Director Bios
Carolyn Myre, Chair
I have been involved with horses on and off for over 25 years. I have actively trained, ridden and shown in the hunter and dressage disciplines as well as extensive pleasure and trail riding. My experience began with my childhood experience with my first pony who lived like a wild horse on acres of varied terrain consisting of mixed mountainous rock and deep clover valleys and everything in between. She was almost never trimmed but then she never needed one. She carried me day in and day out for possibly 4 hours of the day on all kinds of terrain barefoot. She even got into an entire bag of sweetfeed and never colicked nor foundered, just bounced off the walls for almost 2 weeks straight. After outgrowing her, I got my second horse (only a yearling) and he came to the “big city” and was boarded at the largest, well known boarding stable at the time. The horse was castrated and shortly after came down with a case of strangles. This poor guy was very weak after these two incidents and the stable responded by packing the feed into him and over a relatively short period of time and without us all knowing, he foundered. The vets failed to recognize that he was foundered. They prescribed a corrective shoeing plan but never a diet plan (as the acute founder was never recognized). The shoeing with high wedges under his already too-high heels resulted in a sharp downturn in the poor guy's ability to recover. He became so sore that he was barely moving around and he stood mainly on the fronts of his fetlock joints on his front feet. After a while in desperation, the vets decided to do a tenatomy on him to stop him from knuckling over.
As you could probably guess, this never cured my poor guy. “The only thing that was going to save him was some vet in the U.S. that was apparently the only vet who could reverse his situation, but he would never be more than pasture sound if he was lucky”. Wow at only 2 years of age, we as horse owners had humanely decided that it was time for him to be relieved of his suffering. At the time, I always felt that something was wrong, the vets were missing something, they told the farrier to put the wedges under the shoes the wrong way around, the wedges in my mind should have been at the front of the foot not the back in order to stop the knuckling over. I didn't know how detrimental the shoes were to the horse but then I also had no idea how detrimental all that rich feed was to him either. Now when I look back 25 years ago at that situation, and when I purchased my sick TB mare, I feel that this line of work was actually my calling!
My focus on natural horsemanship began when I discovered natural hoof and horse care principles based on the wild horse lifestyle in 2003. I do not practice merely one "method" of horsemanship, rather I employ techniques and principles from many experienced horse trainers of various camps as well as from my own background and experience with various horses over the years to round out my training and handling philosophies. My own personal motto is to treat the horse with respect and over time you will win theirs in return.
In 2003, I learned to trim my horse with methods based on the wild horse model and began to learn about healthy diet and natural lifestyle management practices to help return my OTTB mare that was riddled with dietary and lameness issues, to a sound and comfortable state. Having to learn the principles of horse care and hoof care from many practitioners across the U.S., the journey to soundness was a long but rewarding one for that first case. As people began to see the results achieved on my mare they began to inquire about the techniques being used they began asking me to trim their horses. It dawned on me that it was timely and much needed to become certified with the AANHCP (then known as the American Association of Natural Hoof Care Practitioners). At the time, there was no one in Ontario practicing this hoof and horse care regimen and there was definitely a need. The AANHCP was a very intense but very effective training program, it took 2 years to complete the program which included a lengthy study period on client horses. The problems I encountered during the training were that some of the practitioners were very hard to get to being so far from home, there was a lot of travel involved. There were also some slight variations from instructor to instructor on principles taught near the end of the program. But it was worth the effort, time and money. A few decent American associations developed as a result of the inconsistency including the American Hoof Association and the Equine Sciences Academy in Georgia. For more info on these Organizations please see our links page. Consequently I joined in the partnership of developing the CBHA to help other students avoid some of the problems I encountered by having to complete my studies in the U.S.
I have maintained a client base of around 100-150 horses at a time and trained many people who lived too far away to trim their own horses. I practice in Eastern Ontario, in the Ottawa Valley region and some regions of Quebec. I work closely with other equine professionals in my area to help as many horses as possible by sharing challenging cases and ideas on rehabilitating these cases. I live on a 50 acre farm with my family and we are working to achieve a greener, more sustainable lifestyle for everyone who lives on the farm. I also operate a small equine rehabilitation facility incorporating a paddock paradise type of management style. My philosophy on learning is that you never reach the end point in your journey; you must keep learning, always keep an open mind and be flexible and intuitive in your approach to helping horses.
While pursuing my certification with the AANHCP, I have trained with Pete Ramey, (member of the AHA), Todd Jaynes, (ESA Field Instructor and AHA certified), Sue Mellen (AHA certified), Chad Bembenek, (ESA Field Instructor, AHA Certified), Kim Cassidy (AHA Certified) as well as many other AANHCP field instructors including Richard Drewry. I have since attended a 2 day clinic with Dr. Robert Bowker of Michigan State University.
Dr. Bowker's clinics meet the requirements for 16 hours of continuing education credit for veterinarians and 16 hours of continuing education credit for veterinary technicians in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB's RACE approval program, including California. I am past certified by the AANHCP, currently a CBHA Certified Practitioner, Field Instructor and AHA certified.
Catherine Larose - Treasurer
I have been involved with horses for over 25 years, mainly doing dressage and trail riding. After discovering the philosophy and logic behind the barefoot trim, I decided to attempt it for my own horse, who was continually pulling his front shoes due to weak walls. He also had incredibly flat soles and became lame and stall bound whenever he pulled a shoe. I was therefore told by many professionals that he could never go barefoot. Luckily I was introduced to Carolyn Myre by a friend in the summer of 2006. To my surprise, following Carolyn's trimming, he transitioned extremely well. Over time he developed a concave foot and his walls became much stronger. I now trail ride him on mountain terrain without boots.
