Queen of Hooves Equine Podiatry

06/02/2025

How lovely be sent this video of cheeky chappy Ziggy, a lovely little old man whose recovering from laminitis.. his owner has worked wonders to help his recovery be as smooth as can be. He's a lucky lad! (Shared with permission from his owner)

05/02/2025

Mud, glorious mud!

It’s winter, it's Cornwall, it’s wet and windy and there’s mud everywhere!
But what can be done about it?

Mud has its benefits, although when you have nothing else it is hard to see the perks!
If you are transitioning from shod to barefoot, having a soft turn out area will be great for your equine’s hooves, it also has a cooling effect so helps those who might have some heat present.

Sadly there are more con’s, it’s a sign of damaged ground, if it freezes when it’s churned up it can be quite the hazard. If it is deep it can cause injuries, and if it is shallow and slippery that’s also a problem! And frankly it’s not a trimmers friend!

Mud causes damage to tools, so ideally if you can, present your horse for trimming as clean as possible, personally I’d prefer towel dried rather than washed off, as once my clothes and equipment is wet it tends to stay wet until the end of my day. However I understand a lot of people don’t have access to the drier areas to be able to keep their horses clean so I always carry a towel and ‘socks’ for feathers.

Mud also causes damage to feathers, hair round the pasterns, and eventually damage to skin (mud fever) prolonged exposure to mud is not good for any equine. But it also isn’t good to be washing mud off every day and getting legs wet constantly. In an ideal world bringing horses ‘in’ on to some type of bedding to allow their legs to dry naturally is the best option. Or even if they have access to a yard or area of hard standing where they can hang out and the mud will dry naturally and can be brushed off.

There are many, many products available on the market for prevention and treating of mud fever. Some are available from the vet, most equestrian outlets and even some natural products too. Not everything will work for every horse, and prevention is definitely better than cure!

Here are a few products I’ve used in the past for both prevention and treatment:
(as always consult with your vet if you need more support)

Horse Leads MudMaster
Lincoln Muddy Buddy Powder
Sudocrem
Nettex Muddy Marvel Barrier
(New Product) Biteback products Mudbar plus.

There is also the option of turnout boots, which can provide protection against mud, although I would advise having at least 2 pairs to be able to put dry boots on each time to prevent rubbing.

In short there are so many options available it may take some trial and error to find the correct one, and I would always recommend patch testing any ‘new to you’ products before use.

03/02/2025

Kicking off 2025 strong with a 3 part post!

Shetlands..often known by another name, Sh*tlands..

Everyone either has one or knows someone who does. And I think they are great! As an owner of 2, one bought as a youngster and one a rescue I wouldn’t be without them. They are a vital part of my herd and the herd agrees. Mine are incredibly fortunate, they get treated for the most part, the same way as my bigger ponies, with a couple of necessary differences.
However some are not. I’d like to tell you a little bit about a couple of my client’s ponies. (permission granted to share pics and info)
This will be a 3 part post!!

Firstly, meet Graham! He was in a home, which met his needs, to a degree. He was fed and exercised. (loose, followed another hacking)
However certain things went amiss, handling, and hoofcare! 2 very vital things for any pony, let alone a shetland who was prone to getting laminitis! When I first met Graham mid last year he was very adamant I was a threat to his safety. He would swing any and all legs at me, and if I was close enough he’d try with his teeth. Most people would laugh it off as cute, and while yes I suppose it is.. It’s also very dangerous, as although those feet are tiny they pack a punch if they connect with the wrong bit!

His new owner has worked so hard with him and now he enjoys being handled and we are doing extremely well with his hoofcare.
At the beginning, his poor feet were incredibly neglected. His heels were so horrendously long and upright and very nearly touching! It was impossible to even see what was going on with the frogs and bars let alone get tools in! The first few visits were hard, trying to find a balance between doing what I could to make the poor chap more comfortable, whilst not scaring him too much or taking too much too quickly. (A whole other battle!)
By my last visit, mid December (6 weeks schedule) we had made some good progress, I could now see he had some laminar wedge growing out, a lot of sole to exfoliate, and bars running all the way around his frog!

This was the trim that highlighted for me the need to write this post. It has taken us some time to get to this point, and yes no doubt others would have done things differently. However I wanted to always work to Graham’s level of comfort. That was a level priority with getting his hooves into a better condition.

Feb rolls around and he was trimmed this last weekend. Wow what a difference. He came up to see me without throwing legs, took treats straight away and stood beautifully for his whole trim! I managed to use all the required tools, adjusted his frogs and was able to reduce the height of his bars to clear some of the sole which was stuck. Luckily nothing was trapped underneath! His hind hooves are now completely clear of laminar wedge and a lovely shape and some really strong structures coming down in the new growth. His front hooves still have a way to go, but the new growth is coming down at a lovely angle and looks really well connected.
Graham has really fallen on his hooves in more than one way! His owner has plans this coming year to ensure he is never at risk of developing laminitis again, and we will work together to achieve this!
I’m so incredibly grateful to his owner for allowing me to share their story and to help illustrate the incredible importance of not only routine hoofcare, but handling too!
The moral of this story is yet to come.. But all will make sense after the next post..

