Hoof Matters

21/09/2024

19/09/2024

FREE Resource!

Do you struggle to recognise the signs of sub-clinical, acute or chronic Laminitis and EMS?

'Identifying Laminitis & EMS - A Self-Help Guide' is our FREE digital self-help guide, that we hope will provide you with the confidence and ability to identify the signs of Laminitis and EMS, helping you to make informed decisions on your horse's diet and management.
Included in this free download of 10 pages:

🔸️ A brief explanation on what Laminitis and EMS is
🔸️ The 3 stages of Laminitis and the symptoms or signs at each stage
🔸️ The symptoms or signs of EMS
🔸️ Images and diagrams for a visual understanding
🔸️ Our recommended resources to help you with the next stages of your horse's journey

Grab your free self-help guide here - www.pb-paddockparadiselivery.com/shop

17/09/2024

Exciting things are happening for Dom all around 🫶

The picture on the left was taken on the 11th of June, before his first trim with Hoof Matters.

Dom had previously put down a lot of sole due to a lack of movement, one of the main reasons he joined us in the first place. He'd also been left with high heels and a long toe, so he's been kept on a 4 week trim cycle.

We're seeing a tonne of growth in between trims now which is brilliant. The picture on the right is from his trim today, and just look at the different shape of his hoof in a short 4 months!

There's still some improvements to be made but all in all, we're on the right track.

17/09/2024

"Can I take photos/videos of my lesson or schooling session?"

Of course! I wont lie, I hate the sound of my own voice, so yes I do cringe internally for that sole reason 🤣 (daft I know!) but videos especially are valuable learning tools and great prompts for reminding you what was worked on.

Sure, not all images will be pretty. Horses in training are not always aesthetically pleasing, some will be shocked to know! 😱 Same goes for riders. And sure, sometimes I come out with some absolute nonsense... my days are long. Words are hard ok!
And I'm also very certain that someone somewhere will disagree with something I say or do. The internet is a great and terrible thing after all. BUT that doesn't mean you can't take and use those videos.

Be proud of your journey. Be proud of improving. Keep even the "bad" videos, you'll enjoy looking back one day!

And if you see something you aren't sure about? Please ask 😊 Sometimes, things look a bit weird if you don't understand them. That's ok! Just ask. Especially when schooling, I often get into the zone and forget to (or can't!) narrate what I'm doing. But give me a verbal poke and I'll explain.

We've entered a sad era of the internet, and it doesn't need to be that way. Let's make use of this wonderful technology, let's make use of the wealth of knowledge out there. Every day is a learning day after all!

16/09/2024

Perfection in the hoof of a wild horse

10/09/2024

One of the great debates amongst the track community has always been whether or not shod horses should or can be kept on a paddock paradise track system.

Before I dive into this topic, I am going to be talking about this in two lights so please bear with me, it’s a bit of a long one.

Can a shod horse live on a paddock paradise track system? Absolutely. Track systems offer an abundance of benefits outside of the topic of hoof health, such as increased movement, adlib forage and a species appropriate diet, herd living and enrichment. By fulfilling these essential yet often deprived needs, it’s common to see an improvement in anxiety and stress related behaviours, an improvement in weight management and muscle definition, better gut health, joint health and overall, create more confident, relaxed horses. Tracks are also used to prevent, manage or rehabilitate certain equine health problems, which depending on the problem, for example obesity, can be helped with or without shoes.

However, there are safety concerns when it comes to keeping shod horses on a track. For example, most owners primarily use hay nets to provide their adlib hay to reduce waste and slow down consumption, so you would need to be very careful about getting nets caught around shoes. There is also the matter of keeping shod horses amongst barefoot horses, particularly those with hind shoes on, and the risk that they pose should they kick out at another horses despite it being a completely normal behaviour. Many owners of barefoot horses will refuse to mix shod and barefoot horses amongst a herd for this reason. If I am being completely honest, whilst I understand these safety concerns, they have very little to do with why I personally don’t think horses should be shod on a track system.

So, let’s now discuss why I feel horses kept on a paddock paradise track system should be barefoot only.

The phrase ‘track system’ can be used to refer to a paddock paradise but is more so associated with a watered down version with more relaxed principles due to the owner’s circumstances, limitations or own beliefs. The paddock paradise, a concept created by Jaime Jackson, is one of the 4 pillars of natural horse care which are as follows: a reasonably natural diet, natural boarding, the natural trim and natural horsemanship. To write a long story short, we use all of these 4 pillars to create sound, healthy and happy domestic horses.

