Happily Hooved

01/11/2024

Small but mighty

12/08/2023

Love this simple and important graphic. Warch out for your donkey friends this winter (and always)

Baby it’s cold outside! ❄️⛄️

Many people think of donkeys as hardy, low-maintenance “small horses.” However, while they have similarities, donkeys are a completely different species and as such have a different physical, mental, and emotional make-up.

As the weather gets colder, it’s important to remember that donkeys are more sensitive to changes in temperature than their equine friends. They don’t grow a winter coat like horses and their hair is less waterproof, so they require shelter from the elements (like a run-in shed or a waterproof blanket). Being stoic animals, they also won’t show signs of discomfort and hypothermia until they are very sick.

Remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed, and other health conditions, so be sure with your primary veterinarian to address any concerns or questions!
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

12/06/2023

This year in gratitude to my amazing clients and their equines I'd like support the following organizations in honor of Dr. Diane Wagner, veterinarian and human and healer.

These are all Colorado-based organizations that I admire and appreciate the work of ... wish I could add another 100 more as the causes needing support are numerous. It cannot be said enough what a difficult time this is in the world but I hope we can all lend a hand where we can, in person, in money, in action.

In no particular order!

The Cloud Foundation - working to protect America's wild horses and b***os and keeping wild herds in the wild. Also I had the privilege of being Associate Director from 2008-2010 so I know this is a great non-profit! Ginger Kathrens and her team are working for the wild ones.

B***o Base Camp - they are working now to rescue more donkeys and they have grown so much in their work. When we needed a donkey companion for our first donkey, Nicki Creasy came to the rescue by letting me adopt my then untouched b***o. Now run by Kim and Mike Welk and based in Kiowa - this is a great place to volunteer to help donkeys too!

Colorado Horse Rescue Network - I love how they are working proactively and still managing to rescue and rehome so many horses. Some of my clients were rescued by CHRN.

ReDonkulous Ranch - Amber and Brad and their team have stepped up to help a lot of donkeys in serious need this year. I've gotten to trim a couple and seeing their love and dedication to donkeys is inspiring.

Longhopes Donkey Rescue - I love the work they are doing and the care they give to donkeys young and old is unwavering. Always a pleasure to work with them and be surrounded by donkeys.

Thank you

12/05/2023

I just learned that we lost one of the most wonderful humans and a hero to horses and those who love them. Dr. Diane Wagner healed and helped so many horses and just being around her was a gift. I used to block off a whole day to take my horses to her and Britt Harrison for body and dental work so that I could soak up the learning. She is so alive in my heart always. My heart is with her family and friends and all who loved her. She will always be a hero of mine. Thank you Diane.

11/18/2023

Meet my draft mule client, "Donkey" 🥰 Newly adopted by his amazing owners, and already so much better at his second trim. I just need to work in about an extra hour to rub his ears afterwards.

10/25/2023

Grateful to Christina Krueger and both her long and short-eared clients for a wonderful two day mentorship in Vermont last week! Learn more about hoof care and whole equine education from the Progressive HoofCare Practitioners.

01/16/2023

When you wish you were out riding the trails but it is 9:30 at night, dark and icy and bedtime... the dog has to be a Scoot boot model for new colored straps to mark right and left.

01/16/2023

Making key changes can turn your laminitic horse or donkey's life around!

Okay, I guess I'll go on a soapbox roll.

Unpopular opinion: if your horse's current living situation isn't able to control laminitic issues, you might have to move the horse in order to save their life.

Up to 90% percent of laminitis is endocrinopathic - which means it is metabolic in nature, highly affected by hormones, diet and exercise (or lack thereof). This means that nearly every laminitic case needs strict guidelines in regards to diet and turn out environment. It can mean the difference between lame and sound, or even life or death.

The management for a metabolic laminitis case should look something like this, especially if there is any sign of pain:

✳️Remove all grain from the diet
✳️Remove access to grass pasture/fresh grass or even weeds
✳️Remove alfalfa - unless the horse is sound and deemed to be not affected by it
✳️Ensure hay is safe - either by testing it or soaking it
✳️Add in safe calories as needed (unmolassed beet pulp, forage cubes like Triple Crown Timothy Balance Cubes, flaxseed, etc)
✳️Feed essential vitamins and minerals in a metabolically safe carrier
✳️ Involve the vet to pull bloodwork and prescribe medication as needed to control ACTH levels or refractory high insulin

I can't tell you how many times I hear from owners of laminitic horses, whether in person or online, that they "just can't" restrict their grass access, or "but the grain says it's low sugar and starch" (spoiler alert: it probably isn't), or "but it's only a little bit of (XYZ)."...

