OklahomaHorses Magazine January 2021

14 OklahomaHorses • January/February 2021 Hazel took a job working as a veterinary techni- cian at Oklahoma City Equine Clinic. However, she was interested in making some extra money on the side, and that’s when she decided to start trimming outside horses. “Within a few short months, my little side hustle had turned into a full-time gig,” said Ha- zel, who decided to quit her job at OCEC and become a full-time barefoot trimmer. Like Wommer, Hazel has continued to seek educational opportunities related to barefoot hoof care, and after about a year of trimming full time, she discovered the work of David Landreville and was able to bring him to Okla- homa for several private clinics. “They were an explosion of information,” said Hazel. “We talked feet nonstop for three or four days each time he would come.” Using Landreville’s methods, Hazel said she has seen improvements in her clients’ horses and has been able to create some “super-feet.” “I love seeing the progress and figuring out the tough cases,” said Hazel, who currently trims about 140 horses per month. “I also love being able to give owners hope. So many times, people come to me after years of dealing with a foot problem using conventional farrier services and having little to no success.” Hazel also includes client education as part of her services but said that local veterinarians can be a challenge sometimes since not all of them are open to the idea that horses can thrive while barefoot. “Thankfully, I have a core group that I work with who do understand and support my work,” said Hazel, whose goal is to make barefoot trimming more accessible and better understood by all equine practitioners, especially when it comes to hoof pathology and using barefoot as a means to solve some of the more difficult hoof problems. Though most of the horses Hazel trims are considered “rehab cases,” two that stand out to her involve severely foundered ponies (a mini and a Welsh) that she has now been trimming for about four years. “When I started, they were both severely foundered in all four feet and could barely move,” said Hazel. “The first trim was tough. They were both scared due to past bad experi- ences and were also in a lot of pain. I could only hold their feet up for about 10 seconds before they had to have them back to relieve the pain in the other feet.” Today, however, both ponies trot and canter in the pasture, and though Hazel relayed that it wasn’t a straight path to success, changes in their feeding management and patience with the process have made a huge difference. “Watching them frolic is the best reward a trimmer can have,” said Hazel. “The foot is capable of amazing things.” Mickey the miniature horse after trim (by Nikki Wommer) Nikki Wommer trimming a client’s horse Mickey the miniature horse before trim Nikki showing off a freshly-trimmed hoof.