I was fascinated by the hoof and it's amazing capacity to heal itself when we guide it along in the right direction. I originally took an introductory trimming course with Carolyn to trim my own horse. I was soon asked by friends to pull their horses' shoes and trim their horses as well. I then decided to pursue it as a career, increasing my knowledge by attending many clinics. I have received training under Todd Jaynes in Georgia (teacher at the Equine Sciences Academy ), Jamie Jackson in Missouri (founder of the AANHCP), Sue Mellen in Vermont (member of the AHA). I have attended Dr. Bowker's 16 hour clinic. I have also mentored under Carolyn Myre and Anne Riddell, both graduates of the AANHCP. I am always striving to expand my knowledge by reading and attending clinics both in Canada and the U.S. I currently have close to 100 happy horses under my care, I practice in the St. Lazare, Hudson, Rigaud regions of Quebec as well as bordering areas of Eastern Ontario.
Scott Gain, Director
As a child growing up in a big city, I always had an interest in horses and have been closely involved with them now for close to 30 years starting when my two young daughters fell in love with them. I knew then our involvement as a family would not be fleeting and that Dad had to get better educated about them and so it was that I took my first course in Hoof Care and First Aid for Horses in 1980.
As the girls grew up, we competed as a family in local shows and soon moved on to the more exciting and demanding Horse Trials/3-day Events culminating in a trip to the North American Young Rider Championships in 1998. Since then, the girls have moved on to their adult lives but Dad has stayed involved with the farm in raising, training, competing, and boarding horses.
Throughout the years, our horses were continually shod but there was always the nagging little questions like, 'Why do they recommend that horses be unshod for at least part of the year?' and 'How is that wild horses can survive a lengthy life span unshod?'. But, like many of us, I swallowed the accepted wisdom that 'domestic horses have to have shoes'.
Then in the fall of 2007, I attended a clinic put on by our director, Dave Thorpe, and my life and my attitude about horse keeping completely changed. By the end of that first day, all my niggling questions were answered and I knew that domestic horses could and, indeed, should be left unshod for the sake of their health and vitality.
Since then, I have been absorbing the writings and research on hoof function, pathology and unshod hoof care like a sponge. I have done mentorships with our AANHCP certified directors, Dave, Carolyn and Anne and have attended a weekend seminar given by Dr. Robert Bowker as well as a weekend clinic on hoof anatomy and dissection and have continued to do my own dissections of hoof samples. Along with Dr. Bowker - Pete Ramey, Jaime Jackson, Katy Watts, Dr. Chris Pollitt and others have become household names.
Not willing to stand by and let others do the work, my passion for this got me involved with helping to organize and develop the Canadian Barefoot Horse Association along with Dave, Carolyn, Anne, and fellow student, Catherine Larose.
In our area, (the West Kootenays of British Columbia) the 'barefoot movement', if you care to call it that, has slowly taken hold with individuals realizing on their own the benefits of taking their horses barefoot and over the last two years, I have been slowly building a clientele of horse owners who want their horses to live and work barefoot. With the advent of better and better hoof boots for protection when needed and more and more professional riders taking their horses barefoot, the 'movement' to barefoot will continue to grow and the demand for more certified trimmers will increase.
It's not often in life that one can be on the forefront of something so new and exciting and the fact that it will improve the lives of our equine companions makes it all the more worthwhile.
Anne Riddell, Vice Chair
I have been breeding and training young horses for over fourteen years. I became interested in barefoot horses in 2000 and have studied all the different advocates of the modern barefoot movement. In their own way each advocate has contributed greatly to the horses' interest. Although clinical research has brought much to enhance the horses life, the truth lies in observing and studying the wild horse in its natural environment. It is my professional opinion, the Wild Horse Trim, with its non-invasive techniques, is the only natural trim I would use. Experience has taught me that not all barefoot trims are equal and unless carried out correctly, a high performance horse could end up seriously lame.
When I could not find a Blacksmith to work with me on the wild horse trim for our race horses, I learned to trim myself. I completed the education program of the AANHCP to become a Certified Natural Hoof Care Practitioner. During that time, I studied under Pete Ramey, AHA, Todd Jaynes, ESA, Chad Bembenek, AHA, Sue Mellen, AHA, Richard Drewry, AANHCP and many other instructors within the AANHCP. As well, I have attended the 2 day clinic with Dr. Robert Bowker of MSU. I am AHA certified and have over 200 horses under my care. I always encourage horse owners to investigate and follow up on the references of a trimmer if they are in doubt.
Dave Thorpe, Director
Bio coming soon...
Advisory Board
Dr. Robert Lees, D.V.M.
A graduate of Atlantic Veterinary College, Robert strongly advocates simulating, as far as possible, natural conditions for our pleasure and performance horses. This implies good equine management: natural hoof care, regular dentistry, appropriate nutrition and a stimulating "lifestyle", i.e. tactful handling and extensive turnout.
After 7 years as Ontario Racing Commission vet at Woodbine, Fort Erie, Mohawk and other racetracks, Robert now specializes in equine dentistry. He is also presently enrolled in the Association of Veterinary Acupuncturists of Canada course in equine and small animal acupuncture.
