Aims:
Simplicity: Most horses get the greatest benefit not from trendy shoeing styles, but from the careful application of basic shoeing principles including:
Attention to each horse's conformation, living conditions and activities.
Quality hoof preparation and shoe fitting.
Openness to input from owners, trainers and veterinarians.
Harmony: Working with horses requires paying attention to their different needs for patience, direction and reassurance.
Reliability: Calls returned, appointments met, all interactions characterized by integrity.
Hoof care services:
Hoof trimming
Shoeing:
Standard shoes
Clip shoes: to stay securely on the hoof
Rim shoes: for traction
Performance extras:
Sliders: for reining horses.
Screw calks: for extra traction.
Modifications: heel extensions, trailers, rolled toes and special adaptations.
Pads:
Flat pads: protect sensitive soles from bruising
Wedge pads: if your vet recommends a hoof angle adjustment
Frog pads: distribute more load to the frog
Packing: pine tar or soft polyurethane
Special needs:
Equithotics sneaker shoe
Bar shoes
Polyurethane hoof restoration
The Bob Freeman story:
Bob grew up in rural upstate New York and settled in California after four years in the Air Force. For many years he worked in industrial research and design, but studied large animal care in his spare time. When Bob left industry, he attended Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School, assisted experienced farriers and then set out to make horseshoeing his full time occupation. Bob has a passion for quality hoof care and a desire to ease the fears of the nervous horse.
Bob with his favorite helper, 4 year old daughter Eva, with Emma and Red.
Equithotics sneaker shoe
Bob's truck is equipped with a propane forge, anvil, drill press, grinder, chop saw and complete hand tools for hoof preparation and shoe shaping. Shoes are stocked in five styles from size 000 to size 3. Six types of pads and five types of polyurethane are kept in stock.
Calls returned promptly:
Serving Marin and Sonoma Counties
FARRIER
BOB FREEMAN
Corte Madera, California
horseshoe@freeman.net
707-766-6436 or
415-342-0679
Paint horse breeders, Darlene and Scott Butler of Ukiah "Thank you again for the excellent work you did on our horses a few weeks ago. It was the first time in 20 years of owning horses that I didn't have a single lame or sore horse after the farrier left. They all look great." Pictured above is Champs Reflexion.
Bob's beautiful truck at the NCC Farrier Convention in Placerville
Shoeing the tall horse: Tristan is 18 1/2 hands next to his 6'3" owner.
It's not easy keeping Sadie comfortable and as sound as she can be. This aged mini has founder and hypertrophied hooves. Top left: May '05 the trimmed and untrimmed hooves side by side. Top right: June '05 after trimming. Bottom: Jun '05 before trimming; note the distortion and excessive growth in just six weeks.
