Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves

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 🥳🫏

26/07/2024

This photo memory just came up on Facebook of us riding on the beach 6 years ago, middle of winter, having the best time.

Remember adventures can still be had with your ponies any time of the year! Don’t let the cold and wet weather keep you indoors all of the time 💙

23/07/2024

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of trimming these beautiful hooves and trying to bring out the best in them 🤩🥰

06/07/2024

Frequent barefoot trimming (3 week trim cycle), simple low starch high fibre diet, movement, sand, very limited pasture. This horse is now back in work.

This is 8 months progress of a hind hoof of a clients horse I’ve been rehabbing with significant laminitis in all 4 hooves. As you can see in the mid set up emergency trim photo on the left, his lamina was torn and stretched about 2 1/2 cms. The most significant stretching I’ve seen.

Almost all of that stretching is now grown out.

04/07/2024

This is a fantastic post by one of my fellow trimmers in country Vic. I highly recommend Minna if you are in her area.

As trimmers we need to feel safe and our ability to do our best work is only possible when there’s a partnership and shared responsibility for the horses behaviour.

We do not get paid enough to risk a life long injury due to a horses behaviour whilst being trimmed.

I have at times agreed to trim horses that have resulted in me being injured. I am now seriously tightening up on expectations and boundaries in relation to horses behaviour. I know it’s not the horses fault that they act this way.

It is the responsibility of the owner to put the time into training. I will work with some presentations as you all know. But the risk of being kicked in the head and getting a brain injury is not worth the money we get paid or this wonderful, but very physically laborious work.

Thank you for understanding 🙏🏻

Nillumbik Horse Owners!!

St Andrews through to Eltham and surrounding areas.

I’m opening up a small number of hoof trimming bookings, or in-person trimming lessons.

Kinglake also IF you have facilities that keep us out of the mud, rain and wind. Otherwise I’d rather drive off the mountain and be warmer hehe.

Cost:

-Trims $70+GST (or the old fashioned way for a bit less) if horses are caught, and legs & feet cleaned up.
-Topicals (fly spray, thrush treatment, white line treatment) available at $5 per horse.

If you work full time and can’t be there:
I worked mostly solo when I was trimming full time, and I’m happy to catch and clean them up for an extra $10, for horses that are easy to catch and quick and easy to get to- If I have to hike to the basecamp of Mt Everest because there is no car access, then it’s a no.

I do not tie horses up while I trim so tie ups are not necessary.

No trimming in mud soup- or walking in or through such to catch horses.

I need somewhere dry and level (where the horse is already comfortable being) preferably with a roof, if- and when required. At a minimum there must be shade on my side of the 30 acre paddock.

No Clydesdales or other super heavy giant footed oompah loompa’s (I love them, looking at them specifically). If you have a Neddy like that, I am happy to teach you how to do it yourself.

No kickers, yankers, “needs heaps of patience/you have to go super slow” horses, horses that are not good with their legs and bodies handled- all the regular safety stuff.
Nice normal horses and ponies is what we are after. My back isn’t great so my days of gung hoeing around are gone.
Youngsters are fine as long as they are properly handled- feet and legs included.

If you need help with those areas I can offer a training rate of $120/hr plus trim fee, or direct you to someone professional in that area, so that the horse and their HCP can have a nicer time together.

I will give priority to owners whose horses have hoof issues they would like help with; Navicular, flares, thin soles, contracted heels, seedy toe etc, and particularly laminitis- IF you are able to work with me and also my recommended vet should that be necessary, shorten the trim cycle if necessary, and to make required horse-friendly changes to their diet and environment, purchase boots if they need them etc.

If this sounds daunting and super expensive, it doesn’t have to be unless you have a laminitis case that is very severe (vets are costly)- we can be really creative and I am happy to hold your hand as long as both parties are doing what they need to do. Point being I want to see the horse recover, not linger in a diseased state.

Trims must be paid on the day with cash, or in advance via EFT. No moolah, no trim.

I am extremely reliable and work on a short 4-week trim cycle (or shorter if necessary) with prebooked appointments so you don’t have to stress about missing a trim or no one turning up. I do however need to work around school holidays so some flexibility is built in.

If you need someone really good under your horse, drop me a line at [email protected]

Or on my phone 0400128168. If you have a query other than a trim appointment, please don’t text my phone- I will not answer. Send an email and I will get back to you just as fast.

(I also do not patrol FB messenger so best to avoid that too).

