CC’s Hoofcare

07/04/2025

Meet Basil, our little trooper who’s been having a bit of trouble with his hooves lately. 🐴💚 Today, we tried something a little different to help him out—glue! It may sound a bit unusual, but it’s been a game-changer. The glue helps seal up the separation in his hooves, preventing gravel from getting in and causing further discomfort. Basil is already looking much more comfortable.

Here’s to finding ways to support our equine friends! 💪🐾 ”

04/04/2025

THIS!

This morning I was in a mood.

In fact, I was downright grumpy.

I was likely not very pleasant to my trim clients (sorry y’all), and quieter than usual. I kept thinking about each foot I picked up, and how it would fit into the mold of various ideals I have been seeing around social media. Some groups would want me to change HPA, or bring back toes more, or lower heels more, or raise heels more, or take more bar, or trim less bar, or trim less frog, or trim more frog, or add XYZ for protection/correction/comfort… the list goes on. I doubt there was one trim I did today that would have pleased everyone on the interwebs.

I know I sound like an actual broken record, since I feel like I say this exact statement every few months, but the hoofcare world can be crazy and full of drama. There’s always someone claiming they have it all figured out, and that their way is the right way. Or the only way. Or if only everyone else did it their way, all horses would be saved. But since others don’t do it their way, horses are dying. And it’s their job to yell it from the rooftops. .

And with some of these bold statements of right and wrong we often have various groups of people who have an ideal of what we should do to the feet in XYZ scenarios.

Listen- I am not immune. I am guilty of it too. Most of you know I’m insanely passionate about navicular rehab, so much so that I wrote 2 guide books about it. That’s how much I think about how to rehab navicular. And I know I probably get pretty preachy about it too.

But that’s also why I try so hard to shadow and work with hoofcare providers outside my own little bubble, to see other ways of doing things - EVEN IF I might disagree with them - to hear and understand and have conversations and bridge a gap. Because I never want to end up in an echo chamber where I think I am always right or my way is the only way.

Any time we apply the same exact trim or protocol to every single horse no matter the circumstances, we are treading towards dangerous territory. If we do that, no matter what we say, we are forcing our own ideals on the horse- and some horses simply don’t fit the mold, don’t read the textbook, or have a lifetime of pathology or injuries or damage that absolutely can’t accommodate our cookie cutter ideas.

We have to listen to the horse.

If someone is telling you that a certain way of doing things supersedes what the horse is saying they may need for comfort, I’d take a big step back, a big deep breath, and think long and hard about what we are trying to accomplish.

Some conversations I see on social media - even amongst groups who are WORKING TOWARD THE SAME GOAL! - make it seem like we are often burning more bridges than building them.

The horse comes first. The horse has a say. The horse has an opinion. And we need to listen.

This is exactly why I put together the Humble Hoof Podiatry Clinic for this October with Dr. Jenny Hagen, Ula Krzanowska, Celeste Lazaris, and Pat Reilly- all amazing clinicians who focus on biomechanics, wear patterns, growth patterns, and balance: so at this clinic we can look at conformation and movement, pathology, muscling, biomechanics of the distal limb, hoof wear patterns, and radiographs on various kinds of blocks and how it affects the horses’ balance, so we can start to get a better picture of how to adapt to an individual horse’s needs. Because they don’t all need the same thing for soundness.

And as a side note: one huge shoutout to Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners, one of our amazing clinic sponsors, for being an incredible hoofcare education community that doesn’t believe in having any one hoofcare “guru” and taught me over the years to listen to the horse and push my tunnel vision aside. This group is open to horse owners, trimmers, farriers, veterinarians, bodyworkers and more, to have a great supportive group and wonderful continuing education options.

