Murphy Hoof Care

01/19/2025

Take a lot of hoof pictures?

It can be hard to keep track of which hoof is which in the gallery, and adding a custom engraved hoof block is the perfect way to help organize those progress photos! Each block will come marked with each of the 4 feet and can have your logo or name added to the top! These are quick and easy to use juat by rotating, durable for many years of continued use, and small enough to easily pack away. They will be finished with natural oils and then varnished before shipping out!

09/04/2024

A little rescue rehab this morning! This lovely lady had some serious pain and behavioral issues that led to her not being able to be trimmed for quite a while. Today was her day! She now on great a pain management plan and that allowed us to work with her, drug free, to get her feet back to a balanced state.

08/29/2024

Did you know that MANY horses can benefit from glue on shoes? Did you know that they're not just for therapeutic cases?

Check out the EasyShoe Speed on this Endurance gelding! He needs a little extra protection on rough terrain and the Speed offers him just that. With integrated frog support and added traction, he's going to be pretty happy to cruise down the trails in these.

12/31/2023

Meet Marlie! He's a sweet, off track thoroughbred gelding that was having some comfort and balance issues with his feet. His owner reached out in an effort to find someone who could help get him more comfortable after hitting a plateau with his progress. These pictures were taken roughly 12 weeks apart. The only change in Marlie's management was hoof care. Feed, turnout, work load, and everything else remained the same.

So what happened and why does he look SO different with only 1 change? Discomfort in horses causes a boatload of issues all throughout the body! Because his feet were uncomfortable his posture was poor which caused tense muscles and increased pain. That resulted in a compromised ability to move around adequately on his own and graze as much. Additionally, when horses are in pain their body doesn't utilize nutrients properly and they're unable to maintain a healthy weight. By balancing his feet and getting him shod in a package that promoted comfort, he was able to adjust his posture, relax his muscles, move and graze more, and is now a LOT more energetic. We still have a long ways to go to get him 100% comfortable, but his rapid changes were shocking to everyone involved in his care.

Since our last visit his owner has reported that he's never felt more balanced under saddle and that "this dude now thinks he's truly ready for the races"!

Happy New Year everyone! Definitely looking forward to a Balanced and Comfortable 2024!

12/25/2023

10/27/2023

As we receive our torrential downpour, this came around in the feed again. Muddy and/or wet conditions are not safe to work in. Only thing worse than a muddy leg is a freshly washed leg. If you can't keep your horse dry or allow them time to dry, please let your hoof care provider know. Sometimes it's as simple as being able to towel dry, other times, you may just need to reschedule.

09/29/2023

The 4 to 6 week hoof schedule... Why is it important?

Hoof Care plays a significant role in maintaining the overall health and well-being of our equine companions. Regular trimming and shoeing is essential to prevent a wide variety of issues and ensure proper growth. Hooves, much like our own fingernails, continually grow. If left unattended, excess length can result in compromising a horse's overall soundness and comfort.

1. Regular maintenance helps eliminate any imbalances or issues that may arise due to uneven wear or growth patterns.
2. Excessively long hooves can lead to too much leverage on the hoof wall. This can result in breakage, flaring, or even deep cracks forming, causing discomfort and potential lameness.
3. By maintaining a regular hoof care schedule, we can address any imbalance or misalignment in the horse's hooves. Correcting these issues not only improves the horse's overall soundness but also helps prevent future complications. Additionally, in foals under 9 months of age we can also help to correct incorrect alignment in the legs.

Neglecting to keep a tight hoof care schedule can have serious implications for your horse's well-being. By the time a horse's foot looks long, it has been too long for quite a while.

1. When hooves are not trimmed or shod regularly, the excess length puts pressure on the joints and tendons, leading to lameness and chronic pain. This not only affects their mobility but also their overall quality of life.
2. Long hooves are prone to breakage, flaring, and cracks. These issues not only cause discomfort but can also lead to more severe complications such as hoof infections or abscesses.
3. Unmaintained hooves can significantly impact a horse's athletic performance. Imbalanced feet or discomfort can result in a decrease in agility, balance, and overall performance, whether it's for leisure riding or competitive events.

