Equiliberta

25/11/2025

From my diary... Problem delayed. Problem multiplied.

We treat the symptoms and manage the behaviour. But do we really solve anything?

23/11/2025

If you only study pathology. Your perspective will never recover. Remember: what you focus on grows.

22/11/2025

A stark reminder that we do have trimming guidelines and undergo strict regimented process that ensures we always remain within the confines of the Four Guiding Principles of the Natural Trim. The Natural Trim method is not just any barefoot trimming method. There is consistency in the way horses hoof is trimmed. Especially hooves riddled with pathology benefit from receiving the natural trim, because that's when a lot of invasive trimming takes place. That's also the greatest point of contention between different schools of thought on trimming. Whatever the method, the end result depends on applying what we call the 4 Pillars of NHC. Trimming constitutes only one. Healthy hooves are an output of horses habitat and lifestyle, be it in domestication or in the wild, horses hoof reflects how close or how far we are from its adaptive environment. Our role is to cause no harm and respect the healing powers of nature, as it was stated originally by Hippocrates.

FOUR GUIDING PRINCPLES OF THE NATURAL TRIM

🌐 Leave that which should be there naturally.
Speaks to epidermal structures such as frog, sole, bars, and the hoof wall. Any excessive procedures done to the hoof capsule are considered INHUMANE, and do not address the root cause but the symptoms of the underlying problem. Scalping the sole away will thin it and subsequently deprive the capsule of PROTECTIVE ARMOUR. Thinning hoof walls will create a myriad of problems leading to capsule deformities and only mask the pathology. Regular removal of bars or cutting away of frog flaps will also meet with deterioration of these structures and cause pain to the animal.

🌐 Remove only that which is naturally worn away in the wild.
Points to the important role of precision trimming and removal of what is considered excessive growth. Excess is considered anything which would be worn away in the adaptive environment of the equine species, that is in the wild state. The temptation of removing protective structures when hooves are in a state of pathology always brings CONSEQUENCES in the form of another pathology. The library of deformed hooves constitutes the majority of domesticated horses. Hoof care professionals invade the natural structures in order to "give" the hoof natural shape. You will learn through the practices and principles of Natural Horse Care that NATURALLY SHAPED HOOVES can only be grown with the application of the Four Pillars of Natural Horse Care. Role of the practitioner is to mimic the Natural wear patterns.

🌐 Allow to grow that which should be there naturally, but is not due to human meddling.
This principle calls for restraint, and urges the practitioner to allow for recovery from harmful, invasive trimming. Why is this part so important? Because the dermal structures underneath will respond to any invasion to the hoof armor with changes in hoof mass resulting in further pathology. Reasoning for excessive trimming practices may rest with perceived aesthetics of what is deemed the "correct" hoof shape, angle of growth, or hoof balance.

🌐 Ignore all pathology.
One of the most misunderstood principles is a closing statement of the other three principles; it acknowledges that unhealthy looking hoof will grow out when the 4 Pillars of Natural Horse Care are thoroughly applied and time is given for the horses body to heal. Ignoring pathology does not mean negligence. It points to preventative measures that will enable healthy hoof growth. Rasping away at the "flares", digging into "cracks", carving the sole to "create" concavity is not part of the solution. It is part of the problem, these are the three common dangerous practices that will result in capsule deformities, weak walls that will create "clover" shaped hooves, or paper thin soles and P3 coming through the bottom. Hoof capsule may seem like an insensitive horn, a block of wood that can be carved and moulded into a desired shape, however we must remember that it is a living structure that was designed by nature to fulfill it's role - to protect what's inside. Ironically, we must protect it, even if it means ignoring the imperfections.

🔐 The CONCLUSION must lead to the holistic practice that addresses ALL the needs of the equine species. That is the environment, the trimming, riding, diet, movement, social interaction. U.S. Great Basin Wild Horse Model points us in the right direction. In our own little ways we can make a BIG difference in our horses' lives.

22/11/2025

I've found this tap insulation foam work out well for the tap water, and the hozelock 3 way tap is also doing its magic. I'll be trialling insulator for it in the forthcoming weeks when frost hits again.

21/11/2025

So far these are some of the best hoof specimens I have trimmed. This is one of my new clients horses and he has been living on a track for a while.

Yes, he does have subtle but consistent event lines. Yes, he does go and eat a little grass every day. Yes, we spoke about it and hopefully things will improve even further from here. I want to say a huge congratulations for achieving a very healthy looking white line (stratum lamellatum) and an equally healthy wall all around. There is no visible DTA (Divergent Toe Angles), which is normally present with chronic inflammation when the hoof wall starts to grow away from the bone column. Nor there is any wall separation in the front hooves. There's tiny amount in the hind feet around the toe, but like with other things health related, there are few things going in the back end of his body.

I am officially voting these beautiful hooves the best hooves of 2025. Photos really do not do them justice.

Hoof pathology is still a big taboo in hoof care circles and there is a lot of disagreement about who is right, or what is the truth of the matter. I feel these photos offer more than enough evidence that a horse in his teens can have a better hoof no matter the age. Surely better than my own horses when they were younger. Diet is key. I will keep saying it until cows come home 😁

19/11/2025

Separation = Inflammation

This hoof scores high on the hoof health scale, however there is notable wall separation present. This separation is often responsible for hoof wall chipping because it weakens the wall.