(And yes- our podiatry clinic is SOLD OUT- but we do have a livestream/video recording option available here: https://thehumblehoof.com/product/october-25-26-2025-livestream/ )

03/04/2025

💖 A HUGE Thank You to My Amazing Clients! 💖

I just want to take a moment to say how incredibly grateful I am for each and every one of you! 🙌🌟 Your trust in me as your hoof care provider means the world! 🥰 I’m so honored to be a part of your horse’s hoof care journey. 🐴💚

A special thank you for providing me with such safe, dry places to trim your horses – especially during this wet weather! 🌧️🏡 You truly make my job easier and more enjoyable, and I can’t thank you enough for your continued support. 🙏💪

Open communication 🗣️ is key to achieving the best outcomes for your horses! If something isn’t working, we don’t just keep doing what we’ve always done – we adjust and change to find the best solution for your horse’s needs. 🐎🔄 It’s this willingness to adapt and work together that leads to the positive results we all want! 🌟

Your loyalty and trust 💖 are what make my work so fulfilling, and I appreciate you all more than words can say! 😄💕 Let’s keep those hooves healthy and happy!

02/04/2025

🌧️ A Big Thank You to My Amazing Clients!

I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your understanding and patience as we navigate through this wet weather. As I work to reshuffle my schedule to accommodate everyone, I truly appreciate your flexibility and support during these unpredictable conditions.

Your cooperation means the world to me, and I’m doing my best to get to everyone as quickly as possible! Thank you for being so understanding
🙏💙🐴🐴

Stay safe and dry!

01/04/2025

Sometimes, the key to solving a problem is not working harder, but smarter. 🤔💡 When I recommended soaking my clients horse’s hooves daily to treat seedy toe, my client embraced the solution with a positive attitude and commitment. 🙌🐴 Simple, consistent care can make all the difference in your horses world! 💧✨ Small steps lead to big results! 💪 ”

01/04/2025

As much as I’d love everything to be in my control… it’s not.

There are so many factors that go into a healthy hoof—things we can influence and things as a hoof care practitioner I simply can’t. I often find myself in conversations with colleagues about the horses that challenge us the most. More often than not, the struggles aren’t just about trimming or shoeing technique; they stem from compensation patterns, or long-standing imbalances that are beyond what we can change with a rasp or a shoe.

And hooves don’t exist in isolation. The entire body is connected.

Proprioception—the horse’s ability to know where it is in space. When one part is compromised, the rest must adapt.

🔹 Hoofcare: The feet are the foundation that everything else is stacked on. A compromised foundation affects the entire structure above it.

🔹 Bodywork: We need to give the body as many opportunities as possible to compensate. Restrictions in one area lead to compensations elsewhere, impacting movement and balance.

🔹 Dentistry: The brain sits on the shelf that is produced by the teeth. A horse’s dental alignment affects jaw mobility, posture, and neural input.

As Dr. Audrey DeClue puts it, “The foot only grows dependent on how the body controls the limb to land. The hoof only grows evenly if there is even pressure.” Hoof growth is a reflection of how the entire limb moves and bears weight, and the health of the body and limb attached to the hoof.

And as Tami Elkayam says, “Feet are an expression of the motion possibilities of the limb above. At some point, the foot shape will lock the motion possibilities of the limb above.” Over time, compensatory movement patterns can restrict what we are able to achieve in the feet if we aren’t being proactive.

At the end of the day, we only have an influence over the horse in front of us for a short period of time each cycle—often just 30 to 60 minutes. In a perfect world, we’d spend longer assessing a horse (statically and dynamically) and documenting progress than actually working on them. But that requires access to facilities where we could slow-motion video, analyze movement in real time, and (dare I say it) actually be paid for that time.

But we work with what we have, doing the best we can with the small window of opportunity we get. Because while we can’t control everything, we can make the most of what we have.

And then we add stress and inflammation into the mix. Whenever we have inflammation present it limits the ability of the body to function and heal. Instead of working with the body’s natural mechanics, we create further restrictions, pain, and imbalance.