Although I dismissed the importance of hoof health earlier to discuss the other benefits a track can provide, it really is such a crucial part of their overall health and wellbeing. From shock absorption, balance and strain on the above soft tissues to a healthy rate of hoof growth and poor quality horn, the use of shoes directly impacts numerous areas of the body due to the distortion or restriction of function in the hooves. For example, a contracted hoof is a breeding ground for thrush and in my experience, is often the cause of heel pain and diagnoses’ such as navicular syndrome. In a horse we rehabilitated over at PB, this had a monumental affect to the tightness throughout his body, his ability to stand straight or comfortably and of course, the pain he was experiencing that lead to out of character behaviours. Once the shoes were removed and he was transitioned to barefoot using the natural trim, we saw all of these issues subside. He unfortunately isn’t the first or the last rehab case to be heavily impacted across the body thanks to the use of the shoes.

Not to mention, the reason people typically shoe their horses are for issues caused through flaws in their management or diet, which tells me that your horse is indeed not at full optimum health nor completely sound. A horse that needs shoes for stones in the white line, or is footy, or ‘wears his hooves down’ doesn’t quite have the right diet in place nor other contributing factors such as movement. The hooves aren’t the only place problems within the diet appear but are normally just easier to read or pick up on. A horse with hoof issues related to diet will still be experiencing inflammation and stress in other aspects of their body and lives.

All in all, yes, a shod horse can benefit from being kept on a track system and I would 100% prefer a shod horse to be on a track system than a paddock. However, my opinion is that using a concept that was created to provide full optimum health in our domestic horses, just like they truly deserve, should be used to do just that. If we want long-living, happy and healthy horses, we can’t cherry pick what that means and ignore the consequences by doing so. My controversial opinion – a horse in shoes is not at optimum health, nor is given the chance to be.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

09/09/2024

We're proud to now be offering a track system grass removal service for horse owners struggling to get rid of stubborn grass on their track system, leaving it instantly usable afterwards.

This does not involve surfacing of any kind, but simply turning your track into a grass free, dirt track with machinery suitable for small or large areas. Please keep in mind, this will not stop your grass from growing if not maintained.

We're based on the Staffordshire, Shropshire border and happy to travel long distances, with expenses covered at £1.00 per mile (one way).

Please get in touch if you think we can help or visit the link below for more information - www.pb-paddockparadiselivery.com/track-services

09/09/2024

My approach to pathology is always the same. I ignore it completely! I don’t dive into it with pseudoscience and I prefer not to use it as my battleground.

It’s there, obviously! And I acknowledge it for what it is, but I don’t carry it with me in my work. I find it boring, tedious and not really helpful.

What we need is a vision of health. An understanding of what is possible and how to communicate with all life around us. Without this understanding, we are and will remain unconnected.

What do we really know about the chances for recovery until we try? It can take a long time for horses to fall apart and it can take an even longer time for them recover.

Allow them time.

If you can simulate wear and the hoof responds by growing or releasing hoof mass, then you’re good to go. Step by step, horn tubule by horn tubule.

Envision health and trust the bodies innate capacity to heal and the mind to overcome. There are no guarantees in life, but when life is alive and kicking, we can’t quit on it.

When you simulate natural wear on the hoof, you are communicating with the various growth coria and when these coria respond, you’ve got a chance at healing!

The same thing goes for changing the environment of the horse, their diet and the way we handle them. It is all communication and all communication is, and should be - directed at the biology of the species. Never in opposing directions!

When all YOU KNOW fails, I understand why people “pull the plug” on an animal. Fortunately I’ve been blessed to have learned to trust the unthinkable and I hope you will too!

Second trim for this pony at the rescue centre we work for in Mallorca. His movement is still very stelty(if that’s a word) and it will obviously take a long time for feet like these to improve, but improve they will!

Stand fast, keep it natural.

08/09/2024

Asking the questions that I think need asking, despite how uncomfortable...

For a community that claims to love their horse’s unconditionally, it’s heart-breaking to see so many of them being loved on the premise that they can be useful, beneficial or perhaps only with the promise of talent and rosettes. When did it become acceptable to treat living, breathing creatures as if they’re disposable and easy to replace?

