Welcome to the LTZ Academy

Become your own hoof expert!
Learn how to understand and trim hooves.
Our courses will show you how!

Study at LTZ-Academy

What our course offers! What you can learn at the academy!

Your theory lessons

Learning in levels:
Here you will find the lessons for levels 1-3

Your instructional videos

Learning in levels: Here you will find the practical content for levels 1-3

Your online practice lessons

Improve your practical skills online on your own horse

Our Most Popular Courses

Check content and costs for our three training levels. Buy your course directly in our shop and get started.

Be in Demand with Our Professional Training

Dr. Michael Zanger— Founder & CEO LTZ

The LTZ is a state-recognized training center and an officially recognized training company for training as a hoof carer (Switzerland). In addition, the LTZ is QM-certified. This recognition is based on our special training concept. It is method-open or method-independent and holistically oriented. This means that we teach all relevant trimming theories on the hoof. As a prospective hoof expert, you can fall back on all common methods.

Michael Zanger is a hoof trimer, hoof technician, state-certified farrier (Holland)

Studied biology with a focus on zoology and anatomy at the University of Heidelberg. He then gained professional experience in the area of controlling communication processes

Patent holder for a digital measuring method to determine the hoof angle.

His work has been nominated multiple times for the Equitana Innovation Award.

Research partner of the University of Nürtingen-Geislingen and Mannheim.

I am repeatedly asked how I actually came up with the idea of founding an institute for the training of hoof trimmers and hoof technicians.

This question takes me back to my beginnings in hoof trimming. I still remember the first time I picked up a hoof knife and hoof rasp and got started. Like everyone starting out in this profession today, you first deal with very practical problems: How do I hold the hoof knife? How do I stabilize the horse’s leg or how do I have to guide the hoof rasp?

When you later take the first steps in your profession as a hoof trimmer, you quickly realize that you have to see the structure of the hoof as the result of all anatomical properties and special features. You realize, that you can only trim a hoof well if your knowledge goes beyond the actual structure of the hoof. You have to think of the horse as a unit of interlocking gears!

Good hoof care should not end at the level of the forefoot or rear tarsal joint. It must take into account the entire movement sequences of the limbs, including structures such as the spine or trunk muscles.

My goal was to offer such an education that looks at the horse as a whole. Today this is reflected in our training concept, which places special emphasis on the biomechanics of the hoof and the horse’s body. With this approach, we were finally able to lay the foundation for today’s recognition and certification of the LTZ as an educational institution.

What Our Students Have to Say

At the LTZ Zanger I completed my training as a hoof worker bmg in a correspondence course and was/am very satisfied. I wanted to complete an apprenticeship that could be combined with my full everyday life (job, studies, own horse keeping) and at the same time imparted a lot of knowledge and gave me security on my own horse and customer horse. The correspondence course is not "only online" as one might assume. The correspondence course at the LTZ is the perfect combination of practical days on site, online live coaching with your own horses, ride-along days and theory. In the course of the training you get to know more and more approaches and also learn to solve problems on the hoof skilfully. I can recommend the LTZ and would start/complete the training there again at any time. Will definitely attend one or the other training there.
Melanie Ewerling
From Germany
I am so glad I discovered the LTZ hoof trimming course, and I enjoyed every minute of it! I live in Australia with my husband and child and horses, and was working full-time, so I was looking for something online and very flexible to get my trimming certification. I also figured that German-based training would give me the best possible quality of education given the long history of German equestrian successes. Michael was extremely helpful answering my (many!) questions throughout. The course is set up so you can do everything remotely if you want, including online lesson materials, videos, live online coaching, many additional expert workshops, and a helpful Facebook community. I was lucky enough to go to Germany to participate in practical workshops and finish my exams there. I learnt so much and particularly liked the biomechanical focus, as well as learning about many different trimming methods. I would highly recommend LTZ!
Anna Koetz
From Australia