Hartswood Track Livery

19/11/2022

I’ll keep this brief, but having been asked today, thought it would be helpful to share a professional’s take on the differences.

A lame horse shows discomfort that might be caused by an issue in the foot, or anywhere in the body that causes any kind of limp. It might or might not be be obvious, and in just one limb or multiple limbs. It might not even be visible to an untrained eye. You might just feel something isn’t quite right when riding. You might have no idea! If you think your horse is lame, have them checked by a vet.

A “footy” horse is a horse whose gait is affected by any surface (including tarmac), because the sole is thin, the laminae are inflamed, and as a result of one or both, the horse is sensitive to hard surfaces. This is, basically, a lameness that originates in the soles/solar corium. For example, you walk your horse out on the road, but that little bit of grit by the kerb is not comfortable, and your horse only strides out when you move onto the verge or away from the kerb. Or your horse’s movement is short and careful, because he’s doing his best to avoid discomfort. If you think your horse is footy, it is important to figure out why and address the cause. Even more so if the footiness is a new thing. Talk to your hoofcare practitioner (not your confidence coach/Sally from Iowa), and always keep them informed of changes in comfort.

An unconditioned foot is one which simply isn’t used to a surface. For example, you wouldn’t do man vs horse on something that came out of shoes yesterday, regardless of how healthy the feet look. Or your horse might be fine on most surfaces, but that lump of stone in the middle of the yard car park could well be enough to make the most stoic of horses’ eyes water. If he is gradually exposed to coarser surfaces which condition the feet, chances are he’d stomp over that stone like a wild mustang. But when he lives in a grass paddock and all his exercise is on a rubber ménage, should you really expect anything less without regular, gradual exposure?

18/11/2022

Sometimes, what owners worry about when it comes to their horses' feet and what farriers worry about when it comes to the horses' feet are not the same.
I will sometimes receive texts from a concerned owner with a picture of a small chip at the end of a cycle, but another cycle they will somehow neglect to tell me that their horse was footsore over stones recently when it hadn't been before..

Some of the most common "owner concerns" I see online or in person are:

✴️Wall chipping: although chipping isn't ideal, usually it won't cause much issue for stronger walls. Often this tells me that the horse either needs a shorter trim cycle, or a change to their hoof balance.

✴️Frog shedding: In wet seasons, sometimes I see an entire frog come off in one piece. Often owners worry this means something is wrong with the frog - don't worry, this is often completely normal!

✴️"A weird growth on the top of the hoof" (aka periople): I can't tell you how many times someone has asked me what the "stuff" is underneath the hairline. Think of the periople like your nail cuticle - it protects new growth as it comes in. Sometimes, especially in dry seasons, it can grow a bit farther down the wall than we are used to. Sometimes when the weather changes between wet and dry, we can see some weird periople changes, or even "flaps." It is usually completely fine!

✴️Waterlogged heel bulbs: Heel bulbs that seem to suddenly become white are often soggy heel bulbs that have had contact with a boot of some sort. Let them dry out a bit and they will be okay!

✴️Thinking a horse "just doesn't look due": Usually when an owner thinks a horse hasn't grown, really it just means they haven't chipped.. which is a good thing! We don't want them to chip or look grossly overgrown when it's time for a trim. Our goal is to keep them in balance, not chase after distortion. Sure - there ARE cases where a horse doesn't grow much foot, but 9 times out of 10 the hoof actually IS due for a balance adjustment.

These situations usually aren't a cause for concern for me. Of course, it depends on the horse and the circumstances, but overall these "issues" are simply cosmetic or a misunderstanding of how the hoof grows and naturally adjusts through seasons.

So what DO I worry about?

🚩Hoof sensitivity or changes in comfort: I don't want to see any of my client horses sore over ANY terrain - especially if it is a sudden change! This is a big red flag to me that the diet, trim, or metabolic management might need adjustment. I never want my horse owners to just accept hoof sensitivity as "normal."

🚩Abscesses: Abscesses are often a huge symptom of something unhealthy going on. A strong foot shouldn't get stone bruises or abscessing - see my last point. If the horse is throwing abscesses, especially if it seems to happen a few times a year, I want to know if the diet needs adjustment or if the vet should step in for some metabolic testing.

🚩Chronic event lines: the wall of the hoof should be smooth overall. Diet changes, fevers/illness, metabolic issues, etc can cause something called an "event line" to show up on the wall as it grows out. This can reveal to us a period of inflammation, although by the time we see it it's often in the past. When I see a series of event lines showing up on the wall, I know something is continually affecting the health of the foot. With that, I worry about something more sinister down the line, such as the risk of laminitis or founder, if the source of the event lines isn't found. Don't ignore them!

