Ironbark Barehoof Trimming

13/12/2024

Interesting article for those who have horses grazing grasses high in oxalates 🙂

10/12/2024

Another handy list of laminitis symptoms from international experts in the field of laminitis management 🙂

If these symptoms sound familiar, your horse could have subclinical laminitis. Join our free outreach group and post your concerns under NEW TOPIC. You'll hear back from one of our volunteers who will give information on what you can do right away to help your horse, donkey, or mule. Our goal is NO Laminitis! https://ecir.groups.io/g/main

20/11/2024

So true 🙂
It's not the job of the farrier/trimmer to teach your horse to stand quietly and balanced, whilst holding one foot up to be trimmed.
We're always happy to show owners how to train their horses to do this, but our time and health are too valuable to be expending effort on untrained horses

22/10/2024

Beautiful Thistle and her lovely owner demonstrating just what a Gypsy Cob can do 😍
If you look carefully at the first photo, she's modelling her show-worthy bare feet (surrounded by floof 😂)

03/10/2024

Something to think about if your horse suddenly starts to become tight and spooky 🙂

03/10/2024

A really interesting study on the incidence of kissing spine in both unbroken and working thoroughbred horses 🙂

https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/261/6/javma.22.09.0419.xml?fbclid=IwY2xjawFqxvhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcUgw4W8ZnSSHRKAlDTF_cZhQGcPR69YlTe2lo8OTw51ViNpzjDdgKtn0A_aem_F-ADoMUvttOhBO-8A0lVqg

Abstract OBJECTIVE The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of radiographic abnormalities of the interspinous spaces (ISSs) in the thoracolumbar vertebral column of unbroken yearlings and to compare these findings with a group of older trained Thoroughbred...

02/10/2024

As Sarah says, any of our clients who've been on our books for some time ... no need to worry about this post, we appreciate you and your horses enormously! 😍

This post is designed to help those owners who tell us that they've had trouble getting or keeping trimmers (although we do know that there are some hoofcare professionals out there who don't appear to be very good at communication 🙄 ... this seems to affect more owners in our area than one would think).

But for owners of horses which aren't ready for us to start on as soon as we arrive, or which can't stand still, or which kick ... these are all major red flags 🚩 for hoofcare professionals. We have yet to meet an owner who's offered to pay our costs whilst we recuperate from injury 😊

Edited to add; I'm always a bit reluctant posting these sorts of posts because its always the loveliest clients who worry if they're not being good, and the people who need to fix themselves the most who probably won't read this. Just wanted to say if you've been on my books more than 5 visits I can just about guarantee I don't mean you, and I love and appreciate all of my wonderful ongoing clients so much

13/09/2024

03/09/2024

Loretta makes wonderful gear to order 🙂

30/08/2024

So true...

The only point we would disagree with is please don't have food or treats near or on you when we're under your horse.

99.9% of horses will concentrate almost fully on the promise of food ... and your hoof care provider being under your horse is the very time when the horse should be concentrating completely on the trimmer 🙂
(there are as always the occasional exceptions to this request, but a lot fewer than many owners realise 🙂)

👉 YOU GET THE TRIM YOU STAND FOR 👈

Period.

- Training/Behaviors: It is NOT the job of the hoof care provider to train your young or green horse to stand for trims WHILE trying to trim them. It is the responsibility of the of the horse owner to work with the horse before calling out the HCP and setting the horse up for a comfortable, calm appointment. Of course we will work with you and your baby brained equine as they grow and mature, but do not expect picture perfect trims if said equine cannot hold still enough for them. And do not expect us to wrestle with them if they are not ready.

- Pain: Pain is a FACTOR, not an EXCUSE. Ooooo. I may ruffle feathers with this one. Pain? Behavior? Both? A horse with an old injury, arthritis, etc will need special considerations during hoof care appointments. Yes, 100%. But also realize, PAIN INFLUENCES BEHAVIOR, and can most certainly make for undesirable and dangerous behaviors at that. *Again, it is not the HCP's job to put themself at risk working with an uncooperative equine for any reason.* If you have a horse in pain, it is YOUR job as the owner or caretaker to properly manage that pain and work with the horse to find ways for them to stand through trims as comfortably as possible. Without this attention, behaviors like ripping legs away, kicking out, biting, avoiding, etc. can develop. Just because they are defensive responses due to pain, DOES NOT MEAN THE HCP HAS TO PUT THEMSELF AT RISK DEALING WITH THEM. (Can I get an Amen?) The pain brings about the behavior. If the horse truly cannot stand for trims in a way that works for them AND the HCP due to pain and dysfunction, then that's another conversation about quality of life.

