I was owned, for a long time, by the most intelligent, loving, hot-headed and opinionated Thoroughbred mare I have ever met.  She was absolutely beautiful but, typical of many thoroughbreds, she didn't have the best hoof conformation.  As time went on, we basically got to the point where there wasn't enough hoof to nail a shoe onto, and so our transition to barefoot began.  And do did my education about hoof abscesses.

In the first year or so, she was absolutely plagued by abscesses.  They were caused by tiny bits of grit embedding in her hooves, and working their way in until they caused an abscess.  I was absolutely meticulous about picking out her feet, but I just COULDN'T find a tool that would winkle out tiny bits of grit, or clean out small cracks and cavities.  I tried them all - hoofpicks were too big, bradawls and screwdrivers just weren't quite right, crochet hooks snapped too easily...  None of them did the job 100%, and the abscesses continued.  I was Googling frantically to find the perfect tool, but there just wasn't one.

(Is any of this sounding familiar to you?)

And so, out of frustration (and desperation!), I made my own.  Using the same tool steel and stainless steel that I make my tools with, I experimented with different shapes and sizes until I had narrowed it down to two styles that worked well:  a rounded, tapered point which is the business for locating and removing even tiny bits of grit, and also for packing hoof putty into small holes.  And a flat taper, which is great for cleaning out larger cavities, white line separation, seedy toe etc, etc, and for packing those spaces with hoof putty.  (You can actually pick out an entire hoof with the flat end, if you wish).

Once I had two shapes that worked perfectly, it was a no brainer to make a double ended tool, rather than have to have two seperate ones hanging about.  So it needed a handle that made it easy to swap between the two ends, and that was also sturdy and comfortable to hold.  I can tell you, from bitter experience, that if a tool isn't comfortable to hold, it will never work to it's full potential, and you'll probably end up doing yourself a mischief with it too (don't ask me how I know!!).

And so I fitted it with the exact same tool handle as I use in my jewellery workshop - easy to change, easy to hold.

And guess what?  Once I had the right tool for the job, keeping her hooves grit free was a doddle!  The abscesses stopped, her feet improved, and she remained sound and happy, with rock crunching hooves, for many years after.  

* As a side note, during this first year I experimented with different hoof care products too, and I can tell you that, without doubt, Red Horse Products are the best, for both reactive, and routine hoof care.  (I don't have any affiliation with them as a company, and don't gain anything by recommending them, I just find their products to be very effective).  In particular, I like their Sole Cleanse, Arty Mud, and Hoof Stuff.

But that wasn't the end of the use of my barefoot hoof pick - it's still an integral part of my hoof care arsenal.  Hooves are dynamic, ever changing things - grit, stones, cracks, holes, cavities, seedy toe, white line separation - sh!t can still happen despite your best efforts, so there is ALWAYS a need for the barefoot hoof pick alongside your hoof care products.

Once I'd perfected the design, on a whim, I added the hoof pick to my website shop, and they've become one of my best sellers.  But I still make each tool to order, here in my workshop, carefully shaping them by hand.

My barefoot hoof pick was an absolute game changer for me, and I know it will be for you too.  You'll find that it is simply the best tool on the market for removing grit and packing cavities in unshod hooves - and we all know that prevention is better than cure right?!  So why not order yours today, and say goodbye to grit, abscesses, and holes, and hello to effective, stress free barefoot hoof care.