The Rock'n Star Ranch
NATURAL HOOF CARE
Barefoot trimming has been a passion and obsession for Christa since a very young age. First learning to use a set of nippers and a rasp at the ranch where she worked at age 14, Christa began to realize the importance and value of a good, natural balanced trim. For the next few years, she observed and learned from the hoof care professionals who were looking after her horses, and eventually she took on the hoof care of a herd of 15.
Christa developed her confidence and skill with the help and guidance of her good friend and trusted hoof care professional, Christina Cline (Author of The Essential Hoof Book). Christina guided and supported Christa over a number of years, helping her to develop the feel and skills needed to care for her own herd. Christa also immersed herself in more intensive programs and hoof trimming courses with Christina Cline, Stefanie Travers and Joan Leslie and studied the work of Pete Ramey, David Landraville and Jaime Jackson.
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After years of learning the intricacies of the equine hoof and more than a decade of practicing: restoring and maintaining the health and balance of close to 50 horses on a regular basis, Christa has learned first hand the importance of the role the owner plays in promoting healthy hoof care for their horse!
When it comes to creating the best possible hoof, a conscientious diet, correct movement and a balanced trim are all essential elements.
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Christa's main focus is developing the internal structures at the back of the hoof, creating a comfortable and consistent heel first landing and promoting circulation by removing overgrown horn, frog or bar material that is preventing optimal expansion and contraction. Christa believes in doing her best to simulate natural wear by trimming small amounts frequently and encouraging a healthy break-over, reducing the damaging effects of leverage on the hoof wall. She encourages horse owners to invest in their horse's hoof care by keeping them on a regular four to five week trim schedule, providing them with as much movement over varied terrain as possible (booting where necessary, in order to encourage proper heal first impact) and carefully monitoring their horse's diet.
Although Christa's education has been mostly hands on, practical application, she's done a fair amount of studying as well. It was never Christa's intention to make hoof trimming her profession, however through word of mouth and through the results she's shown, she has acquired a fairly expansive client base and is happy to offer assistance where needed.
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Christa is not against shoeing horses and believes that it has its place, especially when expecting a horse to perform comfortably on a terrain that is considerably more aggressive than what they are used to or than what they are conditioned to, however, she does believe that since the effects of wearing a shoe will inevitably reduce circulation and therefore overall hoof health, a hoof should be in the healthiest condition it's capable of being in before nailing a shoe on. Often times, when a hoof is restored to optimum health, the result is one in which the shoes are no longer necessary on their regular living conditions.
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Progress + Set ups...
"A good hoof is not cut, it's grown." These words of Pete Ramey's (or something very close to that anyway) have been one of the single most powerful statements to influence Christa's trimming. When rehabilitating a horse, it's essential to understand that a hoof, much like any other part of the body, is changed from the inside. It takes time to grow a good hoof from a bad one and that growth is contingent on the holy trinity of trimming: movement, diet and a balanced trim. Setting the hoof up to grow right and then simulating natural wear, healthy circulation and providing the horse with enough comfort to promote and encourage healthy, correct movement (as well as providing a healthy diet with plenty of high fiber, low sugar forage and balanced minerals/vitamins) are all important factors when it comes to creating positive changes in a horses natural hoof balance.
The following images will give you some indication of the kind of work Christa has been doing and the hooves she has been able to support into rehabilitation.
Just over a year's progress...
The pictures on the top are from just over a year ago. The photo's on the bottom were taken in Jan of 2021. This horse had severely overgrown and flared bars and heels. He had sustained a wire injury to his heel bulbs on his front right and as a result of scar tissue interference, experienced a great deal of contraction. The overgrown bars and heel wall was creating a huge amount of pressure and false strength so after removing the excess wall/bar/heel material, he has been progressively developing digital cushion, lateral cartilages and toughening up his internal heel structures.
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9 months progress...
The first photo above was taken in April 2018, the second in June of the same year. This last photo was from November. Nine months progress on this 17 year old previously foundered paint mare with an extreme medial/lateral rotation and distortion.
​Set up trim...
The photo on the left and the photo on the right were taken pre and post trim on the same day of the same front right hoof belonging to a young Arab Mare on our first set up trim.
Set up trim...
The photos to the right were taken pre and post trim on the same day of the same hind right hoof, belonging to a PRE gelding in his teens. This was his set up trim.
5 months progress...
Before and after photos of a metabolically challenged 8 year old paint mare with old wire cut injuries to her hind left, this front right's diagonal pair.
Testimonials
"Hey Christa, I just wanted to let you know I rode Ace today on a trail ride, the terrain was hard, not overly rocky, but not soft either. And she did fantastic barefoot. Not sore/tender at all! I couldn't even tell she was barefoot."
~ Sarah Laughy
"It is my pleasure to recommend Christa Miremadi. I have known her for over a decade and can attest to her dedication and compassion to the horse well being. Annie's balance and soundness has gotten so much better in the last 3 years, since she has taken over Annie's hooves. I could not be happier and the same goes with Annie. our renegade boots have been collecting dust in the locker. I cannot say enough about Christa, her thirst of knowledge is incomparable and her drive to educate herself, make her an exceptional horse person."
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~Stephanie Barthe Evans
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"Christa has been taking care of my mares feet for only a couple of months, yet already we can both see much improvement in them. Christa is extremely talented and knowledgeable in hoof care. I am so grateful to have her taking care of my mare."
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~Heather Tam