Equine Podiatry Wiltshire

06/04/2025

First set up trim for this little cob.

The feet are in reasonably good health but they are all slightly pink in the hoof wall, with subtle wavy ripples (event lines) too. I've advised some tweaks in the diet to focus on lower sugar and starch, cutting out the alfalfa and molasses too as well as focusing on what I call 'clean feeds' ie, no GM, soya, wheetfeed etc.. basically all the nasty bi products and fillers that don't do our equines any favours.

My favourite feed brands at the moment are Thunderbrooks and Finer Forage.

Can't wait to review these feet in 4-6 months time when together with shorter regular trim cycles they're going to be much better.

Top tip for keeping feathers out the way: Tubigrips!!

05/04/2025

Been given a fabulous antique book by a lovely client and finding it so fascinating, published in 1880 many things have changed but some things not.

Also quite comical in places, like advice on 'Buying a Horse' compared to choosing a wife which is apparently proverbially "a lottery" but choosing a horse, is not. Wife taking is likened to a blindfolded dip into a pit of snakes, to draw forth the single eel.

However, choosing a horse to carry you "for better or worse" is much easier.

What a wonderful book!

27/03/2025

I've have had a couple of horses go a little footy over the last couple of weeks... the grass is growing!

As the days get longer and the temperature rises, spring grass undergoes a rapid growth phase — but this lush, green growth can have a hidden impact on your horse's hooves.
Grass naturally produces sugars (non-structural carbohydrates or NSCs) during photosynthesis to fuel its growth.

In early spring, these sugar levels can spike, particularly during sunny days followed by cold nights — a weather pattern common at this time of year. The sugars are stored in the grass until the plant can use them for growth, making spring grass far richer in sugar than many owners realise.

Horses that consume too much sugary grass are at higher risk of developing hoof sensitivity or even laminitis, especially if they are already prone to metabolic conditions like Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or PPID (Cushing's).

Some subtle signs that your horse may be feeling the effects of spring grass include:

• Increased hoof tenderness on hard or stony ground
• Reluctance to move forward under saddle
• A faint digital pulse at the back of the fetlock
• Hoof rings that mirror diet changes from weeks earlier
• Increased flare or stretching at the white line due to inflammation

Careful grazing management during spring can help protect barefoot hooves. Try:

• Introducing grazing gradually to allow the horse's gut to adjust
• Using strip grazing or a track system to limit grass intake without restricting movement
• Providing low-sugar hay before turnout to reduce hunger-driven grass intake
• Turning out horses in the early morning or late evening when sugar levels are lower

By keeping a close eye on both diet and hoof health, owners can help their barefoot horses thrive through the spring season.

If you are unsure or suspect that your horse may be experiencing hoof sensitivity, please consult your veterinarian and collaboratively work with your hoof care professional.

16/03/2025

I really enjoyed meeting my client's new foals this week, utterly adorable. They're currently unhandled, so it'll be a while before I'll get anywhere near their feet but at every visit we'll get a little more acquainted. They were very inquisitive, giving me a good sniff, watching on, checking out my kit, even managed a little stroke. And that was obviously exhausting for them because after I left, they went for a jolly good nap!

We'll build on this during each of my visits, time invested now building trust is going to make my life and theirs a lot easier going forward.

No stress, no expectations, just getting to know each other. 💗

14/03/2025

With a couple of hard frosts this week, and warmer weather forecast, this is probably your last opportunity to do your Winter wormer!

🚨 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫? If not, now’s the time before the onset of Spring!

⌛ It's really important to deal with any larval small redworm that could be harbouring in the gut wall as a mass emergence, most likely as temperatures start to rise with the onset of Spring, can be so dangerous to horse health and difficult to treat. Don't wait, please act now to protect your horse!

🐴🔬 Check out our winter advice to assess your horse’s parasite risk and plan the best approach 👉bit.ly/WinterWorming

01/03/2025

It's been a while since I've seen feathers this dazzling!

