Rachael Bishop - Student Equine Podiatrist

24/03/2025

🌱 Lots of spring grass coming through now and changes in routine and increased turnout time all lead to changes in gut and feet! Keep
an eye on them and try to keep any changes to the winter forage, feed or routine gradual 🌱

Not all hoof problems are obvious — especially during the early stages of dietary-related hoof sensitivity. As spring grass starts to grow, even small increases in sugar intake can affect the hooves, but the signs aren't always what owners expect.

Some of the earliest indicators of hoof discomfort are changes in the way a horse moves.

You might notice your horse:
• Taking shorter strides or seeming less forward than usual
• Hesitating to walk over hard or stony ground
• Choosing softer surfaces to walk on, like grass instead of tracks
• Placing their toes down first rather than landing heel-first
• Shifting weight frequently when standing, especially on harder surfaces
• Being more reluctant to lift their feet for picking out or trimming

If you suspect that your horse may be struggling, please contact your veterinary professional and work collaboratively with your hoof care provider.

22/03/2025

I know I’ve said it before, but have a look at the back of your horse or pony’s foot again! A healthy hoof shouldn’t have contracted heels and deep, sore cracks. 🕵️ 🧐

We should be able to leave the working day behind once we’re done but sometimes things do just slip under the energy barrier

I went to see a horse and owner I haven’t met before with a view to fitting some Scoot Boots today

Now the foot in the photo isn’t the horse and nor is it’s frog as compromised however, it does illustrate the point, imagine that slit you can see present In between the bulbs being at least twice as deep, with a decayed smell and slimy secretion coming from it and that’s about right for the horse I met today

Needless to say the boot fitting didn’t go ahead, as the centre stem at the rear of the boot would have been in direct contact with the infected area

But what REALLY! Grates with me is that despite the owner’s concerns, the problem was dismissed by the farrier responsible for the hoofcare

If you have a deep and smelly central sulcus (middle of the frog) if your lucky, it’s still a stage away from disabling your horse and for goodness sake take action to rectify the problem

In no way was the owner to blame, they rightly raised a concern with a professional and were assured, nothing to worry about 🙈

19/03/2025

Finer Forage - Horse feed & Supplements. Species appropriate horsefeed and supplements. Alfalfa free, grain free, soya free, no by-products. Made from 100% natural ingredients. Barefoot friendly horse food.

17/03/2025

Spotted this stunning big grey on the way to boot fit an equally lovely big grey last week! Not a bad view from the office!

14/03/2025

😍 Meet the lovely ‘Captain’! This beautiful boy has made so much progress since I met him last summer I thought he needed a shout out!

His owners reached out to the EPA after realising that Captain’s fear of his farrier and having his feet trimmed was escalating. They were at the point where a vet was neeeded to give him IV sedation prior to trimming, he was becoming more anxious with the vet attending to sedate, and as a young horse they wanted to see if there was an alternative.

On my first visit I left my chaps and equipment in my car, (which I left outside the yard, as cars driving up to the stables were usually the vet or farrier, and this was also becoming a trigger for his anxiety), armed myself with a couple treats , did little more than pick his front feet out and say hello and arranged to return the following week. His owners had already started using a mini lick as reward and distraction for picking his feet up, and they continued with this positive reinforcement when picking his feet out before my next visit .

We kept visits frequent (2-4 weekly) for a while and the next time I was able to wear chaps and trim both front feet using the positive reinforcement training that he was now accustomed to when holding his feet up.

8months on and he is able to have all four feet trimmed and is relaxed and confident enough to use the stand. He’s such a bright horse and huge credit goes to his lovely owners who have put in so much work with groundwork, diet tweaks (to a lower energy feed), and training when picking feet out to teach him that having his feet handled (and trimmed) can actually be a positive experience!

Next step is enough patience left at the end of a trim for a set of photographs to show off his gorgeous ginormous feet, but we’re nearly there ! 😂🤩 📷


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12/03/2025

Happy 13th birthday spotty one 🥰 What a beautiful rollercoaster ride it’s been so far! A nice delivery of his favourite feed for tea 🎂

24/02/2025

Did you know? A complete hoof capsule can take between 9-12 months to fully grow out, making consistent care essential for maintaining soundness.