A truly holistic approach means looking at the bigger picture, recognising these connections, and working to support the horse as a whole.

31/03/2025

For twenty-five years the ECIR Group has assisted thousands of horses and their caregivers in understanding the importance of diagnosis, diet, trim, and exercise (DDT+E) to improve the welfare of equines with metabolic disorders. This Silver Jubilee conference will continue to build on our mission to provide the latest in research and specific protocols. We will be bringing you new information not yet available elsewhere. You'll be able to attend this NO Laminitis! Conference from the location of your choice as it will take place from the ECIR Group Virtual Conference Room. More details available soon.

27/03/2025

🌧️ Horse Care Tip for Wet Weather: Protecting Your Horse’s Hooves 🐴

With the wet weather upon us, it’s essential to keep an extra eye on your horse’s hooves. Mud and moisture can cause a range of pathologies, including seedy toe, separation, thrush, greasy heel etc Here’s a helpful treatment routine you can follow:

🦠 Treating Seedy Toe: If you notice signs of seedy toe (a fungal infection in the hoof), treating it promptly is key!

Today I resected the affected area of hoof and using a great tip that I got from one of my mentors and friend Raymond Eade, I Appled liquid nails to the affected area with a mixture of copper sulphate to help seal , protect the hoof and fight off the bacteria therefore promote healing. It works great and stays in for weeks!

🧼 Hoof Hygiene: Wet conditions can lead to thrush and other infections, so it’s even more important to pick out your horse’s hooves daily. Regular cleaning prevents build-up and helps identify any problems early on.

💧 Antibacterial Spray: After cleaning, always finish by applying an antibacterial hoof spray. It helps prevent infections/pathologies and keeps your horse’s feet healthy and strong during these damp months.

Recommendations of hoof spray ✅

Red horse - Sole cleanse
Hoof Co - Hoof spray
Happy horse - Mircobug
Mixture of zinc sulphate, oregano oil 🌿 and water

Betadine and water also works great
use what you got!

Greasy heel 🦵
Horses already affected by greasy heel, zinc-based products can be highly effective. Zinc is known for its healing and protective properties, helping to soothe irritated skin, prevent further bacterial or fungal growth, and promote healing. Applying a zinc-based ointment or cream to the affected areas can create a barrier that shields the skin from moisture and dirt, accelerating recovery and preventing future flare-ups

Taking these small steps can make a huge difference in preventing hoof issues and ensuring your horse stays comfortable and sound all year round!

🦶🦶🐴🐴

16/03/2025

He Won’t Eat The Hay!

“Get some grass hay” they said. Ok, so you’ve secured some hay (often a feat in itself!), paid for it, huffed and puffed loading and unloading the trailer and even convinced hubby to give you some space in the shed. Feeling proactive and happy to be making healthier choices for your horses, you take armfuls out to pointed ears and eager mouths. Sniff sniff. Faces stare at you. Then someone pees all over your efforts. Seriously!?

This is such a frustrating situation (and we’ve all been there) but what do you do? How do you know if they’re just being fussy or if the hay is no good? We certainly don’t want to force horses to either eat the hay or starve. Like most life forms, staying alive is the main goal and horses do this by being a bit suspicious of new tastes. The good news is, palatability can be ‘trained’ to some degree. Mariette van den Berg has done some great research into this topic and her article is worth a read (see link in comments) if you like nerding out on details.

It is quite normal behaviour for horses to turn their nose up at new hay. We’ve run track systems (hay based systems) for countless rehab horses for 15+ yrs and every time we bring new hay in, even if it looks like beautiful hay, they typically only take snatches of it for the first day or two. Once they get used to it, and instinct tells them it’s safe, they hook in without a second glance. Give your horses time to change over from one hay to another. Make it easy.