Even when I speak of said love, so much of what I see is our human desires, comfort or convenience forced upon animals with their own completely separate set of needs and wants, disguised, morphed or shaped into looking like we have our horse’s best interests at heart. Horses are treated like ‘royalty’ yet spend so much of their short lives isolated away from other horses, their bodies functioning off unsuitable feeds, restricted in something as simple as free movement and suffering from the mental torment of living lives forced upon them that leave them unsatisfied, alone and afraid. Our horses get no choice, we determine how they spend their lives.

Here are some examples of what I have come across where our horse’s needs are being squashed by convenience, desire or human emotion:

“My horse is too expensive and can’t be turned out with other horses because they’ll injure themselves.” In reality, your horse has all this pent-up energy as a result of being an animal made to move and socialise, being forced to stand alone without enrichment or movement. £1.00 or £10,000.00, their needs are the same.

“My horse has to be stabled, it’s yard policy.” If it’s yard policy that your horse has to stand around in a stable for hours on end, then I would find a yard better suited to your horse’s needs. However, this is often met with ‘it’s only ____ minutes from home’ or ‘no other yards have a menage or arena.” A classic example of prioritising ease and desire.

“My horse has to be shod, I ride on roads.” Whilst this is a complete misunderstanding of what it means to be barefoot and stay successfully barefoot, even if this wasn’t the case, shoes are used to hide poor diet, trim or management so that they can continue to be ridden regardless of the effects.

There are many more examples, but I won’t bore you with a long list of phrases I’m sure you’ve all heard before. I do understand that many of you have horses to enjoy, ride and spend time with, I just don’t think it should come at the price of their mental and physical well-being.

If we love our horses unconditionally, why is our love so often destructive?

I have also seen horses being sold and passed on from pillar to post for no longer performing one too many times. Even for those that are no longer able to work or become unwell or old but are still cared for, it’s weird to think that keeping ‘field ornaments’ is somehow wrong. What happened to loving horses because they’re majestic, emotionally intelligent and beautiful animals and not because they provide some sort of service or job?

So, I’d love to know. What is your definition of loving your horse unconditionally?

08/09/2024

Better Than an Insurance Policy

"Why pay the vet later when you can prevent chronic disease now?"

Horse owners often rely on insurance policies to help cover the cost of vet bills when their animals fall ill, particularly with chronic conditions like laminitis. But what if there was a way to prevent these diseases altogether? What if, instead of reacting to illness, you could take steps to ensure your horse remains healthy and vibrant throughout its life?

This is where Natural Horse Care (NHC) steps in. Unlike traditional approaches that focus on treating symptoms after they appear, NHC emphasizes prevention—addressing the root causes of common ailments before they develop into costly health issues.

The Hidden Costs of Chronic Disease

Whole Horse Inflammatory Disease (WHID) is one of the most common and devastating conditions in horses, yet it remains relatively unknown. In fact laminitis is a symptom of WHID. It is a chronic condition that underlies many of the symptoms we recognize in horses. During states of inflammation caused by imbalances in the hindgut, harmful bacteria travel throughout the body, slowly damaging soft tissues and organs.

This condition can lead to severe pain, such as during founder, requires expensive treatment, and can ultimately lead to euthanasia. While insurance may help with the financial burden, it doesn't address the heartbreak or the ongoing risks. Relying on treatment after the fact is like putting a bandage on a problem that could have been avoided.

Consider the cost: Insurance policies may cover vet bills, but they do not guarantee your horse’s well-being. The physical and emotional toll of chronic illness is something no amount of money can truly compensate for. Natural Horse Care, on the other hand, empowers you to take control of your horse's health, reducing the need for costly interventions and enhancing your horse's quality of life.

Treating chronic illness doesn’t just drain your wallet—it can stifle your finances, making any significant changes seem like an impossible task. We know this from experience, and now we also know there’s a better path—a path to health.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

But prevention isn't just a concept—it’s a practical, everyday approach. NHC promotes the idea that simple, natural practices can prevent the onset of chronic diseases. By focusing on proper nutrition, 24/7 access to movement, natural hoof care management, and creating a more natural living environment for your horse, you can significantly reduce the risk, if not eradicate it completely.

As Hippocrates wisely said, “Prevention is better than cure.” This timeless principle is at the heart of NHC. By addressing the core needs of your horse and creating an environment resembling their natural habitat and lifestyle, you are investing in long-term health. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, you can create an environment where your horse thrives naturally.

