Wild Soles Hoof Care

24/03/2024

GLUE ON SHOES!

I’ve had the opportunity to trial the application of glue on shoes over the past few months.

Glue on shoes are an option for horses that need hoof protection but for whatever reason hoof boots are not viable. While these are still shoes and don’t allow the hoof to be bare (ideal scenario) they can be an excellent option for some horses and are, in my opinion, a far superior option to steel.

Pictured is the EasyCare Versa Grip Glue with urethane glue, and Easy Care Versa Grip Octo with superglue application.

I’ll be adding glue ons to my list of services so chat to me if you’re interested in this for your horse.

14/03/2024

Excellent worming info! Hold off on worming until it’s colder!

And I love following this page, I always learn something!

It's always a good start to the month when HRCAV 's Chaff Chat has an article by yours' truly!

06/03/2024

Excellent reading on feeding lucerne! For most horses, it's a high-quality feed as part of a balanced diet

🌱 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚

🐴 Today, let’s debunk some common misconceptions about lucerne/alfalfa, or 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢 if you’d like to get fancy.

🌱 Myth #1: Lucerne is high in sugar and soaking it helps to remove some of the sugar content.

🐴 Truth #1: Lucerne is high in protein, but not high in sugar. While it is true that soaking hay helps to remove some of the sugar content, soaking lucerne is pointless as there are no high sugar concentrations to begin with. Soaking does not remove protein or calories.

🌱 Myth #2: Lucerne will make horses hot.

🐴 Truth #2: As mentioned already, lucerne is a fantastic source of protein which converts to energy when consumed by the horse. Lucerne itself is a source of slower-release energy in comparison to cereal grains and grain by-products because it is low in sugar and starch but high in digestible fibre. It’s often not the lucerne itself causing “hot” behaviour, but an excess of energy input relevant to the horse’s energy output. Feeding a diet that is balanced and provides energy sources that are appropriate for the individual’s activity level will usually mitigate behavioural “issues.”

🌱 Myth #3: Lucerne is comparable to other hay types for ulcer prevention and gastrointestinal health.

🐴 Truth #3: Any low sugar and starch hay is going to aid in the prevention of ulcers and support gastrointestinal health, however lucerne comes with the advantage of being high in bioavailable calcium. Not only is this source of highly bioavailable calcium beneficial for horses with higher calcium requirements such as breeding and growing horses, or horses grazing on high oxalate pastures, it is also fantastic at neutralising and buffering gastric due to it’s alkaline profile.

🌱 Myth #4: Lucerne is suitable for laminitic/metabolic horses.

🐴 Truth #4: While lucerne does tick the box of being low in sugar and starch, it’s quality protein content can be a trigger for some laminitic and metabolic equines and it is therefore a “maybe” feed for this category of horse. Horses who are actively laminitic should not be fed lucerne (or any high protein feed), as it is not a situation where you want to be conducting tests with “potentially” suitable food sources.

🌱 Myth #5: Lucerne will make a horse produce poorly formed or watery manure.

🐴 Truth #5: Horses can be intolerant or allergic to any food source, but lucerne being the cause of scouring or diarrhoea is usually because it has been introduced to the diet too quickly, or because it is high in digestible fibre and the horse isn’t intaking adequate indigestible fibre elsewhere in the diet. Feeding lower quality and slightly stalky lucerne hay can help to overcome this issue.

🌱 So tell me, do you love or hate lucerne? Do you feed it daily or only on occasion? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and as always, please feel welcome to share this article if you enjoyed it. 😄

29/02/2024

I can't tell you how much I appreciate it when horses are caught, rugs off, sprayed and hooves clean!

29/01/2024

It’s getting closer! There are still a handful of auditor spots available! All participant places are full. As an auditor you can still get up close, watch David and the participants trimming, participate in discussions and ask as many questions as you like.

Come and learn from the best! This clinic is suitable for everyone from professional trimmers, bodyworkers, vets or owner trimmers.

Any questions please just ask! Amy and I are busy getting the venue and details organised and have set up a Facebook group to share information for those registered.

Sign up at www.davidlandreville.com/clinics

18/01/2024

2024 dates for trimming at Ovens Valley Equine

Looking forward to seeing all my OVE clients soon!

17/01/2024

Great opportunity at Ovens Valley Equine! Ulcers are a huge problem and can cause all manner of behavioural and physical issues

04/01/2024

Got to trim some of my favourites today!
Under all that hair are some lovely teeny tiny hooves!

22/12/2023

The end of the year is a great time for reflection. The following collages show documentation for two different horses who both came out of steel shoes in July this year.

Sometimes progress can seem slow, but there are drastic changes in these hooves in just a few months.

