Queen of Hooves Equine Podiatry

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!

03/09/2024

Do you own or know a horse with CPL?
Debs over at Hoof Geek is offering a FREE workshop this Sunday.
It will be jam packed full of knowledge to help you.
Even if you don't own one there's no harm in brushing up on your knowledge to pass on to others!

Free Workshop Sun 8pm

02/09/2024

The map below details the area in which I can offer appointments.

Should you be outside this area but still wish to have me as your hoof care provider please get in contact as we can have a chat. (Travel charge may be applied)

I can offer both podiatry and boot fitting appointments in this radius.

30/08/2024

All about me!

My name is Jade and I am the face behind Queen of Hooves Equine Podiatry...
Why the name you ask - well let me tell you.

I have always had a love for Alice In Wonderland, ever since a young girl it has always been my favourite Disney film. The chance to get lost in a world where nothing makes sense but some how everything does!

So when it came to picking a name for my business I wanted to tie my 2 great loves in life - Alice and horses together.

So Queen of Hooves was born.. my logo is a version of the crown the Queen of Hearts wears through the film.

My main goal is to make the wonderful world of hoof care a little bit better for the horses on my books - and make sense of all the information for the owners who love them! Because it can be quite the minefield!

With my training from Areion Academy I hope to provide a holistic whole horse approach, looking at not only hoof care, but diet, management and whole horse health.

My main area of coverage is the Cornwall / Devon border, however I also offer trimming on the Isle of Wight with 6 weekly appointments, and some areas of Devon (where I have existing clients).

If you would like to talk about me becoming your hoof practitioner but are outside of those areas, please still contact me, if I can't help I can signpost you to someone who can!

26/08/2024

I absolutely love the facts Debs has so many resources available for free as part of Hoof Geek Academy. Anybody can access these and there is a great list of options to look through. Not only that but she offers short courses on hot topics such as laminitis..

Definitely worth a look on this sunny bank holiday!

The absolutely worst place to start from when taking a horse barefoot, is when you’ve run out of hoof to nail to. Sadly, when you’ve run out of hoof to nail to, you’re going barefoot whether you like it or not. Regardless of whether your horse is shod or not address the hoof growth problems. It’s really important!

‘Transitioning Your Horse From Shod To Barefoot’ is one of the ebooks available in the Hoof Geek Academy FREE resources that will explain what you need to know. Find out more, here https://hoofgeek.com/free-resources/

25/08/2024

As if I did a big speech about my journey on camera 🤯🤣 not something I usually do but felt I really needed to give Areion Academy credit where it's due. What an amazing opportunity I've had to work with the people, the ponies and the course itself is beyond fantastic..

24/08/2024

Very exciting delivery today!

Some business "uniform" from the amazing Wight Embroidery Ltd Hayleigh has been doing my personalised items for years now so only seems right to go back to her for my first set of business logo pieces!

This alongside the fleece I was gifted from my colleagues in a previous job are the start of my collection.