Painted Park Hoofcare - Kirsten Melis

28/02/2024

Did you know horses like almonds?!
Rebel was quite the fan, miss Pixie wasn't too sure about his opinion 💁🏼‍♀️

31/01/2024

Researchers are focusing on creating a “synovial fluid metabolome” to identify biomarkers that may expedite osteoarthritis diagnosis.

22/12/2023

Tools down! That's it for 2023 🎉

Many feet were trimmed from donkeys, minies to the big Clydesdales and everything in between.
We dealt with mud, dust, lots of horse hair, cuddles and slobbery kisses from equine, k9, feline and all other critters. 🐴🐕🐈🐷🐄🐑🐾🐦
I met new horses, foals and said goodbye to the old guys🤍
We chatted about the daily grind, life's stories and solved world problems 😉
A big thank you to all my amazing clients.
Have a wonderful Christmas 🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻
See you in 2024 🎆

04/12/2023

19/11/2023

☀️🌡 Hot weather 🥵
This week is going to be 35°C+ and surely more hot days are ahead of us this summer.
💧 Please keep yourself and your horse well hydrated.
🌊 if you can, please soak your horse's feet in puddles or wet some old carpet and stand your horse on it, a bag of hay will keep them entertained for a while. The water will soften their feet, therefore making my work easier.
🌳 No shade, no trims!!
🌅 I'll be aiming for early mornings or late avro appointments to avoid the heat
🗓 I will have reschedule if the weather is simply too hot.
🔥 Heatstroke is my enemy every summer and sometimes I can't avoid it. So please don't ruffle too many feathers if we need to reschedule.
🏵 Thank you 🦄

04/11/2023

We have got paddocks and yards available for those affected and needing to be evacuated due to the fires in the Peel area.
Loacted in West Coolup, Kirsten - 0456357935

29/10/2023

I'm back again from my holiday 🌷
I've had a great time but now I need to catch up on work.
Please be aware, that I'm absolutely packed for the next 3 weeks. So any rescheduling is going to be tricky.
Fly season has well and truly began, so please make sure you got flyspray! The flies make my job so much harder.
Thank you.

03/10/2023

Many hours have been spent on this boy, Bailey, glueing his boots on with his mum for the endurance rides. He was always very patient and put up with us fluffing about. He always flew around super in his regeade glue ons.
Sadly Bailey got his wings yesterday. My heart goes out to his mum, who loved him dearly 🦄 ❤

28/09/2023

📖 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩

🐴 I love reading about misconceptions when it comes to feeding horses, but today I’d like to debunk some common myths about good old sodium chloride.

🧂 Myth #1: Salt only needs to be fed when the weather is hot.

🐴 Truth #1: Salt needs to be fed 365 days a year because it is vital for many bodily processes and is excreted in sweat, saliva, mucous and urine. Even in the midst of winter, horses need salt.

🧂 Myth #2: Horses instinctively know to drink water regularly, especially when they are hot and sweaty.

🐴 Truth #2: A horse’s thirst reflex is triggered by sodium, which is a component of salt. Horses’ sodium requirements need to be met in order to seek water.

🧂 Myth #3: A horse can meet their sodium and chloride requirements with a salt block alone.

🐴 Truth #3: Unlike cattle, horses do not have an abrasive tongue and are not designed to lick harsh surfaces to extract nutrients. While it is technically possible for a horse to consume their daily salt requirement from a salt block, it is much less work and more physiologically-appropriate for them to consume loose salt that is either provided in a meal or left out free-choice.

🧂 Myth #4: Horses know what nutrients they need and can self-medicate with supplements such as vitamins and minerals.

🐴 Truth #4: Salt is the only nutrient horses have been studied and proven to actively seek out when it is required. They will not seek out other nutrients “because they know they need it.” Look at how much salt and molasses (palatable additives) are added to free-choice supplements.

🧂 Myth #5: Himalayan rock salt is better for horses than plain salt.

🐴 Truth #5: Himalayan rock salt contains naturally occurring components other than sodium and chloride. Some may view this as a positive; however, it is usually a more expensive means of supplementing salt, and often contains traces of iron which almost never needs to be supplemented given horses are generally oversupplied iron by their forage intake alone.

🐎 Your horse should be receiving a minimum of 10g of salt per 100kg of body weight each day; typically more after exercise, intense weather, or illness.

04/09/2023

🌼🐴

I share this every year.
If like us you have been breaking your back pulling firew**d, read on!
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There are several plants in Australia that are toxic to horses.⠀⠀
The plant pictured is:⠀⠀
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🌸Cape W**d. ⠀⠀
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It has a long taproot and it can germinate rapidly.⠀⠀
Although it is not thought of as a highly toxic w**d, it can if consumed in quantity, at the early growth stages, be full of NSC’s.⠀⠀
(Non structural carbohydrates). It is possible that it can bring in a laminitic incident in horses and ponies that are susceptible to EMS ( equine metabolic syndrome) or Insulin ⠀⠀
resistant horses. It often attacks the hepatic (liver) cells. ⠀⠀
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🌿Other plants include:⠀⠀
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🌸 Flatw**d which to the untrained eye can resemble Dandelion on a short stalk.⠀⠀
This plants leaves lay flat on the ground (hence the name).⠀⠀
When ingested by horses, Flatw**d attacks the myelin sheath which covers the nerves, particularly the sciatic nerve in the hind quarters which then give the horse a spasticity of movement, which may develop into Pasture Associated Stringhalt!⠀⠀
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🌸Patterson’s Curse: or sometimes known as (Salvation Jane) the young and tender leaves are very palatable to horses I’d there is a shortage of pasture/hard feed. ⠀⠀
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🌸 Firew**d: is a neurotoxin to horses targeting the nerves in the large muscles. ⠀⠀
It’s not particularly appealing to horses as it does retain quite a specific odour.⠀⠀
Mostly grazed by horses with little to no feed.⠀⠀
Long term consumption will lead to serious and debilitating liver damage.⠀⠀
Firew**d is extremely invasive, it can be spread quickly over a long distance by wind.⠀⠀
A single plant can produce up to 18,000 seeds in it’s life cycle.⠀⠀
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If you aren’t sure what species of poisonous plants are on your property, you can seek more information from The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.⠀⠀
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There is also an excellent downloadable PDF from RIRDC Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, titled Plants Poisonous to Horses an Australian Feed Guide.⠀⠀
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https://buff.ly/3EhosXn

16/08/2023

🐎Prices & term and conditions of hoofcare services for 2023/2024🐎

🐴 Pony/horse $60
🐴 Heavy breeds $90
🐴 Rehabilition trim $ Depending on the case
🐴​ Scootboots per pair $260
🐴 Glue on shoes $ price on application

🚗 Currently servicing the area from Brunswick to Oakford.

📋Terms and conditions:
- Please make sure your horse is familiar with having its feet picked up and is good to stand still for the duration of the appointment.
- Unruly or dangerous horses will be refused.
- Have your horse ready to go on the time of the appointment with clean legs.
- Payment is required at the time of the appointment.
- A flat and safe area is required at all times. Shade during hot weather and dry area with shelter during the wet weather is required.
- Cancelations are required at least 24hrs from your appointment
- I will always do my best to be on time but if I late, I will always message the client.
- I am NOT a vet. I give advice based on my experience but can not diagnose or provide/administer any drugs. However I am more than happy to work with your vet on your horse.

Thank you 🌸