Changing a sweet tooth however is actually more difficult to ‘train’. Not unlike humans, if a person has eaten diets high in processed foods, sugars, fats and salt etc. then healthier options can at first seem bland and boring. Over time, with effort, our pallet changes. The same goes for horses. We’ve had the most spoilt, over loved, metabolic sugar-monsters in for rehab at times and even those horses have found a way to transition from their unhealthy habits to new, more species appropriate ones without more than temporary reluctance.

Most horse properties we see often have feast or famine happening in their pastures. All too often these pastures are also sweet, primarily for two reasons 1) because they are over grazed and short stressed grass is a real ‘sugar lick’ and 2) because the species themselves are too rich for equines. These sweet pastures become the foundation of their diet (and form their pallet preferences). Hard feeds, if fed, are usually yummy (sweet, carbs, fats, salts etc. or all the above) and then yummy hay is added on top - lucerne, rye, clover, oaten etc are typical options.

Enter mixed species, mostly native grass hay (as highly recommended by nutritionists et el) and very possibly the situation has escalated to an over weight horse and/or a metabolic issue. But HE WON’T EAT THE HAY!!

Unless the hay is mouldy or rank (cut when gone past mature and beginning to degrade) then most likely your horses just need time to adjust and/or your horse’s diet needs some cleaning up. It’s often not the hay nor a lost cause either. Being patient and taking a step back to solve the issue is key. Training your horses to eat low sugar hay is one of the healthiest gifts you can give to them.

If you need help navigating this situation or implementing changes without the stress or overwhelm, we invite you to book in for a consult

13/03/2025

Navicular Rehab and Hoof Adaptability

Looking at these photos, which are of the SAME FOOT by the way, you think I’d be ecstatic with the change in the back half of the foot (and corresponding progress to soundness for this horse).

But to be honest, I almost get a little angry.

I get angry that so many navicular cases like this case are given up on or told to be euthanized just because they have such a weak foot, without attempting to strengthen it or take the time to grow in a healthier hoof.

I get angry that the navicular bone damage or DDFT/collateral ligament/other soft tissue damage is blamed for lameness, without the health of the frog or hoof capsule taken into account.

I get angry that people constantly blame genetics or conformation for things like low heels, long toes, thin soles.

I get angry that people say that the digital cushion and back half of the foot “can’t improve” once it has atrophied.

I look at these photos and see this beautiful gelding trotting by soundly, rehabbed back to ridden work last year walk/trot/canter after so many gave up on him, and want to scream it from the rooftops: diet and movement can mean the difference between crummy feet and rockcrunching feet, proper hoof rehab can mean the difference between, quite literally, life and death.

That’s my drama post for the day.

Photos both show the same untrimmed foot mid-cycle (first was after shoe pull, before hoof rehab), which was the previously lame foot on a navicular case with bone damage and corresponding soft tissue damage, as well as other body-wide compensations. Apologies for the dirty mud season foot 🙃

(If you want to learn more about how we rehab navicular cases, I have an entire ebook on it here - print copy is sold out and on backorder currently) - https://thehumblehoof.com/product/navigating-navicular-disease-an-optimistic-guide-for-a-pessimistic-diagnosis-ebook/

11/03/2025

Hoof-care routine after 500ml plus northern rivers rain 🌧️ What we do to keep our horses thrush, separation and seedy toe free.

04/03/2025

Thinking of all my clients over the next few days. Be safe and prepared.

04/03/2025

EMERGENCY KIT CHECKLIST
Cyclones are incredibly different to the "summer storm" most would be used to in the SE QLD Regions.
This is a handy checklist. This isn't to scare you, but please take the warnings & advice seriously this week.
It's better to be prepared than to be caught out.
NORTHERN QUEENSLANDERS - What practical tips would you add?
TIP: if you don't have a lot of freezer space to freeze water - grab some large sandwich bags (they lay flat and stackable (if you have baking paper, line each layer before freezing).