My shoulder was injured last November due to being ripped around by uncooperative horses. It will never be the same. I can speak for countless HCPs when I say we've been injured (sometimes permanently) in our work. Working with horses comes with a risk. Things happen. One way we can reduce those risks is to be selective with the animals we take on. This is our livelihood. These are the only bodies we get. There is no magic farrier dust that comes out of our rasps that solves behavior challenges, regardless of where those behaviors stem from. With these challenging situations, expect either an incomplete trim, or no trim at all. We have limits.

Some tips:

-Take the time! Pick up. Put down. Repeat. Do it again. Hold it longer. Repeat. Build strength and duration and in doing so it will also build trust and patience. We come out once a month. There is no progress if the only hoof handling the horse gets is during appointments.

-Manage the pain! Daily CBD, Equioxx, strength building through appropriate exercise, massage, etc. Make sure the approach to pain management matches the level of pain the horse is in! CBD is great but they may need something more like Equioxx. Equioxx is great but if the pain is acute, maybe some bute or dorm gel needs to be on board.

-Find what works! If a horse has limited range of motion, train them to prop their hoof on something close to the ground and STAND STILL in that spot. Find where they are comfortable and train them to hold there. Home Run Hoofstand LLC is a neat creation for those horses who need their limbs low!

-Think outside the box- Clicker training, "open bar" feeding with hay pellets, tying up a hay net, etc. can be low stress ways to help keep the horse distracted enough to let us HCPs do the work that needs to be done.

The point is, there are numerous ways to address hoof care hiccups. In order for a horse to remain on the schedule, I have to first be able to trim them without putting my physical wellbeing at risk. Horses with repeated and unaddressed challenging behaviors will not be kept on the rotation for long. Losing my physical ability to work is not worth your horse's hooves.

26/08/2024

Handy to know :)

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ksK68V271Wsr8vBf/

🌿 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬: 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 🌿

As spring approaches and the days start getting longer and warmer, it’s time to think about how we care for our horses in this transitional season. One of the key areas to consider is rugging—particularly, the risk of over-rugging as the temperature rises.

🌡️ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Horses are incredibly efficient at regulating their body temperature. While we might reach for a jumper as soon as the temperature drops, our horses are quite comfortable in conditions that would make us shiver. The key to this is understanding a horse’s thermoneutral zone (TNZ), which is the temperature range within which they can maintain their body temperature without expending extra energy.

For humans, the TNZ is around 25-30°C, but for horses, it’s significantly lower—between 5-25°C. This means that what feels chilly to us might be perfectly comfortable for them. It’s essential to remember this difference as the weather warms up in spring, particularly when deciding whether to rug your horse.

🌡️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲

During the cooler months, we often rug our horses to protect them from cold, wet, and windy weather. However, as the temperatures rise in spring, it’s easy to fall into the trap of continuing to rug our horses too heavily, which can lead to overheating.

Here are some key points to keep in mind:

▪️ 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀: The best place to check if your horse is too warm is just behind their withers. If this area feels hot or damp, your horse is likely overheating under their rug. Avoid using their ears or legs to gauge temperature, as these areas don’t give an accurate indication of their core warmth.

▪️ 𝗕𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝘀: It’s tempting to think a light rug is harmless, but even these can block the natural cooling process. Horses cool down by sweating, but this only works if air can reach their skin. A light summer rug can trap heat and actually increase your horse’s core body temperature.

▪️ 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁: Just as overweight humans find it harder to cope with hot weather, overweight horses can also struggle. As the days warm up, consider reducing or eliminating rugs for these horses to help them stay cool.

▪️ 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: Horses generate heat from the inside out as they digest their food, particularly roughage. On cooler days, providing some extra hay can help keep them warm naturally, without the need for additional rugs.

▪️ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀: Horses that are older or have health issues may struggle to maintain their body temperature at both ends of the TNZ. For these horses, consider adjusting their rugging based on their specific needs—lighter rugs or no rugs during warmer days, and ensuring they have adequate warmth during cooler periods.

🌡️ 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀

As we welcome spring and the warmth it brings, it’s crucial to adjust our rugging practices to avoid overheating our horses. Always keep in mind that your horse might be feeling much warmer than you think, and when in doubt, opt for less rugging rather than more.

Let’s help our horses stay comfortable and healthy by being mindful of their needs as the seasons change.

26/08/2024

Beautiful! :)

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/9QVNhPehL5PdqKGt/

26/08/2024

Some useful tips and info outlining the importance of trying to prevent weight gain in your horse :)

Find out how you can keep your metabolically efficient horse healthy when he's laid up with an injury or chronic illness.

06/08/2024

06/08/2024

23/06/2024

A lovely article on some tips to help horses deal with the incredible stresses they suffer whilst being locked up (such as when they're suffering from severe acute laminitis) :)

We will always try to get horses out in their paddock overnight as soon as their laminitis resolves enough for them to be able to move around.

