Below is an article from the Lahaina News about Nichole Rockett, one of EasyCare's hoof care practitioners located in Hawaii! You can find her or someone in your area listed in our HCP locator by clicking here.
Following a peer review, West Sider Nichole Rockett recently earned membership status in the Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners (PHCP) organization and, at the same time, was certified in the trade.
PHCP is a regional (Western United States) support network and educational foundation for hoof care professionals and horse owners based on a holistic approach to equine hoof care.
Membership qualifications for the PHCP are stiff, and acceptance is based on training in non-invasive trimming methods, education and experience.
Rockett attended Farrier School at Montana State University, graduating with a certificate in 2000. She served as an apprentice under Master Farrier Jim Sage at Cowboy Trail Rides operating out of Las Vegas, with responsibilities for the hoof maintenance and overall care of the 130 horse ranch for over a year.
Since then, the 29-year old island girl has operated a horseshoeing small business in both Portland, OR and now on Maui, with an established base of island-wide clientele.
Her approach to hoof care took a natural turn from the steel horse shoe method to the bare hoof trim in 2005.
"A good friend and client introduced me to the bare foot trim alternative several years ago. Challenged to learn all that I can about not only bare foot trim but all natural methods to care for our equine friends, I have been reading voraciously, attending clinics and conducting Internet research, " she said.
In an article penned by Dr. Tomas G. Teskey, D.V.M., Rockett learned, "Given the latest exciting hoof research, the finest in hoof care today is focusing on maintaining normal hoof form and function to achieve optimum health: ensuring the hoof can flex in all directions to handle the terrain; promoting fluid movement and circulation; protecting sensitive structures inside the feet and legs; wearing evenly through movement and growing in evenly and strong; and helping engage and sense the environment.
"These are all achievable with natural hoof care and impossible using steel shoes or improper trimming," the author added.
Last year, Rockett enrolled in a four-day clinic in California. Two 12-hour classes were spent with Pete Ramey, one of the world's leading bare hoof trimmers; and she participated in a two-day clinic with Dr. Robert Bowker, VMD, Ph.D., from the Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation at Michigan State University and Michigan Equine Podiatry and Laminitis Research Center.
Rockett wrote about what she learned in California on her website: "In just four days, I had a mind-opening, educational experience like no other in my life. The way I perceive the horse will never be the same. The traditional style of horsemanship needs to move into the 21st century, with the health of the horse first and foremost in mind."
Rockett's quest for knowledge continued this past summer with attendance at a "Boot Fitting Clinic" on the West Coast. "Not all horse's can easily go from shoes to barefoot," she explained. "Boots help with the transition."
Rockett also represents the EasyCare Inc. horse boot product line.
"Lahaina is an ideal environment for barefoot horses because of the very arid climate we have here," she said.
For more information, visit Nichole's website at www.rockettranch.com or call her at 808-298-3946.
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