Heart & Sole - Equine Podiatry by Laura Evans

01/03/2025

A lovely dry day with well-behaved horses, ponies, and donkey 🫏 who are all showing improvements in their feet coming out of winter.

The reduced grass intake and increased fibre in the diet can help feet improve, and making arrangements now to limit spring grass as it comes through can also be helpful.

Oh there is also the added bonus of being in time for the ferry home, which cuts my 2.5 hour drive down to 1 hour!

18/02/2025

Top Tip Tuesday 👌

Many horses benefit from their feet being conditioned if they have just returned to being barefoot. It's not always a case of removing shoes and just picking up where you left off.

Conditioning feet means gently exposing them to differing terrains over time to help strengthen them.

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Prepare for Competitions

Condition hooves and accustom your horse to the surfaces they will encounter during competitions.

• Why it matters: Different arenas, surfaces or terrains can challenge barefoot hooves if your horse isn’t prepared.

• Tip in action: Talk to your hoof care provider about creating an action plan to safely and gradually train on similar footing to what you’ll encounter at events. If your horse is only used to soft surfaces their hooves may not be comfortable on firmer surfaces. Sometimes you may need to temporarily adjust your horses work/competition level to accommodate for this hoof-conditioning period.

Featuring Nicky riding “KiKi” at BE90

14/02/2025

Many owners manage to turn their horses out as much as possible for movement and all the benefit that brings. Which is brilliant 👏.

However, if your horse is in a bare winter field like many are just now, you can risk them standing with an empty gut, which in turn can lead to ulcers 🤒.

Interestingly, I'm seeing a few horses just now who are grumpy and sensitive around their tummy's 😡, and this maybe why 💡.

A horses gut is designed to not have set meals like us, but to trickle feed and digest fibre constantly. Their stomach constantly produces stomach acid so if your horse has even a few hours without fibre (especially hay), this acid can harm the lining of the stomach.

I would always recommend that your horse has access to hay, even when in the field (or straw for donkeys) 💪😊.

07/02/2025

Earlier this week I posted some pretty feet just because they were healthy winter functional feet and seeing what the hooves can look like can be helpful.

This week I also trimmed some quite unhealthy feet.

The reason for this was due to a lack of regular hoofcare as the horses haven't been routinely handled. Fortunately, the horses are now in good hands with someone who will ensure they have consistent and safe handling which will help their overall wellbeing and make sure they get the hoofcare and any other welfare needs met.

Stay tuned for updates and we will see these horses and their feet go from strength to strength 💪

04/02/2025

It feels like it's been a long winter doesn't it?

This is a big, nearly there, thank you from me 🫂

🥰 Thank you to the clients whose horses are caught for me arriving.
🐎 Thank you to the clients who towel clean their horses feet and legs before I arrive.
🥰 Thank you to the clients who take on board my recommendations to help make your horse healthier.
🐎 Thank you to the clients who practice behavioural suggestions, who consistently aim to improve and work with shaping plans.
🥰Thank you to the clients who keep me updated with any issues, vet visits, or other information that will help me to help you horse.

Winter is nearly over, and I'm sure your horse will thank you as much as I have for everything you do.

02/02/2025

Not so much of an educational post today .... just an appreciation of nice, functional winter feet 🥰🐎

I'm not saying they're perfect, but they're very pretty.

29/01/2025

I'm known to "get my geek on" when I'm speaking with clients and often discuss the amazing structure that is the Digital Cushion.

Helping to improve this structure maybe why I recommend hoof boots and pads or why I help owners address thrush in the frog. As it is the slight heel first landing, that allows the frog to make ground pressure that stimulates the Digital Cushion into action.

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The Digital Cushion's Vital Role

Did you know that the digital cushion in a horse's hoof plays a crucial role in shock absorption and blood circulation? This unique structure is made up of a mix of elastic, fibrous, and fatty tissues. The digital cushion acts like a natural gel pad, helping to protect the bones and joints from impact while also aiding in the horse's overall hoof health.