29/06/2024

Is this the same hoof in both pics?

I promise you I have not stretched or lengthened either picture.

Yes, It’s the same hoof, 20 minutes apart. Shock face 😵, people say. So what’s going on?

The difference is, I do not follow the old school doctrine ‘Don’t touch the frog, never touch the sole’. And this is an example why.

This Clydesdale was lame in all fours. She had been trimmed about 4 weeks ago by another trimmer.

When I picked her hooves up, to the naked eye the hoof wall was fairly level with the sole and frog was touching the ground. But they were massively wide!

Some would say, “That’s just the shape of her hoof, she’s a Clydesdale, they have big feet”.

Well let’s see shall we…

As soon as I touched the foot with my hoof pick, I noticed all the sole seemed to be compacted powder. Layers and layers of it. The collateral groves (each side of the frog) were so deep, my hoof pick couldn’t reach the bottom.

Her hooves were massively overgrown!

Hidden under beautiful long feathered Clydesdale legs. Her hooves were upward but starting to buckle in the quarters (sides of the hoof). Her bars were long, brittle, and starting to fold over.

In the mid trim photo, look at how high her heels were beyond the true sole plane! She was on stilts 🤹‍♀️

Underneath all that dead compressed sole and stinky frog was her true hoof. Albeit, out of the clouds and back properly on the ground. She had natural concavity in her feet, and beautiful healthy frogs under all that dead stuff that was contributing to her lameness.

If you follow the doctrine around not touching the frog and sole, you can get a false reading on whether the hoof needs trimming, how high the heels or whole hoof is. This is not the first time I’ve seen this! I’ll put another case below.

Now just to be clear, I am not removing live health sole. Just dead un exfoliated sole, bar, and frog. I’m not craving the foot into shape, I’m removing the dead stuff to reveal the hoofs natural shape if it was wearing its hooves in abrasive terrain in nature, or hard at work pulling carts even.

Just because the hoof isn’t flaring and cracked or getting long in the toes, does not mean that the hoof doesn’t need trimming. The whole hoof…

21/06/2024

“Thoroughbreds have bad feet, it’s genetic”. 🤔… hold on…

See below this Thoroughbred ex racehorse I’ve been trimming for a year. He has lovely strong hooves. Yes, genetics play a role. And the common practice of putting steal shoes on very young Thoroughbreds before they’ve had a chance to develop, likely plays a massive role in a lot of common pathologies we see in ex racehorses (thin soles, caudal hoof failure).

It’s the whole nature nurture concept. We know that more often than not, it’s both. But we also know that nurture is a continuum. We can continue to grow, change, repair, build.

Trim style, regularity of trim, and movement IMO are the keys to healthy strong hooves, regardless of bred, damage, or stage of development. Horses have the ability to repair and build beautiful hooves. It just takes commitment and time.

Diet plays a role too. But it’s not the only factor that determines healthy hooves.

12/06/2024

Hoof shavings in the hair, kit everywhere, rushing before glue sets, muddy, head between legs - trimmer life 😂

I’ve been having fun gluing some Scoot Skins at the moment. It takes a lot of prep, experimentation, and modifications, but I’m excited about the application of these boot shells for some of my hoof rehab clients.

Watch this space, let’s see how it goes 🤞

07/05/2024

YES! THIS! ⬇️ An excellent explanation on frog clearance and the function of digital cushion in relationship to the distal limb. This clip is from the David Landreville Clinic and Jess Morgan and I hosted in Yackandandah in April. We plan on hosting him again in 2024

26/04/2024

First set up trim on this absolute dream boat of a mare 🥰

21/04/2024

That’s right! It’s our Barefoot Trimming Clinic Day at Ovens Valley Equine in Tarrawingee, North East Victoria.

Jess from Wild Soles Hoof Care and myself from Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves work along side Dr Joanna Schirrman from Ovens Valley Equine in rehabbing equine hooves with various pathologies, the barefoot way.

Jess and I have a full day of back to back consults, but please contact us if you’d like us to try and find a time for you next month. Our calendar is attached below

17/04/2024

Frog and sole trimming 🐸🔪

I’m always surprised to still hear trimmers and farriers throw those old one liner beliefs around…”Don’t touch the frog!” And “Never touch the sole!”

Why? How did this belief get ahold of so many practitioners and is still spread as gospel today?

To me, the evidence to these claims don’t stack up. So much more is known now about the form and function of the whole of the hoof, so IMO if you are following these ridge beliefs you are just cost cutting and time saving.

