Shelly's Equine Care

11/08/2024

🐎🐎 I care when your not there to enable you as the owner peace of mind whilst your away* 🐎🐎
30 years experience in the horseworld*
💯 *Fully insured & DBS checked*
I can provide all care tailored to the owners requirements for Holidays/Days out/ Odd days one offs for whatever reason*
*COVER ALL LEICESTERSHIRE*
* SERVICES OFFERED*
*Bring in/turn out.
*Rug change/fly spray.
*General health check/pick feet.
*Muck out/bed down.
*Bucket feed/hay/water.
*Poopick/check fences.
* ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE PROVIDED BY THE OWNER*
Txt/videos updates if required.
Please dont hestitate to contact me with your horses needs.
07706035064/whatsapp/PM anytime.

04/08/2024

🐎🐎 Pop me a message 🌞🙂 Still have some availability August & September 👌🐎🐎

04/08/2024

Always❤️🐎💯

04/08/2024

LOOK AWAY FROM YOUR GRASS!!! 🌱🌱

Look at your horse more than their environment when assessing their needs.

Just because you can't see much grass in their field, it may well still be growing and you can't see it because they are eating it.

If they are maintaining weight, their droppings are normal, and they're not breaking through fences then they are likely to be getting enough to eat from a paddock.

There are exceptions, but this is a general guide (for leisure horses and ponies).

(Note: this picture is a surfaced track, not a field)
Feel free to share
🐴🍏🌱🌱

23/07/2024

🤔🐎💦💦

HOW CLEAN AND FRESH IS YOUR FIELD WATER TROUGH?!

With this nice warm summer weather, field water troughs can get stagnant and grow full of undesirables.

Regular scrubbing out and refilling helps to keep a clean fresh supply of water for your horse.

There are some other alternatives. Do you use plants and/or fish or any other intervention to keep yours clean?

🐴🍏💦

23/07/2024

Such gentle boys ❤️

23/07/2024

Lazy summer days all chilled 🐎🥰🌞 while I 💩 pick 🥵 👍

18/07/2024

Love this time of day 🌞🐎🥰

07/07/2024

URGENT APPEAL TO HELP AVOID LAMINITIS !

It's still about, with all the grass growth!

PLEASE do not believe that sprinkling a bit of this or that (e.g. salt, magnesium oxide, green clay, pre/probiotics, metabolic-supporting herbs) will stop your horse or pony getting laminitis.

Care for your horse and reduce laminitis risk by what you REMOVE from their diet, NOT what you ADD.

Keep your horse healthy and help avoid laminitis by:
1. keeping them slim with low body fat covering (can you feel their ribs easily?)
2. taking action NOW if they're too fat, by reducing calorie intake (grass restriction, soaking hay/adding straw weighing forage etc)
3. RESTRICT their grass intake by area, strip grazing, grazing muzzle or any other strategy

And feed them a well-balanced diet with appropriate salt, minerals and herbs of your choice if you wish.

You will NOT make lush, free choice grass safe by adding minerals or anything else to their diet.

Please help me share the word. Thank you

🐴🍏

05/07/2024

Hi everyone 👋
Please read below 🐎🌞
As always I try to help with holiday cover but availability is getting limited!🐴 I also have a few regular slots available depending where you are... 10mile radius from cropston the areas I cover🐴 fuel charge will be added on price thereafter..
To avoid disappointment contact me ASAP 🐴
Thankyou you all for your continued support and my followers 💯🙏
Please keep sharing 🐎

01/07/2024

Hi everyone 👋
Please read below 🐎🌞
As always I try to help with holiday cover but availability is getting limited!🐴 I also have a few regular slots available depending where you are... 10mile radius from cropston the areas I cover🐴 fuel charge will be added on price thereafter..
To avoid disappointment contact me ASAP 🐴
Thankyou you all for the support and my followers 💯🙏

01/07/2024

I care when your not there to enable you as the owner peace of mind whilst your away*
30 years experience in the horseworld*
Fully insured & DBS checked*
I can provide all care tailored to the owners requirements for Holidays/Days out/ Odd days one offs for whatever reason*
* COVER ALL LEICESTERSHIRE*
* SERVICES OFFERED*
*Bring in/turn out.
*General health check/pick feet.
*Muck out/bed down.
*Bucket feed/hay/water.
*Poopick/check fences.
* ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE PROVIDED BY THE OWNER*
Txt/videos updates if required.
Please dont hestitate to contact me with your horses needs.
07706035064/whatsapp/PM anytime.

01/07/2024

Where would we be without our farmers 👏

THANK YOU, FARMERS MAKING HAY & HAYLAGE!

At this time of year, I like to extend a huge big thank you to all the farmers out there making hay and haylage.

As horse owners, we rely on these hard-working, resilient people who are at the complete mercy of the - unpredictable, often-wet - UK weather to produce our horse's forage.

It was only once I got involved in making my own forage (with the help of our lovely local farmer) that I realised just what was involved. And that included nerves of steel!

The first couple of years we produced haylage from our 10 acres of Wilts pasture I almost had a meltdown, until I learned how to get it as good as possible, and realised the importance of having to hold one's nerve because you cannot control the weather!

As horse owners, we are particular about the forage we feed our beloved animals and it can be frustrating when it's difficult to find what we want.

But now I've seen the 'other side', I have much more understanding (and empathy) for the farmers who make conserved forage, and for what is available to us as horse owners.

I for one, doubt I have the constitution to be a farmer and for that reason I am so grateful to those who do, because without them I'd have no winter forage for my horses!

So THANK YOU farmers, not only for having nerves of steel, but also for working really long hours to get hay and haylage made, which we all rely on to feed our beloved horses and ponies.