31/12/2024

Happy new year to all my clients current and new in 2025.
I look forward to continuing our journeys together!

Will be posting my 'new year niggles' tomorrow.

18/12/2024

Beds, beds, beds...

Where do you start? Banks, pellets, bales, mats or no mats..

There are so many choices on the market nowadays, but did you know certain ones have better effects on hooves?

Some bedding types can be extremely drying to hooves. Whilst this can be beneficial it can also be detrimental. Confusing right?

Below I've listed the most common ones and their pros and cons..

Shavings:
-Absorbent for urine,
-Can be too drying and can cause cracks if the horse is going from extremely wet fields to dry stables, (nutritional issues obviously contributing factor here)

Matting:
-BVA are soft and good for joints
-Hygienic and easy to clean.
-However if you don’t mat the whole stable can cause unevenness and issues in the joints with horses who like to stand in the same position to eat.
-Urine can get underneath and be hard to clean if not joined together.

Straw:
-Is cheap
-Can be eaten so it can add calories if horses are on a restricted diet.
-Ammonia smell is potent as not at all absorbent, and can also be dusty.
-Does not provide a stable base and moves around so horses can end up with pressure points.

Wood pellets:
-Gives a firm soft surface,
-Drains well,
-Again can be too absorbent sometimes.

Miscanthus:
-It is absorbent, but a good amount.
-Can be quite solid and provide a good base.
-Can get trapped in white line if there are issues,(nutritional or white line damage ie laminitis)

Paper & cardboard:
-Not absorbent and smelly,
-While useful it is not the best.

Peat or natural bedding:
-Rarely used nowadays
-Neutralises urine
-Absorbent
-Good for feet and joints.

The main problems with bedding are that urine softens hoof horn, so ideally you want something which has some absorbance to avoid this and also to prevent lung damage from inhaling ammonia.

Faeces are what cause infection in the hoof if they are compromised.

There are various topical treatments you can use to help deter this.

I know a lot of horses are required to be in for longer periods now winter is here so let's all try to make the experience as good as we can for their hooves.

As you can see there are plenty of choices, something to suit everyone's budget and time constraints. You have to find the one that works best for you and your horses.

Hopefully the above will help you to make an informed choice.

11/12/2024

Winter Wednesday Tips

Rugging riddles…

Where do you even begin?
Should you, shouldn’t you?
What weight, what type, what colour?

None of it really matters to be honest! What matters is what works for the individual horse.

A good example of this would be my daughter’s native pony, a Bodmin moor type. She hates the rain! She has been known to stay in the open access barn for days on end if it’s wet out!
But pop on a 50g and she’s out battling all weathers! You’d think with her coat she’d be fine, but she says otherwise! Then on the other end of the scale you have my old native (no longer with us) who whilst he could have done with a bit of extra help, refused point blank to even entertain the thought!

Rugging has its pro’s and con’s. A useful tool when used correctly. For those who are working and need to be clipped to replace their natural coat, or for the older horse whose internal furnace isn't quite working as it should, or for those with a medical condition.

Most horses when left natural can cope well with a temperature fluctuation between 0-15 degrees.

Some handy tips for you..

The best place to check the temperature of your horse I find is under their armpit, or behind their withers. This gives you a good base line. If they feel warm to the touch they are probably too hot. If they feel damp they are likely far too hot & sweaty.

If in doubt as the weather is so changeable, I prefer to slightly under rug and provide extra forage for the horse to warm themselves up, rather than over rugging and the horse being too hot.

No fills are no point. I used to think they worked as just a waterproof layer, however now I know better, they flatten the coat meaning horses aren’t able to trap air in layers between the hairs.
A 50g works well as provides some warmth.

The higher the denier the more waterproof the rug. A 1200 is generally pretty waterproof against most weather.

Layering works well, if you’re short on time and drying space, chuck a no fill on top of your usual turnout rug, they dry quicker and means you aren’t leaving your horse dripping wet all over a dry stable.

The best way to dry out a rug is on the horse! If it hasn't leaked right through, and the horse is still dry, the heat they create whilst eating overnight will dry it out nicely, and let’s be honest who wants to change into cold PJ’s!

The bottom line is, you know your horse best, treat your horse as an individual. Regardless of whatever anyone else says or does.

07/12/2024

Some of you may know my daughter is home educated, i've donated a free consultation for the advent draw.

These guys are leading the charge to getting an exam centre here in Cornwall.

Please have a look at the campaign and buy a ticket if you can there are some great prizes!

04/12/2024

Wednesday Winter Tip...

Forage = Fire

Most people know that burning fuel creates heat. But did you know that horses eating forage creates heat too. Isn’t that cool?!

There are so many types of forage which you can provide for your horse, some of these include grass, hay, haylage, and straw to name the most common ones.

During winter most horses and ponies kept in traditional settings will need to spend more time either in stables or on hard standing / dry lots. It is crucial they have access to some type of forage at all times.

