Alchemy Hoof Care

21/11/2023

Openings next week! 815-670-3808
11/27 open
11/28 Elgin
11/29 Oregon

09/11/2023

Openings for new clients next week!
11/13 cherry valley
11/14,11/15,11/16 1hour radius from Rockford

07/11/2023

I have openings in any area 1 hour radius of Rockford this Wednesday 11/8 and Friday 11/10! Thursday 11/9 st Charles and maple park!

28/10/2023

One of this weeks trims!

20/10/2023

Availability next week for new clients!
10/24 within 1 hour from Rockford
10/25 Stillman Valley
10/26 St. Charles
10/27 DeKalb Plano

18/10/2023

Openings this Friday October 20th, near East Troy Wi. PM me!

12/10/2023

Openings for new clients in October! Barefoot trims and glue on shoes! 815-670-3808

06/10/2023

33 year old gaited gelding! Sound with super healthy hooves!

06/10/2023

One of my favorite trims! Arlo! He stands ground tied and loves his pedicure! 👣

02/10/2023

I have openings this week for trims! Message here or call 815-670-3808

02/10/2023

3 year old mustang gelding, 5 week trim cycle with me since May!

02/10/2023

Cute little pony mare, 5 week trim cycle!

26/09/2023

Oliver versa glue shoes at 4 and 1/2 weeks! Adjusted the break over a bit until he’s ready for his new set next week!

26/09/2023

Pretty 4 year old warmblood!

20/09/2023

Availability this coming week! I’ll be traveling to these areas!
9/22 Winnebago
9/26 Cherry Valley
9/28 St Charles

19/09/2023

19/09/2023

I have some openings for new clients in the next few weeks! 1 hour radius from Rockford IL Barefoot trims and glue on shoes! 815-670-3808 or PM

11/09/2023

Here's a 5% off coupon for your first order at Custom Equine Nutrition. To accept, use my referral link:

Check out our supplements and receive 5% off your order.

09/09/2023

👣

"Wow, you didn't even have to use your nippers! I guess that he didn't really need a trim yet, huh?"

As the summer winds down and we enter fall in this part of the world, we may see a slowdown in hoof growth and these kinds of comments come up every so often. The misconception is that a trim is simply to remove excess growth on the hoof - but that's actually not the case.

Our goal as hoofcare providers is to keep the horse comfortable and sound. We want to work to get the foot to function at its best, so the joints, tendons and ligaments up the limb can stay healthy for years to come. Our trim is about balance, equilibrium, and hoof health, not just removing gross length.

The last thing we want is to wait until the hoof growth is causing detrimental effects to the internal structures to try to remedy it; instead, if we can keep the foot at its optimal balance, then we can get ahead of issues before they start.

That means that often, our trims should even look fairly minimal. Finding a cycle length that allows us to do "less" actually allows for more targeted changes to the hoof capsule. Big changes don't just make for a nice looking before and after photo, they can have knock-on effects every cycle as the horse adjusts to new angles with the adjustments.

I always say one of my favorite things about hoof rehab is "suggesting" to the foot where I want it to be. If every cycle I'm doing two nipper runs to get the foot back to baseline, I'm probably not making much progress over time.

So next time you feel there wasn't much that needed to be done to the foot, consider whether it was truly because the hoof didn't need it, or whether it is actually simply keeping the foot comfortable and in balance with where it will function best. It's not about what we trim, but often about knowing what NOT to trim.

26/08/2023

Booking trims for September! PM or call/text 815-670-3808
Available to add stops this week!
8/30 Cherry Valley
8/31 St Charles

31/07/2023

Setting up appointments for August! PM or call/text 815-670-3808

27/07/2023

Heel first landing with glue ons!!

28/06/2023

👣

22/06/2023

He’s so handsome!! New set of easy care versa glue shoes today! 👞 🐎💙

14/06/2023

Novara got a new set today! She’s loving her shoes and is moving beautifully in her lessons!

07/06/2023

Booking new clients! 815-670-3808

03/06/2023

Oliver got a new set today! This is his right front hoof with the shoe before glue was applied! He loves his versa glues!

26/05/2023

Accepting new clients for June! Call or message 815-670-3808 to schedule!

23/05/2023

Pretty 3year old ottb! Before and after!

19/05/2023

Lovely Ottb, pulled shoes, trimmed and measured for glue on shoes! Fit with some Cavallo boots for the time being.

19/05/2023

3 year old mustang gelding named Trinity! Before picture is hard to tell because of the limestone, he was pretty long. So well behaved for his trim!

19/05/2023

3 Year old mustang! Such a good boy for his first trim with me!

29/03/2023

5 week before and after, plus a snapshot of him and his owner in their lesson! 💃🏻

29/03/2023

Very informative podcast focusing on the health of the ottbs hooves! I’ve worked with throughbreds off the track for 20+ years! I look at these horses as more of a rehab case when they first come to me. So many changes happen when they are first retired it can be quite overwhelming. Their diet, movement, and hoof balance are the most important factors of transitioning to insure they will be relaxed and happy when working undersaddle. My new RRP horse Oliver will be featured here on my page as I’m currently transitioning him from racing plates to barefoot!

Featuring Alicia Harlov of The Healthy Hoof. Recorded March 2023

27/03/2023

Booking clients for April 2023!
815-670-3808

24/03/2023

Booking new clients for April 2023
815-670-3808

No hoof no horse!
3 pictures, 3 very different horses
Big heavy warm blood
Light trakehner
Big b***d ottb
All with beautiful BAREFOOT feet!
And yes ottbs can be barefoot, I’ve owned many, fresh off the track (including the horse in the 3rd picture). It takes patience and consistency! 20 years ago I would have slapped shoes on every one of them because of their thin soles and low underrun heals. Now my goal is to transition them to barefoot and build a stronger more balanced hoof from the inside out!
Diet+movement+balanced trims

24/03/2023

Roxy before and after!

14/03/2023

It’s been about a year now that I switched my horses over to a forage based diet and I will never go back to processed grains! If you are looking for a mineral to add to your horses forage diet I highly suggest this brand! My horses hooves have never looked better, and they have dapples in their winter coats!

Here's a 5% off coupon for your first order at Custom Equine Nutrition. To accept, use my referral link:

Supplements specifically formulated to provide nutrients most deficient in your horse's diet. Everything your horses need, nothing they don't.

14/03/2023

8 year old ottb, Fredrick!

14/03/2023

A recent trim, ottb gelding. Definitely need to work on my camera skills!