OklahomaHorses Magazine January 2021

January/February 2021 • OklahomaHorses 13 to its environment, and growth will change to match wear,” said Wommer. During the transition period, she often rec- ommends using protective aids, such as hoof boots or products like Hoof Armor, to provide comfort and promote better movement.  Carrie Hazel grew up with horses and was training by the time she was a teen. In her 20s, she began breeding old-style Morgan horses. “At one point, I had 40 head while I was in Montana,” said Hazel. “I decided that I needed to learn how to trim feet to save on the farrier bill a bit.” Hazel never expected trimming to become a burning passion for her though. “It has turned into a whole horse approach based on manipulating our domestic environ- ment in a way that helps trigger the horse’s genetic programming to create robust mental and physical health—not just feet but also diet, physical conditioning, social needs and training philosophy,” said Hazel. When she moved to Oklahoma in 2013, Carrie Hazel Nikki trimming a miniature donkey.