Follow these 12 tips to improve your horse’s welfare while on stall rest for injury or illness.

21/06/2024

Of course this doesn't apply to the majority of our wonderful clients 🙂 ... but it's handy info for those who aren't perhaps aware of the necessity of looking after their hoof care providers 🙂

I’ve two horses here who are so bad with their feet, I cannot—or will not—have them see my farrier. The one is quite new here and the other, I’ve had long enough to fix. This is not a proud admission, by the way.

But there it is. When these two horses’ feet need doing, I am the one who is left dealing, which is as it should be. I own them; it is my responsibility. While I may acknowledge the situation, I am not wholly accepting of it. I bought them, thinking these problems would be an easy fix.

I was wrong.

Both horses can have their feet picked out. When having them trimmed and rasped, however, all bets are off. This tells me that it’s not a fear issue, so much as a trained response.

Both horses come from somewhat dodgy, largely unknown backgrounds. Judging by their behaviours and reactions to certain other things in their lives, I’d say that nobody took the time, early on when they were colts, to show either horse how to accept having its feet done. How to balance on three legs, knowing that a rest break would come.

Nobody since has had the chops to correct what has spiraled down into bad territory.

Thing is, that was then. They’re now mine.

I woke up last night with the stark realization that these horses both need their trimming issues brought to the forefront. That they have been quietly falling through the cracks all their lives.

I can see that they are still not great around the feet and lower legs, despite having done some solid rope work with them, late last fall. Teaching them to ‘lead with their feet’, to accept handling, giving and taking back calmly, all were improved.

Somewhat… but not enough. Both can still sn**ch their feet away, in a flash. The one isn’t above taking a shot at you, on the way down.

“Oops, did your knee get in the way of my foot? My bad.” This sort of thing is enough to keep them from ever being Keystone sale horses, no matter their charms under saddle.

I’ve been working around them, thinking they’ll get better as they progress in their riding. So many times, we see that the problems with handling feet are often a sign that the horse is worried, tense and afraid. As the working relationship grows and deepens, those iffy things can fade away.

We’re not dealing with that here, however. We’re dealing with something else. It’s important to be able to see the difference.

I’m faced with the product of years of iffy handling that is now sitting squarely on my plate. It’s my problem and not my farrier’s… and I urge you, if you have a similar situation, to get cracking. If you need help, there are worse reasons to send a horse to a professional trainer. We cannot expect our hoof guy, or gal, to gamely deal with the fallout from our lack of prep.

Farriers and trimmers do feet; they’re not to be ‘used’ as horse trainers. More importantly, if your horse puts them out of commission through injury, they’re going to be unable to pay their own bills. Being a good client, therefore, comes with responsibility.

Some horses, because of what they’ve been through in the past, what they’ve perceived as legit behaviour for prior wrongdoing, will just not come around with ordinary measures. The old-fashioned word for this is ‘spoiled’, though it is an unpalatable word for many of us, any more.

No matter my choice of words, it is up to me to find the nature of the problem.

Can it properly be addressed with more effort? Most horses, yes. Others may be in pain on a hard floor and need soft support underfoot. Some are committed enough to say no to any sort of change. They may need safe bodily restraint, such as a set of stocks. They may need some expert handling with a soft rope, to learn to ‘lead with their feet’. They may need a scotch hobble, for the horse who habitually kicks at the handler.

Safety, first, then. Done well, none of these methods are unkind… though they can be, if done wrongly. We will do our best to avoid them but I’m not out of tools, if needs be.

Some horses may need a little sedative from the veterinarian, if they prove dangerous to themselves and to everyone around them. Most horses who have a problem with having their feet done just need more help from someone who is dedicated to seeing them get better. I’ll keep you posted as we go along.

I will say that our farriers can be helpful, if we ask what they see as the problem and what might be done to help. Invited to be part of the team, the solution, they are an invaluable resource.

One thing I know for sure, that when we concentrate on filling that one big hole, most times, the other little bumps smooth out, too. Filling holes is always a worthwhile endeavour.

Shown here is Cisco, a horse who, for the whole of her life, absolutely fought the traditional clamping of the foot between the farrier’s knees. Mike found that the mare would stand all day long, if only one squatted down and allowed her to rest her foot on one’s thigh. It was a leap of faith, at first, a reminder that sometimes we have to think outside the box to solve our problems.

In this picture, Cisco is calmly getting a last minute ‘re-tread’, before heading out in the drizzle to gather bulls. She was an excellent horse for our entire family and I love Iain's quiet support, up at her head. Their overall kinship had me pause, amid a usual ranching day’s 'busy-ness' to take the shot. Years later, I’m so glad that I did.