If your horse isn’t in the desert, doing 20-40kms a day in self wear. Their whole hoof needs to be trimmed regularly. Not just the hoof wall.

Pic below of an Arab in his late 20s on a four week trim cycle.

09/04/2024

This is me trying to get my hoof trimming schedule back on track folks! Sorry! I’ll get there! Thanks for your patience 🙏🏻

08/04/2024

Still buzzing from our ‘Hoof Nerd Conference’ this weekend with David Landreville🐴. Jess from Wild Soles Hoof Care and myself collaborated and hosted his Hoof Building Clinic in the stunning North East Victoria.

We had owner trimmers, professional barefoot trimmers, body workers, and a veterinarian all there to learn more about trimming, rehabing, and building healthy functionally and structurally sound hooves.

So many connections made, and friendships formed. I’m feeling motivated and energised from my forth David Landreville clinic.

16/03/2024

🏃🏻‍♀️🌲Hi all, 🧗🏻‍♀️🏕️

Just letting you know that I am away interstate from 17th March to the 28th March hiking mountains so will not be able to respond to enquiries. I will be out of mobile range from 18th March to 26th, but you can message me after that.

I will make sure I get to you as soon as possible and I’ll make sure I catch up on the regular client trims ASAP when I get back.

Thanks a bunch,

Amy Gross
Barefoot Trimmer & Hoof Boot Fitter
Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves

10/03/2024

It’s been a hot🔥☀️🥵, but cracking few days trimming. So many beautiful ponies and donkeys 🥰

02/03/2024

🐴 Meet Berry ❤️- she’s recovering from a rotated P3 (the coffin bone inside her hoof).

Berry has been recovering from this for 12 months and has had many ups and downs along the way. She has had periods of turn out in 24/7 hoof boots of various kinds to make her more comfortable to move. Movement is a very important factor for hoof recovery.

I’ve seen a lot of people in various hoof forums asking about what boots to use for 24/7 turn out. There are plenty of options and they all have pros and cons.

I have personally used Scoot Boots, Easycare Clouds, Equine Fusions, Cavallos, and Flex Hoof Boots. I won’t go into the in’s and outs of these, but ask me questions about my experience with them in the comments below if you like.

Out of all of those I have found Flex Hoof Boots to be the best for 24/7 turn out.

They last very well, drain well, don’t rub, fit laminitic hooves with high heels, provide very good cushioning as their sole is flexible but protective, and they are cost effective.

I am an approved Australian stockist for Flex Hoof Boots, so let me know if you’re interested in purchasing some and being sized up. I have only haul in appointments for boot fits for the rest of March but will be able to do home visits again in April.

28/02/2024

Hi all! Sorry if you are waiting for a reply from me with your enquiry. I’ve been away riding in the high country and out of range for some of it. I promise I’ll get caught up responding to you all this week. Hope you’re getting some time outdoors with your ponies 🥰🐴⛰️🏕️

09/02/2024

Sometimes you’ve just gotta get in the saddle and be with your best mate and ride 💜🥰🐴. I often think all the questions of the universe can be answered with a ride in the bush.
I hope you all prioritise time in the saddle in the forest this weekend. Happy Friday!

08/02/2024

Price list update for 2024 🐴

04/02/2024

23/01/2024

🤍One of my absolute favourite clients has crossed the rainbow bridge. 🤍

Dear old Twiggy was loved deeply by her very devoted owner Mel. She taught me a lot about how to trim an old girl with mobility issues.

Trimming Twigs was like a game of Twister! 🔴🔵🟢🟡. I would bend and twist and contort myself into crazy positions, nipper in the few seconds she would allow hold before slamming her hind feet back to the ground again, I’d search to find that one position she felt comfortable in, rasp ‘upside down’, and do the famous ‘Twiggy Tip It’ move. This crazy girl was a tough nut and a bloody survivor, having gotten herself in plenty of paddock accidents from running around like a 3 year old when she was feeling good.

I’ll miss you old duck ❤️

18/01/2024

Our first Ovens Valley Equine vet clinic day is happening this Monday. Looking forward to working with the fabulous team there for another year 👏

12/01/2024

☀️A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BAREFOOT TRIMMER

I took a photo of all of today’s clients and trims. The only one I missed a head shot of was beautiful Lulu. I’ve put some captions under each photo. Each equine is at a different stage of repair, recovery, or development.

It was a great day, but a hot one! ☀️🥵