🚩Sudden changes in sole appearance, white line health, etc: If the horse's sole is typically concave and suddenly seems to flatten out "out of nowhere," or if we suddenly can see a stretched white line or fit a hoof pick between the wall and the sole, I know something is going on. OR, if a flat foot suddenly has a "sucked up" in a drastic ridge of concavity, I assume the soles have revealed that they are extremely thin. These all warrant further investigation.

Educating ourselves on what might be a red flag and what might not be can help catch early warning signs before a real issue starts.

16/11/2022

Quietly relaxing in each others company 🥰

12/11/2022

The Dartmoor ponies amongst the sheep, you almost can't tell who's who!

10/11/2022

"Excuse me, are you taking a photo of my bottom?"
What a lovely one it is. New boy Leo settling in nicely with the old girls 🥰

10/11/2022

The track is holding up not too badly with the amount of rain we've had over the last few weeks ⛈️

02/11/2022

This is our idea of tucked up in bed. The door is open for them to leave when they want to. We have some exciting introductions this month with two gorgeous geldings joining the mares ☺️

02/11/2022

So glad to have so much dry/hard ground for the horses to dry out in all this rain! Must be a record for how much we've had recently?!

02/11/2022

There may be a storm blowing outside, but the horses can wait it out in the shelter of the barn ⛈️

02/11/2022

Our boy Hero, always keeping watch over the barn. Never see a mouse or even evidence of them!

01/11/2022

With temperatures of 15°c in November, the grass is still very much growing and not safe for those sensitive to sugars or weight gain.
Track systems allow those equines to live a normal life, free from confinement and limited rations of soaked hay.
Horses are happier and healthier on a grass free track meaning their body will function better to prevent the cause of laminitis and many other ailments. The list is too long!

30/10/2022

We think that track systems are helping horses so much, gain better overall mental and physical health.

But we really want to salute those people who have created their own tracks and more so those extremely dedicated individuals who have opened up their yards / tracks as naturalised livery yards.
It takes a lot of courage to go against the norm and put a huge amount of time and money into projects like this.
But the most forgotten bit is the amount of time and dedication to detail it takes and the serious risk of burnout, as these individuals are generally very driven and single minded and will also lose sleep on a regular basis and I know that they also generally have to supplement their income in other ways while they are try to run these places.
They will receive criticism on a daily basis and have to constantly defend their position.
So if you have your horse at one of these exceptional places, please give them a shout out here and tell others about how well your horses are doing?
Let’s put a lot of positivity back to them 😊

And if you have a track or track livery please post details here so we can let more people know about what you do😊

The track system in the picture below is one that I built by myself about 20 years ago, so we have a good understanding of paddock paradise/ track systems 😊

26/10/2022

The two old girls keeping the herd together. These two will never leave for another yard, always here keeping watch over their friends ❤️

26/10/2022

Retirement available for horses aged 10+, mares and geldings welcome.
Shelter, forage, friends, grass free, relaxed environment

22/10/2022

Giving the foals the time to adjust without feeling trapped. They have an outdoor area as well as a large pen adjacent.

21/10/2022

It's been a bit quiet on this page as I've been busy with these little cuties. Last Thursday, late evening these beautiful little Dartmoor foals arrived directly from the Chagford Drift Auction.
Most of them are ponies that were about to go through the ring unsold. The two pictured here are the youngest but all are less than six months old. They go through such a horrendous ordeal at the auction and often only split from mum in the sale process. These foals had a few days peace in the field to recoup before the socialising started.
A week on and 3 out of 5 can be scratched/groomed but the oldest two are still struggling to trust us. It's early days so any progress is good progress.

08/10/2022

Two old ladies, a thoroughbred and an Arab all enjoy the tranquility of the sun today ❤️
1 DIY space still available for the right horse, ideally 10yrs+ mare or gelding to join our barefoot track lifestyle

05/10/2022

Beautiful thoroughbreds 🥰 It is not true that thoroughbreds have bad feet so can't go barefoot!

03/10/2022

Queenie 22yrs and Bumble 25yrs 🥰 Both enjoying retirement free from stables and growing some lovely winter fuzz

01/10/2022

Quickly posting this before people forget how to relate to it

01/10/2022

We're taking a little break between liveries leaving and new liveries moving in to do some tidying up, so now is a good time to ask for a look around if you want your horse or pony on a track but not sure how it works. Limited DIY spots still available for the right horses 🐎 You only need to visit once a day for DIY
Always happy to chat about individual requirements, health issues/meds etc.