The NHC Approach: Practical and Powerful

Implementing NHC principles isn't complicated. Start with a diet that mimics what horses would naturally eat in their adaptive environment, such as that of U.S. Great Basin wild horses. Follow the AANHCP Recommended Diet and adapt it to your individual situation. Provide access to regular movement, as a horse's body is designed to roam, forage, and stay active. Use Paddock Paradise as your boarding model, and turn your horse's paddock into a paradise. And perhaps most importantly, be proactive in recognizing signs of WHID before they turn into full-blown health issues.

By prioritizing these aspects of care, you’re doing more than saving money on vet bills—you’re giving your horse the gift of a healthier, happier life. That’s something insurance policy simply cannot offer.

A Choice for Better Care

In the end, the choice is clear. Insurance policies can help in times of crisis, but wouldn’t it be better to avoid the crisis in the first place? Natural Horse Care offers a better solution—one that prioritizes your horse’s well-being every day. So why wait to pay the vet later when you can prevent chronic disease now? The Four Pillars of NHC provide a complete framework for your horse’s health. By choosing this path, you’re choosing a better, healthier future for your equine companion.

You can learn more from NHC literature found on www.jaimejackson.com

Reach out to one of our practitioners, or contact us directly www.isnhcp.net/pages/nhc-practioner

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26/08/2024

Something we recommend to all of clients is to buy a note book or diary and start recording everything about your horse. This is particularly helpful for those with horses that are poorly or have ongoing conditions.

We recommend you note down:
🔹️When your horse was wormed or vaccinated
🔹️ If they have started a new medication, short or long term
🔹️ Changes in feed, hay, salt and supplement
🔹️ Changes in environment such as a new companion, use of a different field or track system, or a change in turnout
🔹️ If or when the neighbouring fields have been sprayed with any chemicals

The above should be recorded in addition to:
🔸️ Any new event lines on the outer hoof wall
🔸️ Periods of footiness or attacks of Laminitis
🔸️ Puffiness of the eyes or swelling of sheath or udders
🔸️ Weight fluctuations, loss or gain
🔸️ Blood in the white line, bruising, thrush or abscesses
🔸️ Changes in behaviour
🔸️ Skin conditions, allergies, coat changes and so on

By keeping a diary or notebook of all of these things, we take away the guessing work in solving any issues that may arise. For example, if a a single new event line has formed, we know from looking at the diary that there's nothing of too much concern if it's only the one and can be linked to something like a change in hay. We can also use this to explain changes in behaviour or inflammation when trying new feed and act accordingly.

Here are our 'Health Trackers' that we have recently had made for some of our clients.

24/08/2024

One of the hardest pills to swallow as horse owners, and understandably so, is that sometimes our horses don’t like us. I particularly see this in our line of work as a paddock paradise livery and this harsh reality can be upsetting for many. I want to talk about why this may be happening.

In a traditional horse-keeping setting, horse owners are required to make constant decisions on behalf of their horse. This could look like their turn out schedule or feeding regime, their exercise or how often they can move freely outside of their stable. Perhaps it’s what their day consists of completely, the level of enrichment they’re exposed to or what’s stuck to their feet. Our horses are forced into routines that they have no decision in, their life moulded by our own schedules, believes, budget or something as simple as the yard rules.

When we make that jump from traditional to track life, it is life-changing for our horses in a way that we can only begin to imagine. Suddenly they have bodily autonomy, the ability to make decisions for themselves and a level of connection with other horses that they are typically denied of for the majority of their lives. Many begin to heal from years of damage, stress, inflammation or pain. Whilst the majority of us owners try to do our best for our horses and we can only keep learning, our horses can easily associate us with any pain, discomfort or isolation that they have experienced as the result of our decisions, regardless of our intentions. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen a horse ‘rebel’ against its owner after being allowed to live in a way more aligned with their needs.

I’m here to tell you that it’s okay that your horse doesn’t like you right now. In fact, there’s beauty in the fact your horse can choose to avoid you or can choose to spend time with their friends instead of coming to call. Many horses do not get this choice, and many never will. If you’re experiencing this right now, know it will pass with time and the consistency of this lifestyle. Please don’t let this put you off continuing to use a track or making the jump to start one, because it truly is a sacrifice on our behalf that they are worthy of. Relationships can be rebuilt, stress can be reduced, anxiety can be worked through, and positivity can be created but the freedom of choice is only accessible to your horse should you allow it.

Have you experienced this?