My lovely client washed and dried them, just for my visit, apparently, first with Fairy Liquid, then a Tea Tree shampoo, finally and only when completely dry, finished with an ointment.

❤️⭐️🏅

11/02/2025

Ron Fields is offering 20% off Remount (liver detox) until Friday, and buy 4 get the 5th free on ULC30EX (digestive support).

I recommend Ron Fields products a lot, along with Trinity Consultants too. Supporting your horse's liver function and digestion is absolutely key to general well being and comfort, at the first sign of something being amiss, these are the products I reach for.

Proud to ProvideQuality Supplements for HorsesShop NowEquine SupplementsFrom just £23Shop Now Previous slide Next slide Previous Next Featured Products What Our Customers Say Gwen is now friendly and fit, you can see it in her eyes. We can do normal work like jumping and dressage. She no longer has...

01/02/2025

I attended a webinar with Sue Dyson this week, on Hoof Morphology, which was of course, very interesting. She urged us to view this video on YouTube about having harmony with your horse and WOW, I found it very emotive and powerful to watch.

Sharing the link, let me know what you think.

For me, it just makes me want to do better.

Full length feature film “Horses and the Science of Harmony” examines the nature of harmony between horse and rider through the eyes of 3-day event rider Bub...

24/01/2025

Nice little foot to finish the week on!

22/01/2025

First proper trim for this 2yr old mare, and given that only the week before, the vet had to relieve a painful abcess, I was quite prepared for her to be justifiably unhappy about me handing her feet.

But she had her brave pants on and was an absolute Super Star 🌟

Under all that flare and breakage, I see a nice little foot which will soon be revealed in a couple of trim cycles.

20/01/2025

Beautiful concavity on this little foot I trimmed today. 💗

When trying to improve a foot, good concavity is usually one of the last improvements to develop, and it can take a while.

Good concavity comes from having, what we call, a strong 'internal arch' which depends on a number of good structures to support it, such as the frog, digital cushion and laminae.

05/01/2025

I can totally relate to this!

I definitely fell into the 'Valley of Despair' about two months into my course. And now, even though I've since qualified, I would say I'm still on 'The Slope to Enlightenment' as, there's so much to learn all the time.

New approaches, new studies, new ways of doing things better. I'm not sure I'll ever reach the 'Plateau of Sustainability' as its like, the more you learn, the more you realise you still have to learn.

But I love that, I love learning more, especially about horses and their feet, so that's a good thing. 😅

21/12/2024

Tools down for Christmas!!

Time to give all my kit a good clean and have a jolly good rest.

Wishing all my clients and followers the merriest of Christmases!

Back on the 2nd Jan, see you on the other side.

🎄🥂✨️🎄🥂✨️🎄🥂✨️

19/12/2024

Here it is...my certificate awarding my Diploma!!

This means:
👉I've achieved the highest level qualification there currently is for barefoot trimming.
👉I can (already have) join the Equine Podiatry Association, which in itself means...
👉I am fully regulated and insured
👉required to evidence 40hrs CPD a year to continue my learning
👉have a fantastic support network

What a cracking end to the year!!

24/11/2024

Please recognise when your horse needs a trim and also the importance of short, regular trim cycles.

Heels this high means the frog will not be getting the correct stimulation from the ground (and weight bearing pressure from above) we call it Ground Reaction Force. Without GRF the frog cannot stimulate the internal structures within and essential blood flow is also reduced. As a result this horse has poor soft tissue structure at the back of the foot, presenting as a weak narrow frog and a weak digital cushion, both of which are really important structures to aid in absorbing shock and concussion, and basically staying comfortable and less prone to injury.

I'll be lowering these heels gradually over a couple of trims as I don't want to stress the joints with big sudden changes, then I'll watch those structures develop.

The horse may even change from a current flat landing to the ideal heel first, as he becomes stronger in the caudal aspect of the foot.

I can't stress how important short regular trim cycles are, most of my clients are on 6 week cycles, in the summer these often shorten to 4 or 5.

Please don't ask me to take you on unless you are as committed as I am to keeping your horse comfortable. 👌