03/03/2025

No shelter, no worries. We use carports. 👌👌 Getting your horses trimmed prior to a significant rain event is highly advisable, as it aids in preventing potential pathology and injuries. 🐴

03/03/2025

Cyclone Preparation

Here on the east coast of Australia we are being inundated with warnings about the impending landfall of Cyclone Alfred.

When It comes to our farms and horses, there are a few things we can do to be prepared, and I thought I would share with you what we are doing here at home.

Firstly, there are many people saying “they always warn us and nothing comes of it”. This might be true, but in this case the cyclone is very real, sitting off the coast and all models show it making land, the question is not if but rather where and when. So my first bit of advice is to take early action - at best it will be a great exercise in testing your emergency plan. They didn’t do fire drills at school for nothing - its great to practice these things.

This is what we have done and will be doing over the next couple of days around our place;

Horses

High Ground. Nows the time to move your horses to flood free areas.

Know what happens in your paddock - back in 2009 our horses were caught in a terrible flood, we were lucky that we didn’t lose any although we came very close. Our paddock at the time had high ground, but the creek running through the middle rose first, pushing them towards the boundary creek rather than up the hill, this is how they were caught. Our paddock now when the creek rises pushes them up to higher ground.

Hay. In wet weather grass is waterlogged and horses are often isolated to high patches which rapidly become overeaten. Rain and wind cause your horse to use more energy to stay warm, and hay is the best thing to help them keep their warmth up. We have stocked up on hay so we can feed out multiple times a day in the worst of it.

Salt. In poor weather horses can tend to not drink enough, you can keep the salt up to encourage drinking.

Fresh water. With all the water around we sometimes forget that it can be contaminated and non palatable, make sure your horses have access to clean, fresh water at all times.

Feet. Water brings bacteria, now is the time to make sure your horses trims are up to date, and I also treated my horses feet with a beeswax and bluestone mix in any cracks. This will help to resist mud and bacteria settling into these areas.

Rugs. The horses we have in small paddocks that are flood free will be rugged with a canvas rug to help them remain warm due to having limited access to move around and seek shelter and warmth with the herd. Our herd horses will remain rug free - rugs can become entangled with debris, can be waterlogged or at worst, can catch on something and tether your horse in a dangerous spot. Note these horses have plenty of high ground in this paddock, and water pushes them up onto it. They are not at risk, but I still won’t take the risk of them having rugs on in stormy weather.

Zinc. I have put zinc on our pinked nose horses to form a barrier against bacteria and being wet for days on end, pink skin is so sensitive, this will offer some kind of protection.

First Aid kit - make sure you have a stocked first aid kit in case your horse does injure themselves and you are unable to get a vet in for a few days.

House

Power. Be prepared for the power to go out, pull out your candles and torches and put somewhere handy, along with checking the batteries. Freeze some large containers of water to help keep your fridge and freezer cool in case the power is out, and have supplies of water and food for at least a few days, along with cooking facilities that don't require power.

Supplies. If you are likely to be flooded in, make sure you have essentials like pet foods and medications for a few days.

Batteries - charge anything with a battery - laptops, phones, iPads, torches.

Fireplace. If you are fortunate to have a fireplace, bring some dry wood in as you may want to light it to dry everything out!

First Aid - don't forget to stock up on the human first aid kit too!

Yard / Paddock prep

Cyclones come with big winds - secure anything you don't want to lose, or anything that can become dangerous (which is everything!) - remember winds are so strong, so even things you think are quite heavy may need to be secured down. If you have time cut overhanging branches from fencelines.

Horse trailer - make sure you shut the windows and vents - Your welcome!

Cars, trailers, caravans. Don’t park under trees or near rising waters. Make sure cars have fuel - especially those that are capable of going through water.

There are many other checklists circulating the internet, some far more comprehensive than these, preparation is key.

Stay safe everyone, leave any more tips in the comments.

T x

Photo from 2009, Phil and the ever reliable Alby, swimming Rosie and Squizzy out of floodwater.-