Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves

23/01/2025

SICK 😖
Hello lovely clients! Sorry about the delay in responding to your requests. I have had a cold which turned into pneumonia and I’m very slowly on the mend. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Amy - Barefoot Trimmer & Hoof Boot Fitter

29/12/2024

It’s the end of the year! 💪👏🫠🥱

Figgy and I have been fixing fences, removing weeds, picking up rocks in the hay paddock and having a great week off getting stuff done around home (trust me, it’s a long list!). This is my kind of ‘rest’ after a MASSIVE year of trimming and doing my other part time job in psychology.

If you haven’t heard from me it’s cause of the above and I will get to you soon, or in one or two cases, I’ve decided your ponies will be fine and can wait. Until then thank you to all of the lovely owners that gave me beautiful surprise Christmas gifts. Thank you to all of the owners for the fabulous chats. And thank you to the horses for making sure I continue to learn and grow.

It’s both a very hard job that absolutely does your head in at times, and a fabulously rewarding dream for this outdoorsy horsie girl to have a job that involves being around and helping horses.

I’ve learnt SO MUCH this year! I’ve broaden my mind and scope doing a heap of professional development. I’ve both questioned everything, and trusted my gut.

I’ve had some fabulous conversations with peers and veterinarians, and I feel I’ve grown as a Hoof Care Practioner. What a tough but rewarding year!

If you haven’t seen it already, please note that my prices have gone up for 2025. See price list on my page.

Look forward to seeing you all in 2025

16/12/2024

2025 is at an arms reach!
And I’m fully booked til January. Unless you are on my regular trim cycle, I have absolutely zero time for any hoof boot fittings or hoof consults til the new year. You can still message me if you like but it’s unlikely I’ll be able to get back to you till early to mid January. Sorry folks!
*Photo from Sunday - I did carve out a weekend to get away with my big boy Beau and some friends in the high country. Make sure you all make time for some recreation in the silly season

04/12/2024

Wow! Thank you to Col Smith from Mr Nippy for his incredible craftsmanship in rebuilding my GE 15’ Nippers! I’m blown away by the difference. I highly recommend his service

https://www.facebook.com/share/18dX62SWw3/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

28/11/2024

💥PRICE INCREASE 2025💥 - effective 1st January for all clients, regular trims $70. Ponies and donkeys stay at same price they are now.

Hi all, I’ve been slowly working to become more inline with what most barefoot trimmers are charging in Victoria. I have not increased my prices for most people since May 2023. The standard is now $70 and up to $90 in some areas. Cost of living, inflation, and increases in the cost of equipment all contribute to this. Further, like other professionals in the field I need to undergo regular body work to ensure I stay as injury free and strong as possible. As you know, trimming and farriery is heavy and at times dangerous work and I only have one back, I need to look after it.

As you know, I bring professionalism, kindness, patience to my work, and don’t currently charge extra for laminitis and rehab cases, seedy toe resections or thrush treatments (most other practitioners do).

🥾I also provide the lending of therapy boots and riding boots to regular clients to trial free of charge. I love this work and I care about what I do.

In 2024 so far, I have participated in the following self funded Professional Development:

🦄 Two Day Daisy Bicking APF - l Clinic, Lancefield

🐴One Day IAPF Clinic with presentations by Jim Apple APF - l, Eva Clark, and Wesley Stewart APF - l, Sydney

🐴Two Day David Landreville Hoof Building Clinic, Yackandandah

🐴Paid monthly subscription to Yogi Sharp The Equine Documentarist online learning platform.

👟I am also adding Glue On Polyshoes to my list of services. Prices below include trim, new shoes, glue, tips, equipment, hoof prep. I am also happy to offer the service of just trim and application if you would like to supply your own shoes and glue.

I am a better trimmer and bring more knowledge and experience into 2025 as a result of the above, and due to having another year in the business as a professional trimmer working and collaborating with other professionals in the industry.

I’m giving you notice for this in case you decide to try and find a cheaper practitioner. If so, let me know because I currently have a waiting list of people wanting to join my regular schedule.

Thank you all 🙏🏻

08/11/2024

SIGN UPS OPEN TOMORROW AT 8am for David Landreville Yackandandah clinic - 22-23rd March 2025.

Are you an owner trimmer that wants to learn more? Or a professional trimmer that what’s to build their skills and understanding?

Sign up here:
http://www.davidlandreville.com/shop/p/yackandandah-vic-2025

Sign up for this clinic will open November 9th at 8am AEDT (daylight savings time). Last year places filled very quickly, so set yourself a reminder!

David’s approach to hoof trimming combines technical, precise, physical elements with emotional, intuitive, feeling based connection. The horse is the ultimate judge of the trim and the experience, and tuning into their feedback allows for a deeper understanding of just how much the details matter.

You can return to our homepage by clicking here, or you can try searching for the content you are seeking by clicking here.

01/11/2024

David Landreville Yackandandah clinic - 22-23rd March 2025.

Are you an owner trimmer that wants to learn more? Or a professional trimmer that what’s to build their skills and understanding?

Sign up here:
http://www.davidlandreville.com/shop/p/yackandandah-vic-2025

Sign up for this clinic will open November 9th at 8am AEDT (daylight savings time). Last year places filled very quickly, so set yourself a reminder!

David’s approach to hoof trimming combines technical, precise, physical elements with emotional, intuitive, feeling based connection. The horse is the ultimate judge of the trim and the experience, and tuning into their feedback allows for a deeper understanding of just how much the details matter.