If you are fortunate to be able to control when your horses change over to winter routine, you can allow them to adjust to the change in diet slowly, by introducing more of the forage whilst they are still out grazing for example. The grass quality generally drops after the autumn flush has passed. Grass stops growing once the temperature is under 5’ consistently.

Horses are always producing stomach acid, so as a result need saliva to keep this at a manageable level. Chewing forage helps with this process. If your horse does run out they can manage for up to 4 hours, after this it will cause some discomfort, which left long term can cause ulcers.

Gut microbes are responsible for fermenting the fibre in the horse's gut, which in turn produces the heat. The more fuel goes in, the more fire comes out.

I know there will be people who say, ‘ yes but my horse needs to be on restricted rations’ and there is a way around that too. You can slow down the consumption rate by using hay nets, or hay balls, you could swap a portion of hay out for good quality straw as an alternative. (ensure this is done gradually and a plentiful water source is available.)

I hope this gives you a little more information on how forage really can equal fire, and inspires you to help your horses have an easier winter. You might even save some money!

25/11/2024

Starting next week 4th December I will be sharing my Wednesday Winter tips.

A series of informative posts designed to help make winter a little bit easier for both the humans and horses.

Some topics I have in mind to discuss are forage, rugging, hoof care tips, bedding and feed.

Is there anything you would like to me discuss? Or do you have an itching question which you'd like help with?

Drop me a comment and I'll see what I can do..

16/11/2024

Knowing how to take your horses pulse is something that should be commonplace. When taken regularly it can give you a great baseline to know 'normal' for your horse. This can help to indicate when there is a problem in the hooves. It gives you the best chance to offer prevention rather than cure.
Another brilliant resource available over at Hoof Geek

Taking your horse’s digital pulse is a really easy way to monitor what’s going on. I’d argue that checking the pulse every day is even more important than picking the feet out. We pick the feet out to check them. So add taking the digital pulse to your daily routine.

You should be checking for the strength of the pulse, not the speed. (How much force is being applied to your fingers)
The pulse should be difficult to find, and faint if you do. A strong pulse is a sign that the circulation to the hoof capsule is impaired.
The speed is roughly half the speed of a human pulse – this surprises some people. (28-44 bpm)
Make sure you’re breathing when you take a pulse. For some reasons many people hold their breath, and this makes it harder for you to feel… must be the anticipation! :)

If you’re not sure where to take the digital pulse, or you struggle with your horse's feather you will find the ‘How to Take A Digital Pulse’ Guide in the Hoof Geek Academy FREE resources that will explain what you need to know. Find out more, here https://hoofgeek.com/free-resources/

15/10/2024

My books are now open for taking on new horses in the below area.

If you want a more holistic and whole horse approach with regard to hoof care please feel free to contact me.

Happy to answer any and all questions.

N.B if you are outside this area but still interested in my services a travel charge may apply but please contact me for a chat.

15/10/2024

Have you seen this wonderful service from Finer Forage - Naturally Better Horsefood just when I thought they couldn't get any better!

03/10/2024

Sometimes it's not always about perfection but progress..

Today marks the final case study appointment for my lovely Eriskay pony Shona..

It's been both a journey, and a learning experience, but the end result is she is happy and has a more functional hoof for her needs.

I will now be carrying on with the plan to continue on her path to better all round horse health..

Thanks go out to Debs Crosoer for her part in not only my case studies but my whole journey..

30/09/2024

It's been a busy weekend.

First set of shoes removed post exams..
(Yes I passed! More to come on that later)

All my Isle Of Wight clients visited and trimmed, and everyone making some nice improvements.

A fun ride on one of my clients horses, was lovely to feel his rock crunchers going across any and all terrain with no concerns from him.

And a bit of a detour today to trim a new clients pair of lovely cobs..

Now to relax before I sign off my final case studies later this week!

(Picture of my dodgy plaiting skills.. something I don't practise clearly 🤣)

12/09/2024

As part of a standard consultation we will have a discussion about your horse/pony/donkeys diet.

Diet is so important for horses as we know everything that goes in has an effect somewhere and most things end up affecting the feet!

I'm a great believer in only recommending things I agree with and I'm pleased to say I am now an affiliate for Finer Forage - Naturally Better Horsefood

Not only is it species appropriate right across the board it is run by the amazing Essential Equine Nutrition by Nia Cooke MSc Animal Nutrition who is always on hand to answer any and all questions.

They have a range of natural supplements for most ailments.

If you are thinking about changing your horses diet (slowly, of course) and are wanting to give Finer Forage a try before you buy. I now carry samples of all of their base chaffs.

I have a referral code for anyone wishing to change their horses over to FF feeds.

(Yes I do receive a perk for everyone that uses my code, but the biggest reward for me is seeing how much of a difference a change in diet can make to those hooves!)

06/09/2024

Started some revising this evening.. thought nutrition would be a juicy topic to get into!

As part of the Areion Academy ep course we have been privileged to have access to the nutrition course made by Nia Angharad Cooke over at Finer Forage - Naturally Better Horsefood

It's available to purchase on the Areion Academy website for those among us who really like to get into the fine detail of things! It takes a deep dive into anatomy and how it all works, alongside really breaking down the ideal equine diet!