The hoof wall grows from the coronary band at an average rate of 8-10 millimeters per month. The growth rate can vary depending on factors like age, diet and activity level, meaning that any damage or imbalance to the hoof could take at least a year to fully correct and in some cases longer.

Regular trimming or maintenance is critical to prevent issues like flares, cracks or uneven wear, which could impact upon the horse’s overall biomechanics and comfort.

23/02/2025

Love this! I have a donkey on the books but yet to find a Zebra! 🦓

18/02/2025

🐻 Caught on camera yesterday trimming a Bear! 🐻
Lovely Bear has lots of flare (that’s now starting to come in nicely), lovely strong, thick walls, and she loves to grow a tonne of hoof between trims.
Nippers for the win with these little toes 💪 !
Part way through here and having a peek under those beautiful feathers ☺️

12/02/2025

Lovely to see a (very!) local charity benefitting from these great products.
The field paste is great to keep frogs and soles healthy this time of year when everything is a little damp and muddy, and Honey Heel should be in everyone’s first aid kit ! Think sudocreme but with less stinging and a bit more staying power!

Who remembers when Horseworld was open to visitors everyday? The donkeys and the ‘death slide’ were the favourites 😄 I used to spend hours there with my children!

** 2025 Charity of the Year**
Congratulations to HorseWorld Trust who have been chosen as our Charity for 2025!!! We are delighted to be supporting another small but mighty organisation and have made an initial donation of £500 this afternoon.
20p from every order placed through our website in 2025 will be donated to Horse World Trust along with products for the equines in their care.
Please check out their work: https://www.horseworld.org.uk/

10/02/2025

When you wash all the mud off and these are lurking underneath 🥰
Humbug hoof appreciation post 👌 🤩

06/02/2025

02/02/2025

The health of the structures inside your horse or pony’s foot are so important! This is a great visual and description from another EP of the digital cushion that I’m always talking about!
Give the back of their foot a little squeeze , what can you feel? Nice bouncy shock absorbing structures are what we’re aiming for!

The digital cushion is a vital structure within a horse's hoof, acting as a natural shock absorber and playing a key role in circulation and overall hoof health. A well-developed digital cushion provides support and stability, reducing strain on the tendons, ligaments, and joints. It helps protect against lameness, improves a horse's ability to handle varied terrain, and contributes to long-term soundness. Poorly developed digital cushions, often seen in under-stimulated or shod hooves, can lead to issues like poor shock absorption and compromised hoof function. Encouraging natural movement and proper hoof care is essential to develop and maintain this critical structure.

22/01/2025

These are a brilliant addition to your hoof care kit!
Pick out the little stones and then spray and fill with paste or clay to keep the holes clean and keep future stones out! If the hole is big enough then Red Horse Hoof Suff is perfect to plug the gaps once they’re clean and clear of stones.

This was Boomer’s first trim with me, his owner was well practiced with her ‘pokey thing’ due to his ongoing deep white line separation and constantly finding stones stuck in it!
We’re making steady progress on tightening it up now thanks to a change in diet/balancer, a change in trim, and his owners dedication to keeping it clean and clear of stones 😊💪

17/01/2025

Proprioception and Hoof Health

Did you know that a horse's hoof contains specialised structures that contribute to proprioception? These structures help the horse sense the position and movement of its limbs, aiding in balance and coordination. Barefoot hooves with their natural form and function enhance this sensory feedback, promoting overall hoof health and mobility.

07/01/2025

Have a look at the website to find out more! It’s great having the knowledge and
support of other EP’s up and down the country, especially when starting out! Better for us and your horses!

The Equine Podiatry Association was launched in 2006. It became a self regulating body for Equine Podiatrists in the UK.

You can find out more by visiting:
www.epauk.org

02/01/2025

First trim of 2025 was the gorgeous Dusky, one of my original case studies from last year 🥰 Not his most flattering angle but he kept coming in for more scratches 😄
He was closely followed by Oreo, who insisted on helping!
Happy New Year everyone!