26/01/2025

I have a few mini and standard shetland clients on my books. I often feel the wee guys can be misunderstood when it comes to hoofcare.

Whilst the feet are smaller, they are just as important and need the same attention as their larger equine friends.

The changes in this foot are going in the right direction. The frog is now able to get ground pressure through lowering the heels to an appropriate height. In turn, I'm feeling a much healthier digital cushion.

The digital cushion sits between the heels and pedal bone and is a really important structure for overall hoof health. It acts as a massive cushion to help shock absorb and also influences the angle of the pedal bone.

I can also see less flare at the quarters, less underrun heels, and the toe is coming back gradually as it had stretched too far forward.

19/01/2025

I take progress photographs at nearly every consultation (only exceptions are a muddy field when it's blowing a gale!).

My clients will often get collage pics through following their trim when I see something amazing or interesting.

I'm this photo, I'm being supervised by Henry who is looking over my shoulder ensuring I have the camera the correct distance from the foot and at the right angle. Thanks Henry! 🥰

18/01/2025

Louis felt good after today's trim!

Like many donkeys, Louis needs careful management, restricted grass, straw and his lovely rug for winter rain, wind and snow.

Louis owner is great at keeping his feet regularly picked out and uses Red Horse Products Field Paste on his frog and white line as donkeys can be prone to hoof infections.

Loving life aren't you Louis 🥰🫏

16/01/2025

Horses are individuals and have different levels of comfort and need for support.

These 2 lovely horses both had their shoes removed at the same time. One had stronger internal hoof structures to start with while the other was slightly weaker.

For one, we are trimming and allowing feet to condition themselves on different surfaces and for the other, the owner is using hoof boots and wool pads to help safely stimulate the solar corium whilst giving some added protection.

Hoof boots and pads are amazing at not just protecting feet, but can provide safe pressure stimulation to enable nice healthy horn to be produced. They also encourage the horse to land confidently and correctly so the internal structures that give the hoof its overall health get stronger and stronger 💪

It's a privilege to be trusted to help these gorgeous horses 🐎 ❤️

12/01/2025

This lovely cob has really big feet!

On my initial consultation, I noted him to have a hypertrophied frog (one that's got too big), and in turn his quarters were flared which you can see from underneath with the "hooked bars" as the structures are pulled outwards.

Some regular trimming and the frog, bars and quarters are more under control ..... you can see the bottom image that his bars are much straighter and whilst he still has big frogs 🐸 they are much more healthy looking.

11/01/2025

My mini shetlands spend winter in the "hill field" which is quite exposed and this week, temperatures were below zero degrees day and night. They have a field shelter they never use, often as it's a food free zone so becomes less luxurious to them!

Their lovely frosty highlights shown their coats are working properly as the frost sits on the outer layer.

Did you know that simply by eating hay, a horse will be able to generate body heat through their specific hindgut digestive process (fermentation). Not only does this generate heat, but it also breaks the hay down to volatile fatty acids which is a safe energy source with less risks than those created by sugar and starch.

08/01/2025

A nice relaxed initial consultation and trim on this gentle giant this week.

When I meet a new horse, especially one who has just moved into the area, it's important to give them time to settle and relax before making changes to diet and management.

This lovely boy is only 4 years of age and has moved yards so will be on new grass and new hay as well as having travelled to his new home.

He's on a 4 weekly trim cycle, and over the next few visits, I will continue to assess his hoof health, and any changes needed will be made gradually.

06/01/2025

I'm very proud to be a student member of the Equine Podiatry Association, whose training for equine podiatrists provides the highest available qualification in the UK.

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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

31/12/2024

Wishing all my clients and followers a happy and healthy 2025 🎉

I was especially proud of my horse hoof bobbles in the picture! 🤣🐴

30/12/2024

A year of trimming for these 2 little ponies and it's easy to forget how far we've come. These pictures are of 2 different ponies feet.

Both had their struggles with imbalance, laminitis and some other issues. Working with the owner and regular 3 weekly and now 4 weekly trimming cycles have made all the difference.