Meet Shelby Frazier – The Heart Behind Frazier Equine
Hi, I’m Shelby Frazier, the face behind Frazier Equine. I’ve been horse-obsessed for as long as I can remember, and these days, I’m proud to say I’m hoof-obsessed too.
What started as a deep love for horses has grown into a passion for whole-horse wellness, with a focus on barefoot hoof care and equine nutrition. I’ve had the privilege of learning from some of the most respected names in the equine world, including Ida Hammer, Larry Whitsel, Dr. Tomas Teskey, Dr. Bob Bowker, and Joel Salatin (for regenerative agriculture). I also completed Dr. Eleanor Kellon’s intensive NRC Plus course on equine nutrition—a turning point that expanded my understanding of just how connected hooves are to the overall health of the horse.
When my own horse’s hooves began to deteriorate after a move to another state, I realized just how critical proper nutrition is. That experience launched my journey into nutritional research, and now my horses’ hooves are stronger and healthier than ever.
I believe great hooves come from whole-horse care, and I’m committed to continuing my education through regular workshops, hands-on training, and webinars. It’s my mission to help you understand your horse’s hooves from the inside out—so they can be as strong, sound, and healthy as nature intended.
Why is Frequent Trimming important?
Horses are designed to travel long distances over varied terrain. Wild horses often cover around 24 miles everyday! This movement naturally wears down their hooves. Domestic horses often do not have the opportunity to wear their hooves naturally and that is why frequent trimming is important. Most horses require a 4-6 week trim cycle. Longer trim cycles lead to "chasing problems" instead of making improvements in your horses feet. Rehab situations can require 2 week trim cycles to keep the horse comfortable and to improve the hooves as quickly as possible. While this may sound like a very short trim cycle, this allows us to stay ahead of any problems that might arise from excessive hoof growth, and speed up the recovery process in the long run.
We are living in a hoof care revolution
Never before have we had so much research, tools, nutritional advancements, and booting/glue-on options at our disposal. I’ll help you make a plan of action for your horse to help them succeed. We need to meet the foundational needs for solid hooves. These foundational needs are: Diet, Movement, Trim, and Lifestyle. If one of these needs are not being met, your horse’s hooves may not live up to their full potential.
team work makes the dream work
We are a team, and as such, communication is a key to our success! Please communicate with me any issues you might have noticed, diet changes, riding frequency, observations by your veterinarian, personality changes, etc. Hoof rehab is not a linear process. There are ups and downs as we navigate building strong hooves. Open-mindedness and communication about diet tweaks, body work, and more, keeps us heading in the right direction.
What do I expect From Owners?
Horses are expected to stand quietly and calmly for trimming. I want trims to be a safe and positive experience for everyone involved. I understand some horses have had negative experiences with trimming in the past and may take longer to build trust and a relationship with me. My goal is always to make the horse feel more comfortable after trims, and thus improving our relationship and the horse's compliance with being trimmed. However, you are expected to work with training your horse to be a respectful, solid citizen. If your horse is struggling with trimming due to arthritis or other physical issues, please discuss this with me prior our first appointment so we can plan accordingly.
Horses are expected to be caught, haltered, and ready for appointments. I leave time in appointments to discuss how your horse has been, changes we might need to make, etc. If that time is spent on me waiting for you to catch your horse, we can miss out on critical discussion time.