Natural Neddies Equine Podiatry

20/11/2025

Transitioning horses out of shoes is very much a part of my job. However pulling the shoe and applying a cookie cutter approach, one size fits all trim,straight after pulling shoes can have devastating consequences and can often leave the horse lame and in pain. This is why I only ever pull the shoes and round the edges of the hoof, then return five weeks later and assess the whole horse, before making any decisions on how I will balance the foot.

Thankfully this trim has been carried out on a cadaver leg and not a live horse, however neither can talk and tell you if it’s comfortable or in pain!

I can tell you from my own personal experience of my own feet and body problems, it can make a huge difference by taking such dramatic balance, posture and conformational changes in one go.

When I was training to become an Equine Podiatrist, we were covering our lameness and pathology model and looking at how remedial and orthotics impacted the body, we walked around with heel extensions, wedges etc and noted the change in our body and or pain. I then decided to remove the orthotics out of my shoes that I had been wearing for a number of years for my flat /collaped arches in my feet as it wasn’t natural and my feet had always been that way. Less than a week later; my back went and I was in extreme pain and off work for nearly ten weeks. My body couldn’t cope with the extreme changes in my balance.

We need to remember that there is a body attached to the foot and any changes we make to that foot could have dramatic consequences, the difference between us and the horse is we have a voice and can say if we are in pain. I’m not saying do not remove the shoe, I’m saying consideration for other factors need to be taken into account and just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should in every circumstance.

Welfare is my number one priority for every one of my cases and I always take my own valuable lesson in overall physiology when approaching how I will rehab the horse.

Luckily I took a screen shot this morning of the post as I’ve been blocked from the page and my comments deleted from the thread! I only asked a genuine question! See my screen shots below!

13/11/2025

Early (star) of the week! Ruby or other wise known as Satans child. Ruby has been quite a challenge to trim up until this week. She may be the smallest equine on my books but she certainly is mighty! We think that prior to my lovely clients getting her, she’s probably had very little hoof care, if any! Tiny ponies are actually hard work to trim as they are so low to the ground. I usually bend on one knee and get down to their level, but unfortunately trimming her like this, was like taking on a Front Row from the England Rugby Team! For my safety and Ruby’s stress levels we’ve been trimming her sedated until now. We decided to try without this time and she was absolutely golden to do, just goes to show what a bit of time and patience can achieve! Well done Ruby ⭐️

07/11/2025

Just look at these! All the comfort of regular fusions but a low profile fit! Now in stock The Hoof Boot Shop!

The NEW Equine Fusion Trailblazer Jogging Shoe is in stock, and available to purchase from the website NOW! 🤩

(Don’t forget to check the size chart as they are a little different from the current Equine Fusion sizing)

👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

https://thehoofbootshop.co.uk/store/hoof-boots/p/equine-fusion/trailblazer

23/10/2025

Starting to look a bit like a pro after 10yrs in the trade!

18/10/2025

Rehab job coming on nicely. 3 months difference in photos and X-rays taken approx a month ago. Now landing heel first in walk without boots and pads. Still a long way to go but I’m optimistic for this gorgeous little mare 🙂 Left fore then Right fore. Note the balance on the X-rays, this is why they are so important, your eye wants you to take the lateral height. Balance to the live sole plane and hair line not your eye if you don’t have X-rays to hand!

16/10/2025

An added bonus is you get me as a lecturer! Only a couple of spaces left! Starts this January! Highly recommend

06/10/2025

Love this post

"Hoofcare isn't rocket science," I have often heard people say. The implication being that it isn't hard to do.

They are right. It isn't rocket science.

It's biomechanical engineering.
It's trigonometry.
It's physics.
It's advanced biology.
It's living sculpture.
It's geometry.
It's psychology.
And, above all else, it is art... because sometimes all the mathematics in the world aren't enough for the horse. And it is our job to hear them speak when they tell us they need something different. Something more than what we expected.

They are right. It isn't rocket science. We aren't sending anyone to the moon, or to space.

Instead, we are improving the lives of those here on earth, right now. Those without a common tongue to tell us what they need. Those who suffer at our hands more often than we want to admit. Those who we try our best for. Those who try their best for us, always.

No, it isn't rocket science. It is so, so much more.