Can you identify the improvements? I see
➡️ improved digital cushion
➡️ less contracted heels
➡️ relaxed hairline
➡️ healthier frogs
➡️ improved hoof pastern axis
➡️ healthier hoof wall
➡️ widest part of the hoof has moved back
➡️ more concavity = greater sole depth
➡️ straighter hoof capsule

What changed for these horses?
✔️Removing steel shoes
✔️Regular barefoot trimming (4 week cycle)
✔️Species appropriate diet with balanced mineral supplement
✔️Movement

There’s still a way to go, but I can’t wait to see them in another 6 months

14/12/2023

EXPLORA MAGIC - the ultimate trail riding boot!

This past weekend we did a multi-day trail ride in the Victorian high country and these were the boots of choice for Trish and her lovely ASH Tom on all four hooves. They handled multiple river crossings, rocky tracks and gravel roads with no coming off, twisting or rubbing.

I'll be putting in an order for these beauties in the next few weeks. Let me know if you've been thinking of getting a pair!

12/12/2023

Same but different?! Check out this adjustable halter made by the very clever Shakira! It’s super handy for me to have in my kit as I know it will fit almost any sized horse and saves me carrying different sizes.

Shakira makes all kinds of custom handmade gear - check it out!

24/11/2023

ORDER FOR BALANCED EQUINE MINERALS

I’m doing an order this weekend!
If you would like minerals please comment below ⬇️

18/11/2023

‼️ Only 4 participant places left! ‼️

Yackandandah 2024 clinic registration is now open! Places will fill fast! 🏃‍♂️

It’s a two day clinic with opportunities to either trim (participate), or observe and ask questions (audit). Camping available with horses. Some spots available to bring a horse.

A fantastic opportunity to advance your hoof trimming skills, learn to correct imbalance and repair hooves from laminitis, poor trimming or farriery, and build healthier structurally sound hooves. Suitable for professional trimmers, farriers, vets, as well as beginners and owner trimmers.

For more information contact:
Amy via messenger at Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves
Or
Jess via Wild Soles Hoof Care

12/11/2023

Exciting news!!!

Amy Gee from Mimicking Miles Barefoot Hooves and I are hosting David Landreville- On the Vertical in Yackandandah in April 2024!

"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."

https://www.davidlandreville.com/clinics

27/10/2023

Highlight of my trip so far! Amy and I trimmed a Sulphur Springs Mustang who has the most incredible hooves I’ve ever seen. A real privilege ❤️

19/10/2023

I can highly recommend Tahnee for Bowen Therapy and as someone truly wonderful with horses!

18/10/2023

Some excellent information here!

I am seeing so much laminitis at the moment. The good news is, there is more information available than ever before. If you have an easy keeper, this is a must read.

Easy keeper horses...where does it come from?

(There is nothing easy about it)

Many Morgans, donkeys, Quarter Horses, Mustangs and others can be found with this label.

If we harken back to those and other breeds' ancestry, we find that they were genetically adapted to survive in harsher situations or in high work by having an exceptionally thrifty metabolism and traveling a lot.

This is why you can take a mustang off the range in Nevada and have it come to Virginia and become an air fluff with hoof issues. Horses who grew up in starvation situations can also flip over to fluff status later in life. Horses who in their early years were fed an exceptionally high starch/sugar diet can also be predisposed to falling into this category.

They most often have cresty necks and fat deposits on their bodies (especially near the tail head and over the eyes). These are the horses who drive their owners crazy trying to keep them slim enough because dry lots and 2 flakes of hay per day only seem to make them bigger and angrier.

For these horses it is especially important that they have a diet that is balancing adequate mineral needs with low carbohydrates and limited fat intake. This is Hard

Commercial feeds that are supposedly low NSC and marketed for Easy Keepers/EMS horses are often really not, either. The goal for these horses is to have an NSC value at 10% or less. Many of the feeds that are targeting these horse owners are actually 16% or above, which isn't ideal at all.

Add this frustration to soaking hay for 30+ minutes and keeping your horse off of grass much of the time while still getting exercise in, and it is enough to make a horse owner take up kick boxing just to have some way to let off steam.

We can empathize having gone through this struggle ourselves. People want to have an easy path to follow, and in these cases, there is not always a one size fits all, step by step approach.

The journey to health for your horse begins in the education of yourself and understanding what resources that you have available in your own area.

Some information that you can start with...

1. Carbohydrates are not these horses friend. That means a lot of the time grass is going to be off the table for your pal and you need to know what is in your hay. High protein should also be off the table. Watch your ration balancers because some of them can be very problematic also.

2. We cannot stress enough exercise, exercise, exercise. Your horse has got to move. Ride your horse, make a track system, get him a donkey that chases him in circles all day but doesn't beat him up (maybe that is a joke, maybe not)

3. You cannot make these horses think they are starving. Somehow you have to figure out how to feed them in an all day trickle. If you are soaking your hay make sure your horse does not get the soaking water. It contains all you just tried to remove from your horse's diet.

4. Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin E, plain salt and Magnesium are super important for these horses. You are probably going to need someone very knowledgeable to help you analyze where your horse is and what your horse needs.

5. In most cases bags of grain, no matter what is on the label, do not serve these horses well. You are probably going to have to go to more simple ingredient feeding. Some ration balancers can be a great help.

6. Have your hay and ground analyzed to see what you are dealing with. High iron sources can interfere with copper and zinc absorption which is very unhelpful. Clover is high iron and so are some weeds. Timothy Hay is more NSC than orchard grass. Hay grown in high iron soil is also high iron.

Here are some resources for you to start with.

https://www.ecirhorse.org/treatment-

https://www.facebook.com/124619504251477/posts/2330795680300504/

https://www.ecirhorse.org/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ddte_campaign

https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/equine-metabolic-syndrome

25/09/2023

The ability for hooves to regenerate is quite remarkable, just give them a chance with good trimming. This is 3 months (4 trims) apart

18/08/2023

Unfortunately, this is something I see a LOT. If you hear your hoof care practitioner and/or vet talking about ‘NPA’ or ‘negative palmar/plantar’, this is what they are referring to.
The effects of this are really well explained in this post. Often the first sign will be body soreness/stiffness in the hind end.

One way you can assess possible NPA in the hind hooves: (please note this is not a perfect method of assessment and you should always check with your HCP and/or vet)
Have the horse stand square (this is important) and follow the line of the coronet band up. If the invisible line goes up into the horse’s belly, the hooves are in negative alignment. If the line hits the upper forelimb, the hoof is in normal alignment.

Treatment is twofold: regular, correct trimming (and hoof protection if needed), to realign the hoof/Pastern through soft tissue development, and regular body work.

Body issues in horses can be complex with multiple sources, but here's a pattern I see over and over.

Hoof and body problems have a circular effect, both worsening or improving. Inappropriate loading from above helps to flatten the heels, while underruning heels stresses tissue by misaligning all the joints above...

Our aim is, of course, to create a positive spiral of improvement by helping everywhere we can. One thing is sure though: those hooves need to be helped back into balance first and achieving that requires a lot of skills from the hoofcare practitioner.

Thanks for reading!

Jane

- Dr Jane Clothier
Bodywork & Acupuncture, Tamworth, NSW

13/08/2023

I’m pretty sure I mention David Landreville- On the Vertical to every single one of my clients as the guy who has taught me to trim the way I do, to build feet, and understand how hooves are meant to function.

Finding David and Hoof Builders has, without a shadow of a doubt, entirely changed my life for the better. And it’s certainly changed the lives of the horses I care for. Many have gone from lameness (some on the verge of being euthanized) to sound.
I’ve gone from learning to trim my own horses, stud horses, friends’ horses, to friends of friends and now as a professional business. It brings me such joy that I can have a positive impact. And the only thing better than this feeling is inspiring others to start their own journey. There is something incredibly empowering about being an owner-trimmer, and I get so excited when people express their desire to learn. DO IT! You won’t regret it!
If you’re even thinking about it, join David’s website - you can do that as a subscriber and just watch and learn, or as a contributor and get individualized feedback and support ONLY from David and the Hoof Builders team (not just anyone).
I simply cannot recommend it highly enough!

https://www.davidlandreville.com/

We get messages and emails everyday from caring owners around the world, seeking help for their horse. They've often exhausted the choices of farriers and vets in their area, and their horse is still lame, or they arent satisfied with the quality of the hoofcare available. They are often told their horse can't be fixed. This is why we created Hoof Builders.

The contributor option in Hoof Builders is where you can create an album for your horse, document your trimming, and receive ongoing advice and markups from me and my small team.

We can't physically attend every horse in need, as much as we wish that we could. Advising on extreme rehab cases over the internet is far from ideal, and there are countless variables involved. But for a determined owner with no other choice, its always worth a shot, and we will do our best to help.

12/08/2023

Need any minerals??

I will be placing an order for Balanced Equine Minerals in the next week. Let me know if you would like (large bags):
Best Guess
Equihorse + Se
Hoof Xtra
I can also order anything else from the website if you let me know. https://balancedequine.com.au/

11/08/2023

New website is up and running! 🥰

Quality, regular hoof care is incredibly important to the overall health of our horses. Hooves are constantly growing and unless horses are covering long distances over varied terrain like their wild cousins, domestic horses need regular trimming to mimic wear of the hooves and keep them healthy.

08/08/2023

06/08/2023

When you go to trim horses but get distracted by this utterly majestic creature 🐱🐾😍