Nordic Equine Services

01/06/2024

Team relax!

This mare got a maintenance massage addressing her problem areas ahead of her endurance comp next weekend. Best of luck to her and her rider! 👏🐎

27/05/2024

Winter is coming, and so is the wet weather. This is an excellent post for anyone struggling with hoof problems such as seedy toe/thrush etc.

👣 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

🐴 This is an article I have been wanting to put together for a very long time, however there are just so many points I wanted to address that it’s taken me months to get here.

🌧️ White line disease (seedy toe), abscesses, thrush, thin soles… These terms seem to describe this entire year if you own horses, so I’ve made it my mission to put together a detailed guide on how to prevent and manage these conditions as best as possible.

🦠 Unfortunately, there is no quick fix or magic solution, and it is physically demanding and time consuming to say the least. Horses are not designed to be housed in these sorts of conditions long term, and their hooves are just not equipped to withstand the issues that wet ground and mud can bring.

🧼 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

I’m going to rip the band-aid off and start with the most labour intensive point and the one I look forward to the least with my own horses.

In these conditions, we need to be thoroughly cleaning every single hoof, every single day. When I say clean, I don’t mean use a hoof pick to flick out a bit of mud from either side of the frog and call it a day. I mean… invest in a good quality hoof pick plus a heavy duty wire bristle brush and scrub the entire underside of the hoof spotless. Not only will a wire brush uncover every little defect so that you are able to address it before it becomes something more sinister, but it will also promote circulation and stimulate frog health and sole growth because let’s face it, there’s not much stimulation coming from mud and waterlogged ground right now.

Regardless of your topical treatment of choice, whether it be bluestone, potassium permanganate, methylated spirits, iodine, apple cider vinegar, it needs to be consistent and thorough. Just like cleaning the hoof, these topical treatments need to be applied daily, with the exception of products such as bluestone + beeswax/vaseline which are designed to stay put for longer than a day.

⏰ 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐦 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞

6-8 weeks is not a short trim cycle. There, I said it. An unsettling degree of pathology can work its way into a hoof that is going 6-8 weeks between trims, particularly if there is no daily maintenance being carried out. 3-5 weeks is a more appropriate timeframe between trims during these conditions; however, mid-cycle clean ups (a hoof knife or tool to nick out spots of white line disease) can still be necessary and can make all of the difference. Rogue white line disease can track a long way in a matter of weeks.

Please… Do not blame your trimmer or farrier for issues with your horse’s hooves if you are not addressing everything else that influences hoof health. They see your horse once every 1-2 months, you see them every day.

✅ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

The most important part when it comes to addressing white line disease, separation, seedy toe that has already established. The bacteria that are responsible for these defects in the white line are anaerobic, which means they thrive in deep, dark, dirty crevices where oxygen is not abundant.

Resecting these pockets of pathology allows oxygen to kill and stop the bacteria in its tracks. You or your hoof care professional must be resecting areas of seedy toe or separation to prevent the progression of the disease.

Please note that if you are using treatments such as bluestone and beeswax to kill seedy toe, you must ensure that the resection is thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and properly dried before applying a treatment that is going to seal off access for oxygen. The last thing you want to do is plug an unsanitary and damp pocket of disease with a ‘treatment’ that is going to hold in the dirt and debris for the bacteria to continue thriving amongst.

🏠 𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

Even if the majority of your horse’s paddock is waterlogged, providing them with an area of dry footing can make all of the difference for preventing disease and hoof defects. Consider investing in some well-draining footing to build up a stable area so that your horse can escape the elements and dry out from time to time.

Regularly removing manure and urine build up from highly frequented parts of the paddock such as hay stations, water troughs, and loafing areas can significantly reduce how much bacteria and disease your horse’s hooves come into contact with.

🌱 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

Diet and gut health influences hoof health greatly, so ensuring that your horse is receiving a balanced and species-appropriate diet can make all of the difference where their hoof integrity is concerned.

Trace element balance is vital for hoof growth, strength and pathogen prevention, so please invest the time (or money if research isn’t your thing) into ensuring your horse has what they need. Buying a biotin supplement is not going to fix your horse’s hooves if their diet is deficient in copper and zinc.

These weather conditions can take their toll on our horse’s psychological and physical health, so please make sure you are supporting their gut health where necessary. Continuing to load your horse with starch that feeds pathogenic gut microflora and contributes to hindgut pH disturbances is not going to support their hoof health. After all, the brain > gut > hooves are all linked.

🐎 I sincerely hope that this post helps someone and their horses. You are not alone if some days you feel insane and frustrated - I have those moments too!

💬 I invest a lot of time and energy into researching and writing these free information resources, so if you found this article interesting or informative, I’d love if you could leave your feedback in the comments and give it a share. 🫶🏼

13/05/2024

Something to keep in mind when conditioning hooves during transition from shoes to barefoot.

Nice looking foot, that!! Even warmbloods can have great hooves, if you condition them. This is a horse who can go for miles on stone, but it wasn’t always that way. She’s been gradually exposed to lots of different surfaces, both in hand and ridden. Slowly the time on coarser surfaces has increased, which has stimulated her soles and conditioned them over time.

Wild horses, particularly in drier climates receive this conditioning from birth, but domesticated pastures don’t offer the same benefits. So much as to say… transitioning can take time. Don’t ask too much of your horse too soon, and ask your EP to help you plan a conditioning program.

