Facilities and ServicesIn-house transition to barefoot soundness.
As barefoot health implies, we follow a whole-horse protocol and therefore also offer the services of a qualified equine massage therapist and chiropractor. The majority of horses suffering hoof problems also suffer tension, muscle-misalignment and general soreness. All these things can be addressed and resolved at our clinic. We have a large specially prepared recuperation stall for horses so affected by laminitis or founder that they need to spend more time than usual laid down and subsequently provide around the clock care for these clinical cases. CLINICAL TRANSITION - is offered for clients whose horses are suffering hoof debilitation like laminitis, navicular etc and for those who are unable to assist in the rehabilitation of their horse. This service provides all necessary treatments as often as necessary, quality forage feed (fibre) available around the clock, quality hard feed to administer natural supplements for the promotion of healthy hooves, daily exercise (according to the stages of transition), livery in a rubber matted stall with micro-spray cooling system, automatic water and daily cleaning, assessment by a qualified equine massage therapist and complete overview of the whole horse, as is our protocol. Radiographs and other veterinary medication or assessments are not included, but as we work with 3 vets that specialise in various areas of equine health there is usually nothing we can´t organise on behalf of the client. TRANSITION ONLY - is offered for owners who assist with the transition exercise requirements of their horse, for a horse that is only suffering the contracted heels and mild fungal infections associated with short-term shoeing along with inbalances etc. Included are twice monthly treatments, quality forage feed (fibre) available around the clock, natural supplements for the promotion of healthy hooves, paddock care in a secure paddock with automatic water and weekly cleaning. This option does require a real commitment from the owner to attend to their horse at least 3 times a week. Radiographs and other veterinary medication or assessments are not included, but as we work with 3 vets that specialise in various areas of equine health there is usually nothing we can´t organise on behalf of the client. Please consider the scientific fact, discovered by Veterinarian Bracy Clarke (London School of Veterinarians), that after only 1 year of shoeing a hoof is now deformed, when self-assessing the condition of your horses hooves. These assessments are best sought from a hoof care professional given the many implications the untrained eye can not see. 
Offering FULL LIVERY in Espiritu Del Viento´s purpose built American barn. Your horse is accommodated in a bright airy 3 x 3m stall where he can see his neighbours and therefore communicate with them. Your horse benefits from an overhead MICRO SPRAY system, virtually eliminating all flies and heat in the summer. The stalls themselves have 3/4" RUBBER FLOOR matting providing comfort and greater hygiene for your horse, along with automatic water feeders.The use of our 18 x 50 m FLOODLIT SAND SCHOOL is available to all our livered horses, as well as our 15m diameter ROUND PEN. Newly installed, we now also have a 16m diameter horse walker. It takes 6 horses maximum allowing plenty of space between each horse and a large circle so the horse is not walking ´shoulder-in´ as with smaller walkers.
Our hay is sourced from the northern regions of Spain, is not chemically sprayed and has a very high fibre content (aprox. 54%) Our grain feed is a quality muesli containing all the vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain a healthy working or breeding horse. It is milled locally so is always fresh. For the horse convalescing from injury or illness, in foal or retired we have secure, regularly cleaned, paddocks with shelter and fresh water. Ad lib forage feed (24/7) is included in this service. Extras such as daily injections/medications, special feeds, rugging, attending with vet, etc can be negotiated. You can be safe in the knowledge that should an emergency arise there is someone on site 24 hours a day. Only 20 minutes from the Hospital La Equina in Martajena, I have a two-horse box available with vehicle and driver for such a journey or other local trips. We are insured and have the Certification of Well Being of Animals in Transit - a compulsory government requirement for anyone transporting horses.
Situated in a beautiful peaceful valley you can go HORSEBACK RIDING for 1 hour, all day or overnight if you so desire! There are many treks in the area, without having to go on the roads, where you can see the beautiful and plentiful flora and fauna of Andalucía from horseback. I organise treks to other villages, with breakfast or lunch stops, for the competent rider and their sound horse. My husband and I have dedicated quite some time in looking for, finding, and re-opening long disused tracks of the Arrieros (the traders of yesteryear). To learn more about these exciting trails, and how you can experience them look at our page Espiritu de Arrieros GROUND WORK being the essential key to all good horse behaviour, I have developed my own NATURAL TRAINING methods after years of studying the various commercially packaged options, the old-school methods and using common sense. Using our 15m diameter round pen I school young horses in preparation for riding without charts, programs or games and without force. Each horse is as individual as we are and therefore needs to be treated accordingly. 
Each horse is an individual and therefore after getting to know their personality I tailor the training to suit them. From experience I have learnt that with this good basis our horses respect us and willingly work with us, coming on in the saddle much quicker than with other methods. Even older horses, taken back to basics, can undo bad habits, re-learn and become great, ridable companions again.
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Restoring horses with chronic or acute lameness, laminitis, founder or navicular by returning their hooves back to the physiologically correct form, designed by nature. Healing begins immediately the horse receives it´s first trim and continues aided by correct feeding and exercise on our custom pea-gravel walkway and course grained sand round pen to bring their hooves to rock-crushing health. 
We maintain a regular worming and vaccine schedule and ask that clients horses are kept in a likewise routine.
Read my articles published in The Horses Hoof. A fabulous magazine offering scientific information, great products and many interesting articles by professional´s like myself and others on the beautiful bare hoof.