(This page is under construction; keep checking back for more testimonials in the future!)
We have had Jerry using the natural hoof care trimming technique on our 3 horses and 1 mule for over a year now. Since my husband's preference is his mule, he was more inclined to go barefoot and I was the more skeptical one. After Jerry shared his philosophy with me about the natural hoof care and because he had gained my trust and respect, I decided to "go for it." It didn't take long at all to see the hooves take shape and we truly think the animals are happier. We ride on some pretty rough terrain at times and the animals do very well. We believe that they can feel the terrain better and, therefore, it makes for a safer ride.
- Jim & Terri Anderson, Washougal, WA
" We started using a natural hoof farrier when we lived in Arizona on our old rope horse and a younger mare, and when we moved back to WA I was concerned I wouldn't be able to find another natural hoof expert. After trying one other so called "barefoot" farrier, we found Jerry- and thank God. At the time, we had leased an old barrel horse from a friend of a friends, and when this horse walked off the trailer I was horrified. I had expected him to be stiff due to the ring bone they had warned me of in his front, but was ill- prepared for the three footed lameness I was seeing. This horse was in obvious pain, and looked miserable. Our friend had been kind enough to put huge bar shoes on all four hooves, and you could hardly get this poor boy to move forward.
Jerry came out the very next morning, got rid of the shoes, worked his magic, and fitted the gelding with hoof boots and pads to help encourage him to move around. Hopeful but unsure of the future, I followed Jerry's advice, and within a month, I couldn't even stay on this "lame" gelding because he had decided he was a barrel horse again! This horse was his old self, foot- loose and fancy free, galloping, bucking and bossing my mare. It was wonderful to see! This was all done with ONE good trim, boots and some sensible advice from
Jerry. Unfortunately, once the horse wasn't "broken" anymore he was way too much horse for me, but I can guarantee you that our three mares and our new baby filly will be sound and pain free for years to come, thanks to Jerry and natural hoof care. Prevention or rehab, try it, you will LOVE it- and your
horses will love you for it!
-Steve and Renee Doan
Vancouver, WA
I guess I
should put my two cents in on Jerry since I am doing his
website...so, this is why I am helping to promote Jerry: A little
more than a year ago at this time – Winter of 2007 - I was still
struggling to find a farrier who would trim my horse and have her
walk away pain free. More often than not, she would walk away sore
but be better in a few days (everyone was taking sole off of her). I
knew I was doing the right thing by keeping her barefoot, so it was
confusing and frustrating. But I still had tons to learn. Jerry had
been my fourth farrier that I was trying in about five years.
Finally, I read a little about not removing the sole, and thought
that was the answer (but its not just about leaving the shoes off
and leaving the sole on). So I found a farrier who did not take off
the sole, and then I had to call and tell Jerry I was going to use
someone else. That was difficult, because I really liked Jerry as a
person, and I could tell he loved horses and was doing what he
thought was best. But I had to do what I thought was best for my
horse. I was relieved when I got his answering machine and just had
to leave him a message of canceling the appointment.
With the new farrier, Sage was still not much
improved. Her soreness was subtle at times, but I did not know
enough about hooves to know what was wrong. I didn’t take the time
to learn because I was still focused on her digestion and stress
issues and moving her to a new boarding facility yet again. She
ended up doing very poorly at the new facility that I moved her to,
but fortunately we ran into Jerry there one day. He told me very
excitedly and passionately about all the great stuff he had learned,
and how he had studied with Pete Ramey, so I had him look at Sage. I
called him later that day and said I would take another chance on
him because what he said just made sense (and I had gone home and
looked at Pete Ramey’s site online). I didn’t have much to lose at
that point since I was running out of farriers to call. I had just
had her trimmed a week earlier, and she had been sore, so I had
Jerry come out and re-trim her. I noticed a major improvement with
that very first trim – and not just with her feet. It was how she
held her whole body, especially her back. And all I was looking for
was no more soreness in her hooves. I called him later and left him
a message that I was terribly disappointed – that he hadn’t called
me months before after learning all this great stuff!! It has been
about seven months now, and Sage’s hooves just keep looking better
and better; that of course leads to better movement and overall well
being. I think Jerry’s tag line should be “changing souls one sole
at a time”.