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PHCP Mentor Spotlight – Patrice Sager

Patrice is a PHCP mentor and has been a member since 2011.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in hoof care

The very beginning that led me into hoof care was my first Tennessee Walking horse, Brandi, that began tripping and stumbling on the trail. She was about 16 years old and I felt that was pretty young to be having this kind of trouble. Another friend also was having this trouble and so she started researching why on the internet. We found Anne Buteau who was close to us and was willing to come out to show us how to trim our own horses. It was actually a clinic before clinics were cool. Five owners and five horses to trim. Here was Anne pregnant with her daughter, 8 months along, and trimming our horses while teaching the rudiments of hoof care. This launched me into hoof care.

What is your favorite thing about being part of PHCP

It has always been important to me to have some evidence that I am competent to do the job. I was the first to apply and the first to be rejected when applying to AHA for membership/certification. AHA required more training which was a very good idea. I do not regret that training. I then applied to join PHCP and for a while was in both programs until AHA merged with PHCP. PHCP is a conscientious set up and that works well.

What are your interests besides all things hooves

We now have eight grandchildren! How are we grandparents already? I adore them all. I also have dairy goats and love to breed for high quality genetics, and milk them. I also love to study health and nutrition for people, goats, and, of course, horses.

Tell us something people may not know about you

I live in West Virginia but three quarters of my roots are in Canada. My mother is still a Canadian citizen. I love to visit Canada.

Patrice owns Thorne Bottom Farm LLC and K.I.S.Trace for Equine and K.I.S. Ru-Min Pro for goats and cattle.