Here are some steps you can take to help your horse maintain great hoof health!

1. Consult with your hoof care professional to determine the best trimming or shoeing schedule for your horse. They will consider factors like the horse's activity level, hoof quality, and any specific needs to provide tailored care. Consider getting xrays for them if your horse has compromised feet.
2. Frequent care plays a crucial role in maintaining hoof health. Regularly pick out hooves, looking for any signs of damage or infections. Keep the hooves clean and dry to prevent the growth of bacteria or fungi. You can also use a variety of gentle products to address any sort of minor infection.
3. A well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients is vital for healthy hoof growth. Ensure your horse's diet includes proper protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. There is a crazy amount of different feeds and supplements on the market and more being added daily. Do your research, get recommendations, and take pictures monthly of your horse's condition and hoof quality to really see the difference.
4. Regular exercise not only promotes overall health but also contributes to maintaining strong hooves. Movement stimulates blood circulation in the hooves, ensuring an adequate supply of nutrients and promoting natural hoof wear. As often as possible, try to get your horse turned out or under saddle!

Hoof Featured belongs to an 8yo Endurance Gelding and is fed by Mad Barn, 100X Equine, Purina Horse Feed, and MVP!

08/17/2023

Just a little cleaning up this morning... this sweet gelding got lucky with his new owner we're getting him all sorted out. He's a lot more comfortable and we're excited to see how his feet recover over the next few cycles.

06/27/2023

Sometimes it's best to keep things simple. This hoof belongs to an OTTB gelding that was unsound for a very long time. He was uncomfortable in the shoe package that is pictured as the before shot. A wedge pad and magic cushion packing with an open heeled rim shoe. His heels were so long and underrun that using the back half of his foot was not comfortable. My first visit I pulled that package, trimmed him up, and set a breakover reduction shoe with frog support to help stimulate the back of his foot as well as reducing the leverage on the toe. By doing this, his toe was not able to drag the heels forward as much and having those heels trimmed down allowed them to start coming back in without that encouragement to run forward. There was significant improvement I that first cycle and we were able to move to a composite shoe with the same mechanics built in at the toe to start his barefoot transition. He went 2 cycles in the composite shoes before we tried to leave him barefoot for the first time. He was sound barefoot and has been out of shoes since then. Every visit shows improvement still, and it's been a year now. There's still more improvement to be made, but this guy didn't need an elaborate (and expensive) shoe package. He just needed a solid trim and good balance. Hooves are resilient and keeping it simple can often get the results needed for optimal health and soundness.

Now, this isn't an anti-shoe post. I'm all for using shoes where shoes are needed. That said, shoes aren't needed nearly as often as most would think.

01/30/2023

Well at least some good is coming of these freezing temps! Bailey has been stuck inside since it rained and her clogs cannot get wet. Now that the ground is frozen it's bo longer wet and she can get a some much needed turnout. It sure does look like she appreciates some space to stretch her legs!

01/20/2023

Check out that strut!

Bailey has been outfitted with a wooden clog package to help relieve tension on her tendons and ligaments, cushion her heels, provide support for her hoof, and relieve sole pressure. We had to get a little creative as her feet are so tiny. There are no commercially available clogs that would fit her so we fashioned our own! We glued them on her and she was instantly more comfortable and able to move around a lot easier. We've still got a long road ahead, but we are least on a solid path to recovery. We can't upload 2 videos at a time so her "before" video will be in the comments.

01/15/2023

Please welcome Bailey to our facility at Lazy AF Ranch! Bailey belongs to a friend of ours that needs some help getting her back to a healthy weight and through her laminitic crisis. She just picked her up from a home that loved her dearly, but showed that with a bit too much food. Ponies are very feed efficient and are prone to laminitis. Now that she's off pasture, she will receive a diet that is optimal for laminitic ponies and we will be actively tending to her hooves until she's sound and fully recovered!