Gene Ovnicek is nationally and internationally recognized as a farrier, clinician and researcher.  A pioneer in the study of wild horse hoof form and function, Gene has combined his over 50 years of farrier experience with the information from other scientific research as a foundation for treating and preventing equine lameness.  Gene has been involved in research projects with Dr. Robert Bowker of Michigan State University and Dr. Barbara Page of the Equine Wellness Foundation, and currently works with the research studies conducted by the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization.  His ever evolving information packed presentations have been featured at some of the most prestigious farrier and veterinarian conferences in the world.  In addition to the research projects, teaching and his position with Equine Digit Support System, Inc., Gene still operates a complete farrier practice ranging from performance horses to lameness management and consultation.
        Gene grew up in eastern Washington on a family ranch.  He began shoeing horses at the age of 13 out of necessity.  By the age of 16, Gene had accumulated a large number of local clients and had a busy part time farrier business.  With the exception of a few years in the military, Gene has spent just over 50 years as a full time farrier.  Over those 50+ years, Gene has worked with numerous respected farriers, horsemen, and equine veterinarians to learn as much as he could about his trade and the animals that he cares for.  For most of the first 30 years of his career, Gene was highly sought after in his community in Montana and considered to be one the best farriers in the area.  He worked on high level Arabian and gaited show horses, as well as competition quarter horses, thoroughbreds and anything else that needed hoof care.  For all practical purposes, Gene was considered a very successful farrier and could have continued to do the work that he had done for the better part of his life.  However, in all the horses that he had seemed to be having success with, there was always a portion of his clients that had lameness issues that never got resolved or horses in his care that developed performance issues or just weren't quite as sound as he felt they should be.  He talked to other farriers when he had the chance and it seemed like everyone had horses in their practice that seemed to fit that same description.  He had even heard from some highly respected farriers and clinicians that there are always going to be a certain number of horses that are going to be lame and you just have to accept that as in inevitability of the job.  For Gene however, this just never felt right, and in the mid 1980's, he had started to feel like there was more to understanding the foot than what he had been exposed to.  In 1986 Gene was given an opportunity to conduct a hoof imprint study of wild horses at a gathering station in Wyoming, in hopes that he might find some of the answers he was looking for.  He went back to the wild horse gathering again in 1987 to look at a third group of horses to complete his project.  After several years of evaluating and compiling the information, and experimenting with what he had learned from that project.  That was the start of what later became known as Natural Balance® hoof care.  Since that time, Gene has continued to think outside of the box and seek out answers to all the questions that never seemed to be fully developed from conventional teachings.  Although he and the information and products that he as contributed to over the year have endured criticism from many of his peers, his approach to hoof care has led to a noticeable shift in focus within the hoof care industry over the last 20 years.  There are many more farriers in the industry that have started to ask similar questions about why we what do and really want to find clear answers and better information about hoof health and horse soundness.  After more than 50 years of caring for horse's feet, Gene is more excited about going to work each day now than he has ever been.  Working with so many other caring farriers and his fellow members of the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization gives  him great satisfaction.  Although there is a feeling of accomplishment for the work he has contributed over the last 20 years, he stills a great deal more work to be done to make sure that horses get the best foot care possible.  As he states at the end of many of his lectures, "Our understanding of the foot and where we are today is better than it was a year ago, but it will be better still a year down the road.... I don't know where we are going, but I know where not lost!"