Wall separation occurs at the junction of the stratum internum (nature's horseshoe, or water line) and the stratum medium (off white coloured wall).

What is very fascinating about the hoof wall is that it consists of different layers with different densities, with the stratum internum comprising largely of a cement like material referred to as inter-tubular horn.

The emergence of hoof wall separation at the junction between these two different layers can be explained through the differences in their composition. The stratum medium, being a softer structure, wears quicker, and we often see it form into a (mustang) roll across the perimeter of the hoof wall (providing the horse has access to movement 24/7).

So why does the wall crack and create a separation? This separation is not caused by movement, lack of hoof care, or incorrect trimming. I remember when I first started examining my own horses’ feet after we moved to a new location in 2018. They had been turned out on an 8 acre field. That was the first time I witnessed wall separation emerging. The hooves were beginning to literally fall apart. It was around that time that I discovered Isnhcp - Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices – and made the connection between Paddock Paradise and the wild horse model. Much of what I know and understand today was, at that time, strangely disconnected from one another. I purchased several books by Jaime Jackson, namely The Natural Trim: Principles and Practice, The Natural Horse: Lessons from the Wild, and later the Laminitis book. I discovered that many hoof related issues are attributed to diet.

How is it all connected? Hoof capsule integrity relies on a reasonably natural diet because the hoof horn is created by a very delicate organ we call the supercorium. It is highly vasculated and innervated. A fructan rich diet creates an acidic environment in the gut and leads to a systemic low grade inflammation that slowly deteriorates the whole body. In NHC, we call this WHID (Whole Horse Inflammatory Disease). The hoof happens to reflect the hind gut ecosystem very accurately through its growth patterns.

I can comfortably say that no amount of magic done with the nippers or the rasp will improve the hoof’s health if diet is ignored. What is the best diet? A diet that does not cause the systemic inflammation I mentioned. A diet that is based on the horse’s adaptation. The Reasonably Natural Diet, developed in Lompoc Paddock Paradise, is one example of such a diet. It recognises the dangers of grass as a main forage. But grass is not the only offender. Many feed products contain ingredients that should never find their way into the horse’s body, including hooves.

So what should we feed? There is no research on the natural diet of horses. However, a nutrient rich diet based on safe hay, a variety of seeds, electrolytes, and herbs is foundational. Individual horses’ needs may vary, but there are common denominators that can be applied to every horse regardless of breed or location.

If your horse’s hooves suffer from wall separation, poor brittle wall, low toe angles, vertical cracks, flares, thrush, widening of the lamellar attachment (white line), white line disease, or are simply flat as a pancake, it is very likely that you are dealing with a systemic inflammation, not a hoof issue per se. These hoof issues resolve once we remove the root cause (unnatural diet).

If you need help with any hoof issues, feel free to reach out for a consultation or to book a hoof care appointment. I offer diet recommendation as a complimentary service to all of my clients. Do not wait until the inflammation cripples your horse. Prevention is always better than cure.

18/11/2025

Natural horse shoe imprints in the now much softer ground. Roll on mud...

15/11/2025

As promised, here's a video with some background information on what happened and the outcome of our training. Your questions, feedback and comments will mean a lot. Thank you for listening.

14/11/2025

What happened here?

I'll be challenging myself to record a video about this situation. I'll cover the subject of rearing horses, some more footage from today and my goal is to post it tomorrow.

14/11/2025

I have spent an awesome week in Canada, the countryside is beautiful. The Old City of Quebec even more so! About a month ago I had the privilege of running an online Paddock Paradise consultation for Écurie Bel-Air. They are in the process of transitioning to natural boarding and adopting the entire wild horse model, naturalising their horses habitat and lifestyle as closely as possible to what nature always intended for the equine species.

I have been saying it for a while now, that the further away we are from the adaptive environment, the more expensive it becomes to recreate it. I am in awe of how committed the owners are to this huge project. It will require time, resources and patience for this paradise to come to life.

In Canada the winter snow and low temperatures are a big challenge. But this biome also has a lot of interim snow and mud. Trust me, I saw it first hand. Then comes the frost and the winter snow, sometimes even up to five metres of it. When spring arrives, the melting snow leaves the fields water logged, which is no exception here. There are plans to redirect the water and improve drainage, but every little step adds up.

One of the most exciting innovations that will be developed in the near future is the run in shelter design, created to support the horses through the winter temperatures. These structures will serve as both feeding stations and loafing areas. I am really looking forward to seeing this part of the project take shape.

While visiting Canada I was also able to help with introductions. Although most horses already knew each other over the fence, we still had a few surprises. Overall almost all the horses are now living together.

If you ever plan to visit the Old City of Quebec, don't miss to book a carriage tour with Écurie. All in all, I think I have had my winter fix for the year!

13/11/2025

A short sneak peak into my whereabouts from the past/this week, visiting Canada. It was such a humbling experience to see that some places have much more challenging terrain to navigate than we do here in the UK with the well hydrated mud. Nothing to complain about anymore 😭 Their wet season has a much more extended transition 😳 Special thanks to team SG Equine Services and for looking after the boys. 🙏❤️

13/11/2025

Made some wonderful friends over the weekend ❤️🙌 more will come soon!