10/05/2024

🐎 Kinesiology Taping 🐎

How effective is the use of kinesiology tape on horses?

Many practitioners claim that the humble kinesiology tape (often referred to as KT) pretty much fixes everything. That is not quite true, however studies have shown that KT has incredible effects when used correctly.

✅ One study has looked at KT used on the abdominal muscles of the horse during ground work exercises such as lunging. It resulted in significantly improved movement and showed that these types of tapings can be vital in a rehab or training program.

❌ Another study looked at KT used for forelimb tendon and ligament rehabilitation. This study ended up being inconclusive and not enough proof was found to support that KT should be recommended as part of rehabilitation for these types of issues.

✅ A third study showed significant reduction in swelling in post-operative horses that were taped with a method used to remove fluid and reduce swelling. It supports the use of KT for reduction of swelling and I can say that I have myself used these techniques with fantastic results.

As you can see, kinesiology taping for horses is an amazing modality, for certain targeted concerns. It should be used with care and consideration and applied by a skilled and passionate practitioner that is willing to admit to its limitations. It is not a quick fix and not a one-size-fits-all solution. I love this modality and have seen incredible results when used correctly.

07/05/2024

Movement comparison of two different herds of horses. One herd lives in an open paddock and the other on a track system.

Track systems can be incredibly beneficial especially for horses that are prone to laminitis or horses that are hard to keep at a healthy weight.

Tracks are also good for horses that tend to get bored in the paddock and need extra mental stimulation.

07/05/2024

This is what it looks like when a horse owner is consistent with stretching.

I love all variations of the hind limb cross body stretch and I often recommend it to my clients.

This pair has taken it to the next level and the release for this mare after was beautiful to watch.

04/05/2024

A holistic assessment of the horse is vital. Hoof balance, body composition, posture, facial and bodily expressions and response to touch and movement are all things I consider during my assessments to build a picture of what your horse needs from me or if they require referrals to other equine professionals.

24/04/2024

🐎 Why is my horse sore?

This question is common when I lay hands on a horse and it reacts with a pain response. It is in our nature as horse owners to want what is best for our four legged friends, and I see people turn themselves inside out to support and help their horses. But we can't know everything and there is always room to learn more.

Pain can stem from a range of different causes including but not limited to

🔺 Injuries, both old and new
🔺 Saddle fit
🔺 Rider balance and skill level
🔺 Variety and type of workload
🔺 Conformation
🔺 Hoof balance and shoeing

The list goes on. As a body worker I bring all these aspects in to my assessment to work out how to move forward, away from pain and towards strength, health and fitness. 

Body work is just one part in the process, albeit an important one. But without considering the full picture we will forever chase a dream of a healthy horse, but never quite reaching it. And without dedicated horse owners my work is not as effective as when we work together. 

I am so grateful to the owners that are curious, ask questions, continue to learn, do their exercises and stretches with their horses and join me in my mission towards equine health. I see you and appreciate you! This job becomes so much more exciting and fulfilling when I get to see the progress people make with their horses  💚

21/04/2024

Had the pleasure of treating Stella again after her owner moved down to the Albury area from Sydney. I used to treat her in the Hawkesbury and it was so good to catch up with her and her owner again after a while apart.

It was fascinating to find her so much more settled and harmonious than what she was living in Sydney. She will be back competing again after some time off and I can't wait to see how this team goes out in the dressage ring in the future 💚.

07/04/2024

A fascinating page to have a look at if you are an anatomy nerd like myself 🙋..

✅ This is why a strong healthy back matters.
✅ This is why saddle fit matters.
✅ This is why a balanced rider matters.

The complexity of the area where we ask our horses to carry our weight is astounding. And it is so important to ensure we do all we can to make the task of carrying us as easy and pain free as we can.

Your saddle is sitting on the longissimus muscle, right?
Well, not exactly...there are many layers of soft tissue that you are actually sitting on. They are muscles that connect the front and hind limbs and neck...and fascia that wraps the whole body and ligaments that protect the integrity of the spinal column....and nerves...and vessels ......pretty big deal when you think about it......

25/03/2024

✅ Fully qualified
✅ Extensive experience across a multitude of disciplines such as eventing, racing, polo, dressage, showjumping and cow horses
✅ Treatments encompass a variety of modalities that ensures an individualised approach for your horse
✅Long term support with exercises, stretches and a treatment plan tailored to you and your needs

Travel from Batlow to all areas around Tumut, Tumbarumba, Albury/Wodonga and Wagga Wagga

01/10/2021

Finishing off my week with a regular client and this beautiful view ❤

02/08/2021

🙌

Don’t panic when you watch defending Olympic silver medalist Peder Fredricson’s H&AM All In in the upcoming show jumping competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The bay, the only horse to jump all six rounds of competition cleanly five years ago in Rio, did not lose a shoe. He doesn’t have any...

13/07/2021

I will be out of office from the 19th to the 30th of July. My next available appointments are in early August.

I may take a bit longer to reply to messages during this time so please be mindful of that as I will be sitting in class with limited access to my phone.

Thank you for understanding!

30/06/2021

I have recieved a few enquiries about booking in through the Sydney lockdown. Don't you worry, Nordic Equine Services offer COVID-safe appointments.

I will be working outside as much as possible (when the weather allows it), masks will be worn the entire session. Horses will be tied up, not held by their owners to avoid close contact. Reports will be sent via email.

Limited availability.