McAllister Farrier Services

14/11/2023

It takes a team to keep them healthy and sound.

I had such an amazing time at Equine Affaire MA, and met thousands (yes, literally thousands!) of awesome horse owners wanting to chat about hooves, track systems, pathologies and lameness, and even possible podcast guests. To all of you I was able to meet- thanks for stopping by! I enjoyed talking to each and every one of you; it’s always so fun to meet more hoof geeks ☺️

There was one thing I noticed, that irked me a little, when talking to some dealing with lameness issues, and I’ve been mulling on it a few days thinking about whether to write a post on it. Well here we are.

As people would come up to browse at the Doppelhoof or a cadaver limb or Paige Poss’ anatomy books, Vova or I would ask if they’re dealing with hoof issues. Most would say yes, some would say no. But some would say, “no, I’m dealing with farrier issues.”

When expanding on that comment, there seemed to be a lot of people convinced that 100% of their horse’s issues were due to the farrier’s [trim, shoe job, etc].

Now let’s get this out of the way - are there uneducated hoofcare pros out there? Sure. Are there people who need to do more continuing education and learn more latest research? Of course. Are there newer hoofcare pros who need more time and practice to hone their skill? Always.

Looking at pictures of my own trims from 8 years ago and I shake my head.

But for every comment made about “this farrier just ruined my lame horse’s feet,” I can only imagine the other side of the story… the hoofcare pro saying, “I tried for months with every tool in my toolbox to get this horse sound and we just couldn’t figure him out…” or “Even just a super conservative trim had this horse walking off sore,” or “the feet didn’t respond in any way they were supposed to when we did [XYZ].” Or even “that horse had a metabolic related founder that wasn’t being controlled and nothing I did could get the feet in line.”

There is not one person who wakes up in the morning and sets out to “ruin feet” or lame horses. We all set out to do the best job we can with the knowledge we have at the time. Most of us got into this profession because of a lame horse or a desire to help other horses, and there will always be a time that we come to a horse that doesn’t fit the textbook.

Now sometimes is that knowledge insufficient? Sure. Sometimes does a horse need someone with a different set of skills or experience? Of course. That’s true across the board. We all have our comfort zone and strengths and weaknesses. Some are more comfortable with certain disciplines of performances horses. Some thrive working on founder and laminitic cases. Others love navicular puzzles. Some are just happy doing maintenance work and keeping horses sound that way.

Not to mention that sometimes, it’s not anything the farrier is doing or not doing that is causing issue. A metabolic problem or incorrect diet can cause excessive toe growth. A founder/rotation case most often grows a ridiculous amount of heel. Foundered minis can grow literal Coke can stilts.

All of those issues are controlled with proper diagnosis, diet and management, but can sure make a hoofcare provider look silly when that management isn’t in place.

Now, I’m not trying to let hoofcare pros off the hook and I’m not trying to throw owners under the bus.

I just would love owners to open a dialogue with their hoofcare pro about what they see, but also be willing to listen if that pro is thinking there is something else going on.

The amount of pictures I saw this weekend where an issue like a long toe or high heel was blamed on a farrier but the pictures strongly suggested rotation, or metabolic issues, with chronic event lines, flare, and deviation from growth at the coronary band is just one example.

Now owners- this doesn’t invalidate your experience with your hoofcare pro. You should work with someone you are comfortable with (and believe me when I say, we only want to work with people who trust us and are comfortable with us. It limits our compassion fatigue and burn out and makes our job much more enjoyable!).

But just remember that we all have the same common goal. We want to help horses. We want to see our horses sound and comfortable. If you come at conversations that way, it will go better than the “blaming” route.

28/09/2023

We’re heading into that time of year .

HOOF ABSCESSES EXPLAINED

Sooner or later, nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean?

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over the course of time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great.
(The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.)

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

Read more about hoof abscesses on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/hoof-abscesses or better yet consult your primary veterinarian for more information!

28/09/2023

25/04/2023

Hi everyone! Spring/summer is right around the corner which means my schedule gets very busy. Here’s a few reminders.
🦄Watch out for the spring grass coming up , this is prime laminitis time, slowly introduce horses to it if they haven’t been on grass all winter and limit your horses time on it if they are sensitive to it(speak to your vet if you are unsure).
🦄If you need to reschedule please let me know as soon as possible so I can fill your spot . I completely understand that unexpected things happen like being sick.
🦄let me know if you have any changes to your planned appointment, if you want shoes or not makes a big difference in the time I plan for.
🦄 Have your horses ready to go for your appointment time.
🦄 As we head into warmer weather the flies will return, please have fly spray handy.
I appreciate all of you !!
Thank you and happpy trails 🦄

20/10/2022

The rain is making its return to western Washington this weekend , after a long dry summer the grass is going to start popping up like spring. Be careful as fall laminitis can be a real problem for some horses.
Here are some of the warning signs.

09/09/2022

True, don’t wait until their feet look bad before getting them taken of.

"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.

03/08/2022

Interesting information on laminitis.

For some owners, their horse's laminitis seemed to have come "out of nowhere."

The thing is, up to 90% of laminitic cases are endocrinopathic/metabolic - so we know that diet and exercise play a HUGE role in prevention and recovery.

And of course, there is the other 10+% whose founder cases aren't endocrinopathic. These can be caused by a SIRS reaction to a toxic w**d, high fever, illness, colitis, retained placenta, etc, or an injury that results in supporting limb laminitis from overweighting a non-injured limb.

Each of these instances requires a different approach to rehab.

