killed off by predators and horses with teeth problems may have died of starvation. Habits that can effect the horse's condition such as crib biting, weaving and wind sucking probably didn't exist.
It is the aim of Tooth2hoof to keep our treatments as natural as possible, the general handling which takes place during a treatment is based on equine behavioral study (the practitioner being the alpha). The tooth rasping is done without mechanical rasps. The hoof trimming is a conditioning program which enables the horse to go shoeless and the muscle therapy stimulates the body's inner ability to heal itself. (For more information on how this is achieved please click onto the relevant subject link.)
Throughout history man has captured and worked horses Sometimes through fear, sometimes through friendship he has tamed, taught and manipulated their power with incredible results. Horses have adapted a lot more easily to our terms and conditions then we ha veto theirs. We owe it to them to respond with integrity.