Paul Proctor BVsc MRCVS:
Paul is an equine veterinary surgeon with over 30 years’ experience. In all this time he has been a self-confessed Hoof Geek attending numerous courses on all aspects of Horse Podiatry and Farriery and arranged a Hoof Care Conference with Gene Ovnicek when a partner at Bearl Farm Vet Clinic.
Paul was instrumental in the introduction of the so called square toe shoe into the North East many years ago attending one of the very first courses held in the UK in conjunction with Total Foot Protection. He also works very closely with all the local farriers in his practice area.
Paul started up Bearl Equine Clinic with George Young in 1991 building the practice up to 7 equine vets. However he retired from the partnership some 17 years later to concentrate on a new ambulatory equine vet practice in Durham Simply Horses Vet Clinic with a particular focus on Natural Hoof Care and hoof related lameness issues.
Although always having been a fan of horse shoes and remedial farriery he became increasingly frustrated with the poor response in many chronic lameness problems especially in his older pleasure horse clients. The classic examples being ringbone and navicular disease. A few early almost miraculous cures applying the barefoot principles to some of these cases has resulted in a deepening interest and admiration for the benefits of a horse going barefoot can bring to the overall hoof strength and integrity.
After all these years in equine practice Paul believes that the single most critical issue allowing horses to live a long happy healthy pain free life are healthy hooves. Leading on from this, his passion now is trying to get all horse owners to give their own horses the healthiest hooves they possibly can. In this process in conjunction with their vet and farrier and applying at least some of the natural hoof care principles can lead to some unbelievable results.
Paul is also trying to spread the word among open minded farriers and vets to try and understand the Natural Hoof Care approach and use the principles daily in their practices.