Side note - when it comes to the barns that say "but there's really no grass out there!" my response now is, "If there weren't any horses in the paddock, would there be any grass? If the answer is yes, then the grass is being eaten... Imagine what the grass would look like without horses on it, and that's roughly how much they are eating."

I get it. It's hard to deny your horse something they love. But we are our horses' advocates, and just like a parent to a child, we have to decide what is best for their health and long term quality of life.

I am not writing this post to make anyone feel bad. I just see so many stuck in a cycle of laminitic setbacks, and sometimes a little push is needed.

Metabolic horses take extra special attention and care, and finding the right situation for them can mean the difference between watching them in pain, and watching them thrive for years to come.

01/15/2023

More beautiful snowy hooves ... this coming two year old warmblood has been on a 4-5 week cycle since last summer to help her grow healthy and well-supported internal structures and the beautiful hoof capsule is the result. No long toes and corrected some upright tendencies in front and pointedness in back toes. Every time I see her she's several inches taller!

01/15/2023

Super grateful to this Gypsy Vanner mare who has overcome some big challenges in her front feet... but yesterday just wanted to share her beautiful left hind. Pre/post trim. Snow prevails so more snowy feet photos!

01/11/2023

Some before and afters - overgrown to better. The snow made trimming a lot nicer this week in this usually super dry (aka rock hard hooves) area.

01/07/2023

Today I tried out a set of FeatherSox from England - yes! They were such a help for trimming my clients, Midnight the Gypsy and Hermes the Drum horse. Midnight also had quite the hairdo when we took them off. It was really nice to be able to see their hooves without hair falling out of all the other options I've tried. ☺️

01/06/2023

Looking forward to helping this older horse recover some healthy hooves. What you can't see in these photos is that his hooves are huge! Luckily he's hugely sweet to work with too. Pre/post first trim, right hind.

01/04/2023

Snow-living winter feet are beautiful and different. I love how you can see the structures in a new light of super clean and super hydrated. Had to take some photos pre-trim and then the last horse and I just made it through before it got too cold in the foggy, frozen cloud that moved in. Brrrr - around 10 degrees F. may be where I don't trim outside without sunshine.

01/02/2023

Happy new year - thank you for the opportunity help hooves and those they belong to

01/02/2023

When your mode of transportation has nice hooves...

12/28/2022

Healing with every step.

12/28/2022

Recovery out of shoes- horses hooves are amazing. The damage metal shoes can cause to both internal and external structures has me cringing but the fast improvement in the external hoof capsule is awe-inspiring.

12/21/2022

Five weeks out of shoes makes a big difference! Right hind warmblood.

12/14/2022

Growing out lamellar wedge in the hinds- very happy with the progress for this lovely donkey. Her owner has her on a good diet and she and her donkey friend have a large wooded and hilly paddock to roam and explore. Added some hoof armor this time to the stretched white line/last 🤞🏼 of lamellar wedge to prevent bacteria or fungus from inhabiting the softer tissues.

12/12/2022

Sunday shenagins- I like to do a little but of pedestal work before heading out to stretch backs and engage upper, middle and lower pectorals.

12/10/2022

Love my newest lil' client!

12/07/2022

Lovely morning trimming at Longhopes Donkey Rescue today! My super husband came along to meet the amazing donks and people that make up Longhopes. He provided applesauce to the senior donkeys I trimmed while they got their hooves done. Not a bad deal on a bright Colorado morning. A nice thing to do on Colorado Gives Day. Not to late to donate either! ☺️

12/05/2022

Staying close to stay warm last week.

12/02/2022

Snowy feet are their own beauty... and a couple cute donkeys of ours at the end just 'cause.

12/02/2022

I'm always amazed at how fast negative plantar angles can resolve... This lovely fellow was just out of shoes on the top in September and is now feeling great barefoot earlier this week. Pretty happy with his three months progress on a mostly five week trim cycle.

11/29/2022

Nothing like a hug/being a headrest for a lovely Icelandic mare to start out the day!

11/27/2022

Farewell center crack! This crack was a result of overgrown hooves on this young mustang but with the "paddles" gone, the hoof can heal as it grows out.

11/23/2022

I got to just saw hi to my friend Dot tonight at the end of a long day when I was at his barn to help another horse with boots. Lots of ups and downs in this work- especially with laminitic and rehab horses - but when they're doing great and are happy to see you and you can just give them a hug (and maybe a couple low sugar treats💕)... well that is just the bee's knees. Golly, I am grateful for equines and this work and my wonderful clients and their wonderful humans.

11/23/2022

The Mustang ambassador program is another amazing nonprofit that I trim for. I'd love for everyone who can to support the wonderful work they do with horses and people check out more on their website: www.map1.org🐴☺️💕🐴 I will also link the giving drive link for this season in the comments below!