Please join me in a big huge THANK YOU!!! 🙏
🍏🐴🙏

26/06/2024

Good advice in this heat🥵🐎

COPING WITH A HEATWAVE

Goodness me, it's 28 degrees here today 🥵

I thought it would be useful to give you all some information about how to adjust your horse's management, exercise and diet if the hot weather has suddenly arrived with you

(Photo is me riding in Spain back in May in about the same temperature, thankfully under cover!!)

> Horses (like us) can struggle to adapt when temperature quickly change by more than 10 degrees, so this sudden change can be harder for them then a gradual increase up to full summer heat
> Turnout overnight ideally, and consider stabling in daytime if your horse's field lacks shade/shelter. Brick or block stables are cooler than wooden
> Don't assume its only exercise that can cause heatstroke - horses with thick coats can overheat outside without shade
> Take your horse's temperature if in doubt - if over 39 deg, you need to cool them, if over 40 they're at risk of heatstroke and you need to cool 'aggressively' with plenty of cold water over the big muscles (vets and physiologists agree)
> Ensure clean fresh water is available at all times
> Exercise your horse during cooler periods e.g. early in the morning or late in the evening (but adjust this to keep them adapted to what they'll face in competition if they compete...e.g.)
> If you are due to compete in the middle of the day, you'll need to adapt your horse to this but do it gradually
> Adjust your horse's exercise routine with reduced duration and possibly intensity too if you're unable to exercise them during cooler periods
> If your horse gets very hot during exercise, cool them with - ideally iced - cold water sloshing or hosing without scraping off (thermoregulation expert Dr David Marlin has studied the research and concludes that scraping wastes time when aggressively cooling and its more beneficial to keep sloshing cold water onto the horse, not scrape off the hot water, which will run off anyway)
> Use sun protection cream for pink noses/legs
> Consider clipping very hairy horses, especially if you find them sweating standing still
> You may need to increase your horse's salt intake in the feed if they are sweating more
> Watch out for feed and/or supplements going off - especially those with a high oil content - which can reduce palatability
> Don't forget to look after yourself too, with suncream, plenty of fluids and shade!

Please feel free to share,
🐴🍏☀️🥵

26/06/2024

Finally 🌞 lazy,dozy herd❤️ while I help there owner with all there 💩🥵 so she as more quality time to enjoy them🙂I have a few regular slots available! Areas from thurlaston to swithland. Pop me a message if interested...🐎

21/06/2024

NEW HAY COULD BE HIGH IN CALORIES & SUGAR!

As we go from last year's late-cut hay (a load of hay was cut in the UK in that sunny spell in September) to this year's hay cut in May/early June, this could deliver a significant increase in calories and in sugar and fructan (water soluble carbs / WSC) to our horses and ponies.

In order to feed enough of a moderate to high calorie/WSC hay, it may need to be soaked. If not, in order to maintain a healthy bodyweight (and healthy insulin levels in ID (insulin-dysregulated) affected horses and ponies) it would need to be restricted too much for gut and psychological health.

Soaking research studies have shown variable losses depending on the composition of the hay (including fibre, maturity, sugar, fructan), volume of water, temperature of water therefore my guidance is to:

SOAK FOR THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO KEEP YOUR HORSE HEALTHY (AND SLIM) WITHOUT RESTRICTING TO AN UNHEALTHY AMOUNT

Rather than sticking to a set number of hours of soaking.

(Some tips for soaking are: max 12 hours, out of the sun, make sure it is not going off, fresh water each time, in as big a volume of water as poss).
🐴🍏

19/06/2024

16/06/2024

Good information 👌

15/06/2024

Hi everyone 👋
I still have some availability for July, August...Taking bookings for September.Nothing available for October already!
Pop me a message 🙂🐎

15/06/2024

Let The TOE GROW - The Impact of Toe Wall Removal on Hoof Growth

When we continually remove the toe wall of a horse's hoof, it can significantly slow down the growth rate. Just like how a damaged human toenail can have stunted growth, the hoof wall can experience similar issues.

When the hoof wall growth slows down, it starts to bunch up below the coronary band. Over time, if this distortion continues, it can act like a tourniquet on the tissues below, eventually causing them to break out.

The junction between the horn and soft tissue gets squeezed, pressure builds, and the horn starts to bunch up.

This leads to ulceration and breakdown of the tissue beneath, similar to how a toenail digging into soft tissue causes inflammation and pain.

The similarity to an ingrowing toenail is striking: in both cases, the hard nail or horn presses into the soft flesh, causing pain, inflammation, swelling, and sometimes infection.

Both conditions are caused by excessive removal of the horn or toenail.

However, the key difference with the hoof compared to the toenail, is that the hoof wall is prevented from growing naturally at a steady rate along with the heels.

Constantly chopping the toes disrupts these growth rates and can result in excessively divergent rings.

A common misunderstanding is that these rings are formed by compression, creating a constricting band around the front of the coronary band.

However, it’s not compression causing the rings to bunch up (the hoof wall isn’t even on the ground) - it’s actually a dramatic slowing down of the growth rate.

The rings remain but don’t travel down the hoof - instead, they become stunted in one place and start to dig into and strangulate the coronary band, leading to inflammation and pain.

Understanding this process is crucial for proper hoof care.

An ingrowing toenail is excruciating because the hard horn is digging into soft tissue at the nail/skin junction, and this is the same with the hoof/skin junction too.

Allowing the hoof wall to grow naturally, maintaining balanced growth rates ensures healthier hoof growth and prevents these painful conditions whilst equines are rehabbing from separation.



HM.

p.s. if you are having your equine's toes removed, join our free rehab group - The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health

12/06/2024

The baby of the bunch (Desmond) showing off his long legs🥰🐎 Dave focused on🤔