So how do we determine what caused the laminitis in the first place?

That is where working with a veterinarian is invaluable. Bloodwork to determine metabolic status (checking ACTH levels for PPID, and insulin levels for EMS) can help to clue into the cause on the vast majority of laminitic cases.

After that, troubleshooting can come down to the individual horse. Some metabolic horses are more sensitive than others, so if a generic "low sugar" diet doesn't seem to be working, don't rule out endocrinopathic laminitis just yet. The ECIR forum online can help pinpoint dietary triggers for metabolic horses. And remember, just because it's marketed as "low sugar" doesn't mean it is safe!

You can't treat the symptom without identifying the cause. While you're implementing the ECIR emergency diet to be safe, pursue diagnostics to determine if your horse is dealing with metabolic laminitis, SIRS laminitis, or supporting limb laminitis, and go from there.

To learn more about how to approach each kind of laminitis case, check out the laminitis episodes on The Humble Hoof podcast. The episodes with Dr. Van Eps and Dr. Taylor especially go into how to rehab metabolic vs. SIRS vs supporting limb:
https://thehumblehoof.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=Laminitis+

If you know you have a metabolic laminitis case, this episode with ECIR members will help explain what's going on and how to manage it!:
https://thehumblehoof.libsyn.com/managing-the-metabolic-horse

23/04/2022

It’s so important that your horse stands well for the farrier. Here’s a short but informative video about the internal structures of the hoof.

05/04/2022

It’s that time of year again, please be careful with the spring grass.
Here is a good explanation of laminitis.

Repost •
Spring is a wonderful time of the year, but it may be the beginning of some serious problems for horses vulnerable to grass founder — like horses that are over the age of 10, easy keepers, overweight or cresty-necked.

Laminitis or founder, as it is commonly called, is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot. Laminae are the delicate, accordion-like tissues that attach the inner surface of the hoof wall to the coffin bone (the bone in the foot). A horse suffering from laminitis experiences a decrease in blood flow to the laminae, which in turn begin to die and separate. The final result is hoof wall separation, rotation of the coffin bone and extreme pain. In severe cases, the coffin bone will actually rotate through the sole of the horse’s hoof where it becomes infected and can ultimately end in the horse having to be euthanized.

Laminitis can be triggered by different causes, like repeated concussion on hard ground (road founder), grain overload, retained placenta, hormonal imbalance (Cushing’s syndrome), obesity, and lush grass. In cases of grass founder, the sugar fructans produced by rapidly growing grass stimulates an overgrowth of bacteria in the horse’s large intestine. The bacteria produce and release toxins (endotoxins) that are carried by the bloodstream to the foot where they cause damage to the laminae and small blood vessels.

The best way to deal with laminitis is preventing and managing the causes under your control. Consult your equine practitioner for further information and to formulate a plan tailored to your horse's individual situation. If you suspect laminitis, consider it a medical emergency and notify your veterinarian immediately!

Learn more about grass founder on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/grass-founder
•

02/02/2022

Something a little different today, this dressage horse wears Easyshoe urethane shoes on her hind feet.
She needed hind shoes but her owner was concerned about her possibly kicking her other older horse out in the pasture so we gave this a try and she loves them. They are extremely durable we can usually get two shoeing cycles out of them, they are flexible and give a lot of support and protection.
Thank you Shonnessy Gilmore and Allie for being wonderful clients!

08/12/2021

Every horse I work on I’m always working towards a healthy hoof. Some may take longer than others but with help from the owners and a regular trimming schedule we can get there.

04/12/2021

Today I put front shoes on this huge beauty, Murtie is a Belgian draft x Shire. He was very well behaved for having shoes put on for the first time. This was also the first time for me putting shoes on a draft of this size. Yes it’s a lot of work !!

28/11/2021

I love this hoof development video, year in the life of a foal .

24/11/2021

I worked on a new rescue today. Not too long ago this horse was completely untouchable, with a huge amount of patience and hard work from her handler we were able to trim her front feet for the first time. We have a way to go but this was a fantastic start.

19/09/2021

27/08/2021

I worked on a new horse at the rescue today, I love being able to help these horses and make such a difference in one trim.

13/08/2021

It’s true, you’re welcome 😂

Literally, free of charge

21/05/2021

😀 why do they loose a shoe on a Friday afternoon?

It’s Friday!!!! And you know what’s the plan for the weekend 🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️😂😂😂

(Picture-Fran Jurga-Hoofcare.blogspot)

08/05/2021

It’s that time of year.

❗ LAMINITIS WARNING FROM VETS ❗

Vets are reporting that they are seeing a sharp increase in cases of laminitis.

🌦With the majority of the UK experiencing rain and periods of sunshine, this creates the perfect conditions for rapid grass growth.

🐴 Laminitis is an extremely painful condition and can cause permanent damage to the hooves. It affects structures called sensitive lamellae that are located inside the horse’s hoof. The sensitive lamellae form a strong bond to hold the pedal bone in place within the hoof.

Laminitis causes the sensitive lamellae to stretch, weaken and become damaged which can cause the pedal bone to move within the hoof. In extreme cases the pedal bone can even pe*****te through the sole of the hoof which is excruciatingly painful. In such cases, euthanasia is likely to be the only treatment option to end the horse’s suffering. 🌈

Horses carrying excess weight or have a health condition such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) are at an increased risk of laminitis so grazing may have to be restricted.

👀 Watch out for the subtle signs as shown below and if you have any concerns contact your vet.

For further advice, including prevention visit: https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/horse-health-and-sickness/laminitis