Tallman Training Centre

. . . That is, I don't shoe.  I have nailed on one shoe in my life and it went well, but it is not something I wish to make a habit of.  First and foremost, I am a believer in natural state animal husbandry.  I keep my animals as close to nature as possible.  That is not to say I will not have a horse shod if it seems to be the best possible option for that horse, but in my opinion & experience there is little a good balanced trim will not fix.  Granted, sometimes it takes a few trims to remedy issues of the hoof, particularly if the hoof in question has been trimmed by a questionable trimmer for any significant length of time.  

You will likely notice that I have not called myself a "Natural Balance" trimmer, or applied any other tags that come with connotations, for much the same reason as I do not call myself a "Horse Whisperer".  Though I am not a certified farrier or barefoot trimming practitioner, I have been practicing and studying hoof care for 18 years and have hands on experience with a great number of horses.  Until recently, I limited my business in this area to my own horses and client horses on the farm and a few friends and neighbours, as hoof trimming is demanding work and I was also kept quite busy with horses in training.  In the last couple of years however, my trimming business has expanded on demand.  It began with training clients asking me out to their farms after having horses trimmed while in training here.  It went from there to continuing hoof care with horses that I sold.  It has become apparent to me now that there is a shortage of good hoof trimmers, so I am offering my services to a wider range of customers.  I find great satisfaction in watching hooves improve in condition with regular proper trimming, and try to make myself available and affordable for those who might not otherwise be able to have their horse's hooves cared for on a regular basis. 

I charge $60/hour with a minimum $25/horse (average 3 horses per hour with well behaved, well maintained horses).  I also have a $10 surcharge for dodging kicks. Geriatrics with stiff joints tend to be harder to trim and often cost $30.  Mileage is extra at a rate of .50/km between my yard and yours.  Routes with several stops will be divided between clients.

I have dealt with a variety of hoof pathologies including severe cracks, founder, white line disease, hoof wall separation, contracted heels and generally misshapen unbalanced feet.  Any pathologies encountered that I have not dealt with I am willing and eager to study.  I have several references, please ask if you would like to contact one or more of my clients.

Hooves are such an important part of our horses... we all know the saying: no hoof, no horse... I strongly encourage all horse owners to educate themselves in the mechanics of hooves so they might make an educated decision as to who cares for their horses feet.  If you are interested in getting a routine visit for your horses, please contact me about rates & schedules.  I currently have clients around Saskatoon and in the northern part of the province, and make routine trips to the Rabbit  Lake, Blaine Lake/Leask, Canwood and Big River areas, as well as St Denis, Meacham, Martensville, Dalmeny, Donovan, Conquest, Outlook, Glenside and Pike Lake.  I am looking for more clients in the northwest (Turtleford/Maidstone/St Walburg/etc), to warrant a regular trip to the Paradise Hill area, as I have a few horses there as well.

It has been asked of me as a trimmer how I do with green horses.  I believe that it is not the farrier's job to train the horse, however, I am also a trainer, and I am willing to spend time training horses and helping owners to train horses to pick up their feet properly.  I do charge extra for this service.  Not all horses will learn in one session, either, and like with all training, I do not guarantee results, only patience.  I have done the first trim on a number of horses from weanlings to 3 and 4 year olds.