26/10/2024

It was all about coffees in good company today! Thanks to one of my favourite clients - Caroline 😊. Popped in a pic from my volunteer shift at the wildlife shelter today too.

Been trimming these donkeys for about 3 years. Caroline and another donkey client owner Tori, have taught me SO much about donkey husbandry and donkeywomanship 😊😉

25/10/2024

Jess and I are hosting another Hoof Building Clinic with David Landreville in March 2025 in Yackandandah. You can sign up for the clinic via David’s website on the flyer below.

22/10/2024

Practioner caused high heels and broken forward HPA - What can happen within the trim cycle when you leave heels above the sole plane.

This correction is from one trim. In the Pre Trim photo - Look at the flaring of the quarters on the before imagine, look at how the heels are starting to be underrun, look at the slightly broken forward Hoof Pastern Axis (HPA), look at the ‘muffin topping’ of the digital cushion.

In the Post Trim - the heels are in better alignment, the HPA is no longer broken forward, and the quarter flare is significantly reduced without rasping from the top.

Yes, this hoof also just really needed a trim. But the heel length was significantly higher than the toe, and the owner reported the trim was only 3 weeks old.

This is a 4 year old that has the capacity to have great hooves. But in just 3 weeks from a trim with a trimmer trimming conservatively, and you can see how trimming this way can cause hoof pathology over time.

05/10/2024

I’m no expert but from what I’ve learnt trimming donkeys for the past 3 years is…

Donkeys are more intelligent than horses.

They don’t suffer fools, have excellent memories, they are highly sensitive. You have to be ‘on your game’ when trimming them. You can’t be grumpy, in a rush, impatient… cause they will round house kick you to the face if they feel like they can’t trust you on the day!

Moses was super sweet yesterday. Once all the donkeys were in their pen, I spent a bit of time just sitting there, not trying to catch them or touch them until they had sussed out I hadn’t bought any bad juju with me that day. Then a little bit of neck scratching and then he was happy to be trimmed. I always keep one eye on them though just to be sure 😂🫏

03/10/2024

It’s spring folks! The sun is shining, the grass is green and PREVENTION is the KEY when it comes to laminitis.

I’m super happy to see these feet I’ve been working on recover so well, but I would never wish laminitis on any horse.

Regular correct trimming (no longer than a 4 week cycle)

Movement - get that metabolism going folks. Movement helps bloodflow in hooves.

Simple high fibre and low starch diet.

17/09/2024

Healing and Repair - It takes time

As a barefoot trimmer attempting to rehab damaged and depleted hooves, I see my job as a bit of a juggling act.

For example, sometimes I want to trim more separatation off to prevent it from continuing to separate but if I take too much too quickly, they can be sore. If I don’t take enough, I am perpetuating the issue by being too conservative.

I am attempting to repair structural damage whilst keeping the horse functionally sound.

The horse below is a badass. She’s tough, strong and has had hoof problems most of her live. I started trimming her in February 2023. Her hooves had chronic laminitis with stretching, rotation and sinking. Her hooves were like blocks of hardwood, and her tendons in her pasterns were strained. She was lame and had thin soles.

With a dedicated owner and 4 weekly trimming we have had some significant improvements in the structural integrity of her hooves. Her body column is in better alignment and her soles are building. I find sole growth on cases like this the most challenging of all.

This hoof isn’t perfect, but we are getting there.

06/09/2024

Happy Friday!!! 🥳❤️🍺🐴

02/09/2024

“Hi, my name is April. I’m a donkey and the Queen of my pasture. I make sure my buddies Moses and Doogle don’t get out of line and I look out for them.

Now I have a serious face on because this is a serious topic to talk about.

I’m here today to remind you that it is SPRING now in the southern hemisphere where we live and although we ❤️LOVE❤️ high growth green spring grass, that stuff is kinda like fairy floss and can cause inflammation in our bodies.

That alongside infrequent poor trimming causes this thing they call laminitis. Which is extremely painful and takes a long time to heal.

Once we have laminitis, we have to be strictly managed for months and months to prevent any further inflammation whilst we heal. Sometimes it causes permanent damage.

It also costs our owners lots of money and time.

Now that I’m old and wise, I understand that PREVENTION IS THE KEY and saves us all pain and money in the long run.

Because I am a self confessed donkey with no self control, I rely on my owner to keep me off green pasture whilst it’s in high growth and just feed me hay through spring.

People use to think ‘locking equines up’ in a small pen and starving them with limited feed would help. But now days we know that equines have evolved to have low starch high fibre forage going through their gut 24/7, so locking us up not only can cause painful stomach ulcers, but it also means it’s difficult for us to lose weight cause we can’t exercise properly.

I’m lucky, my owner has set up a simple track system with hot tape to keep us moving.

I also rely on my owner and trimmer to make sure I’m being trimmed every 4 weeks and that they do a good job, keeping my heels down, toe short and giving me all those comfy shapes and bevels like the brumbies and wild donkeys have.

So take it from me, as a wise lady…

REGULAR CORRECT TRIMMING, MOVEMENT, LIMITED ACCESS TO HIGH GROWTH PASTURE, AND 24/7 ACCESS TO PLAIN FRESH HAY IS KEY TO PREVENTING SPRING LAMINITIS 👌”

17/08/2024

How have I gotten to this point in my life and not known this?!

09/08/2024

Three trims from today’s trim run. I’ve been trimming these guys for 2 years and their feet are looking great. One Gypsy Cob, One Clydesdale X, One Friesian.

Healthy frogs, strong caudal area, concavity, nice grids forming😊

02/08/2024

Happy Friday from April and I 🥳🫏