Interview with Steven Leigh, Barefoot Trimmer and Horse Practitioner

In this episode of It’s A Bonny Old Life, Bonny sits down with horse practitioner and barefoot trimmer, Steven Leigh. 

Bonny explains how she and Steven met years ago, and Steven gives us a look into his life in Northumberland, where he surrounds himself with his dogs and horses, and spends each day rehabilitating horses. 

He shares the story of where his love of horses came from, as well as how he left his office job with the goal of spending more time outdoors and helping as many people and as many horses as possible. Steven goes into detail about the many aspects of his job that he loves, highlighting that there is always something to keep you interested and how you never stop learning. 

He talks about how people’s opinions of shoeing or, indeed, not shoeing have changed over the years, and shares his thoughts on why putting shoes on a horse may be a temporary fix. He also mentions the reasons why he tries to educate owners on how to take better care of their horses, discussing how extra attention can prevent problems down the line. 

Steven shares his admiration for Bonny’s artwork and her ability to capture a horse’s personality on paper. They discuss the importance of networking in order to prevent isolation, their dogs, the advantages and disadvantages of Zoom workshops and the importance of getting expert advice before heading to the internet for help. 

To find out more about Steven, you can find his website here.