01/10/2022

Fresh lick of paint for the feed room and the dog 🤦🏼‍♀️ If you've ever met Gus, no explanation needed 🤣

28/09/2022

If you prefer an amble through the woods rather than open moorland, Lydford Forest offers long hacks on surfaced tracks if you prefer to stay clean 😊

27/09/2022

I read an advert for "barn livery" today. It used sentences such as "keep your horse out of the weather and tucked up in the dry".
👀 Is this sort of thing actually popular?
Horses are equipped to deal with rain and cold. Given plenty of forage and some form of shelter, horses can deal with our temperate climate very well. Being out in the fresh air with their herd moving constantly is surely better than being dry and stood around on a deep littered bed for months.
Pictured here is a 25yr old TB, happily out 24/7 and only lightly rugged in the worst wind and rain

27/09/2022

Is your yard restricting turnout for winter?
Our horses never get restricted turnout here!
They can choose whether to be in the shelter of the barn or outside feeling the crisp air.
There are vacancies for full/retirement and DIY for the right horses to join the herd.

27/09/2022

Hector arrived in May 2021 when a current livery bought him as a backed 4 yr old. He'd been stabled a lot or turned out with little grass or forage.
Hector now leaves the track to live with his mum full time looking a new horse from who he was when he arrived just over a year ago 👌

27/09/2022

Stopped to pick up a hay net and couldn't miss the abundance of rosehips, hazelnuts and hawthorn berries on the ground ☺️ That's good eating!

26/09/2022

Rosehips growing on the track for horses to help themselves. I will also be collecting some from other trees around the farm for the horses to have when out of season. Rosehips are powerful antioxidants and have natural tonic properties and are often fed to horses for their beneficial effects in supporting joint health and suppleness. They encourage healthy hoof growth, and the high levels of Vitamin C aid the immune system- also a must for human consumption ☺️

25/09/2022

25/09/2022

The beautiful hacking right outside the gate. No road work to get here. The roads are fenced off to keep the livestock from the roads so hacking couldn't be any safer. I can admit I have personally separated from my own herd bound ex polo horse once or twice and she has safely gotten straight home 🤣
DIY and full care packages still available on a quiet and friendly yard.
Indoor school, large airy barn with lights, storage, individual pen for feeding/grooming, older horses most welcome 💖

24/09/2022

This little guy has gone home to live with his mum today, I will miss tidying his afro and booping his snoot every morning ❤️ He leaves with perfect little hooves fully recovered from laminitis 👌

23/09/2022

I'd just like to talk about "rain scald/rot" for a moment as I often hear people asking advice/treatment.
The most common reasons for rain scald are;
1. Over grooming your horse. Soft brushes will strip natural oils from their coat as will daily grooming to keep them clean, shiny and grease free 🤣 Yes clean horses are lovely, but not natural! Horses get muddy and greasy for a good reason, which is to give themselves protection from rain, wind, flies and many other conditions they have to cope with.
You don't need to brush your horse to check them over, just use your hands. Magic brushes and a metal shedding blade are all I use through winter to break up the mud when riding.
2. Rugging a damp or sweaty horse! If they're wet, just leave them to it. Years ago I invested in "cool heat" rugs. They are absolutely fantastic and I would not be without them. You can throw them on a sopping wet horse and know they will dry off and get the protection from further wind and rain. Definitely look them up if you like to keep your horses as natural as possible.
As for sweating, you can keep them warm by feeding and lib hay. Horses will easily eat twice as much hay on colder nights which will ferment in their hind gut and warm them from the inside. Horses living out and able to do their own thing will be able to keep warmer than those stood in a stable. I see far more hot, rugged horses than I do shivering ones.
3. A low immune system combined with the above.
Any reasons you've found feel free to add!

23/09/2022

Some things were made for the convenience of humans and not for the health of horses.
The use of metal shoes needs a massive rethink, especially when we know that there are far more healthy options with modern sports boots.
Make the change!

21/09/2022

Had a lovely day out in Bude this week and just wish my whole track could be made of this ☀️

20/09/2022

DIY/assited Track Livery Space
£220 pcm (discounts for small ponies and minis) includes forage and feed, owner will need to visit once a day and help with poo picking and hay nets. Mare or gelding up to 17h, calm/older types preferred to live with calm, older mares. Direct hacking on to Dartmoor. Large barn for shelter and storage, indoor and outdoor school and safe riding round private fields.
This is a barefoot yard and lifestyle, help and support with transitioning from shod is available with myself and an equine podiatrist.

18/09/2022

Old girl Bumble snoozing the morning away in the sun.