"Bare Your Sole" Natural Hoof Care

05/24/2022

I've trimmed a handful of laminitic ponies in the last week already!

Hoofcare is a funny job where just when you feel like the feet on your books are doing fantastic, something silly like spring grass can sneak in there and make you question your career 😂

But on a more serious note - this last week the horses that I see on a tight diet and no access to lush pasture have had the same solid feet I know and love. But a lot of the horses I have been coming to that are eating fresh spring grass all day have been popping up with a host of issues - whether it's as "innocent" as some white line separation, crumbling walls or hoof sensitivity on stones all of the sudden, or as serious as abscesses or outright laminitis.

Please keep an eye on your horses right now - especially your "easy keepers"... The sugar in the grass might be affecting them more than you realize, and a lot of us are starting to see the consequences in the hooves...

Consider pulling horses off grass if you are seeing hoof issues start, or only grazing in early morning hours when the sugar is lowest. Make sure that the rest of your diet is tightly balanced, with good levels of copper, zinc, magnesium, and salt, to help with healthy hoof wall and laminae connection. For more information on how to safely graze your horse, check out safergrass.org. If your horse is having laminitic issues, please join the ECIR forum online at ecirhorse.org!

03/28/2022

03/28/2022

Once, a client remarked how good their horse was standing for me because she had bit and kicked the last farrier. I was on the third hoof.

Once, a client told me their horse had "gone through a few farriers." Another farrier told me later that horse kicked their tools halfway down the barn aisle.

Once, I finished trimming and the owner said "wow, I didn't want to tell you this until we were done, but he kicks."

Once, I had a horse kick out while I was working on their front feet. Owner was upset I wouldn't trim the hinds. I told them to go pick up a hind and show me how they do it. They got kicked in the process.

Once, or twice, or ten times, I asked a potential client upfront if their horse stood well for the farrier, scheduled a first appointment, and then found out that is a lie.

These are the stories that flash through my head when people complain about farrier prices or difficulty in finding farriers.

Our job entails a lot of work - administrative work, continuing education, hoofcare, communication, our own inner work to remain present and soft in the presence of horses....

I place my safety in the hands of other people to a certain degree every time someone holds a horse for me. The horse(s) and owner are a package deal. If you don't have your farrier's safety and best interest at heart, you should understand what really goes into this career.

It is never, ever worth it to work in conditions that give you a bad feeling. I have made mistakes and nearly gotten seriously injured a few times when I ignored my gut instinct and kept on going.

If your horse is struggling to stand safely for your hoofcare provider, ask them for suggestions. Have the vet out. Hire a trainer. Handle their feet regularly yourself. Offer pain meds or sedation for appts if needed.

Farriers need to work smarter, not harder, for our work to be sustainable and we can only do that if the client is interested in being a part of the team.

~Corrie

03/23/2022

Whenever I see a horse with lingering unresolved hoof issues that is older than 10 years old, I recommend asking the vet about a TRH stim test to check for PPID/Cushing's, even if just to rule it out. Sometimes when I say this, I have owners that seem so scared of this idea - they really don't want to entertain that their horse could have PPID. I wanted to address this, because PPID truly isn't something to be scared of.

First - a few facts.
✳️PPID is an issue with the pituitary gland which causes the body to not properly regulate the hormone ACTH in the body. When this goes unregulated, it can result in bodywide issues - topline loss, difficulty holding weight (especially in the fall), poor hoof quality or hoof sensitivity, excessive drinking or peeing, being slow to heal, eyesight issues, behavioral changes, etc. Sometimes it's just one symptom. Sometimes these symptoms only show up in the fall. A long/"curly" coat is often one of the LAST signs after years of disease.

✳️PPID is a progressive disease, and the earlier it is caught, the easier it is to control and slow the progression. Dr. Andrew Van Eps recommends testing yearly from age 10 with a TRH stim test to ensure it is caught early.

✳️Horses that are properly diagnosed and treated can resolve their symptoms, and with adjustment in their treatment as needed, can live long productive lives. I have seen horses who grow in tight hoof wall, better sole depth, and are no longer footsore once on proper treatment.

When I am struggling with a tough hoof rehab case, I can honestly say I breathe a slight sigh of relief if we discover a PPID diagnosis. Not only because it is great to have an answer, but because PPID is completely treatable/manageable. We have effective treatments now, such as pergolide and cabergoline, and we even know ways to mitigate side effects from these to allow horses to feel better while titrating onto the medication. Treatment can put an end to the nagging problems your horse is dealing with, and well managed horses can live for years (and sometimes even decades) after a positive diagnosis.

Photo of a client horse with PPID that is now successfully comfortable barefoot, has resolved his topline issues and weight issues, and is back in work after getting a proper diagnosis in 2020 and receiving proper treatment ♥️