Fit For A Queenie

Obviously this hoof is only partially trimmed, but the hoof care professionals among you will totally get it when I say that exfoliating this sole was soooo satisfying 😅

Taking stable enrichment to the extreme Melissa Symons !

Some great advice from Finer Forage - Naturally Better Horsefood
This applies to other brands of horse feed too (but of course most of us will be using the information to transition to FF 😉

Transitioning your feeds - why pace is important!

We know, once you discover the amazingness that is Finer Forage, you simply cannot wait to throw out all the old regime and fill your feed room with the delicious, nutritious, and species appropriate loveliness that is our Naturally Better Horsefood (and supplements!). But hold your very literal horses! As tempting as it is to start with a completely clean slate - it's ESSENTIAL to introduce new feeds slowly. Here, in her inimitable way, Em explains why.

This is why I keep droning on about cleaning and packing white line disease pockets!

Gold stars to Sarah Chamberlain and Sam Santos yesterday for going the extra mile and soaking feet ready for trimming. Here's a photo of the gorgeous Barney chilling out on some wet towels pre trim.
Soaking feet can help soften them for trimming. But they need a really good soak!

Maisie is known as 'Magic Maisie' among many of my clients. I always recommend her services to clients who have horses that are struggling, but in actual fact, physio can help your horse before they are obviously struggling, and a regular check-up is a great idea.

Let’s help your pony climb muddy mountains and conquer new heights!

I have Physiotherapy spaces (all animal species) around Newton Abbot!
- carefully tailored rehab plans
- where appropriate use of ultrasound, PEMF therapy & red light therapy
- craniosacral & myofascial release techniques
- a strong background in massage
- Equine (and chicken 🐓 ) behaviour consultant and overall animal behaviour geek, so you know that their mind is being considered as well as their body 😎

It's all about balance. The internet is full of trimmers a d farriers banging on about hoof balance, and while that's important, it's not why I've posted a photo of my shelter corner upright! If you look at the top of the post you can see I've attached a ring. This ring is for haynets. WHAAAT?! I hear the great and good of Facebook flexing their fingers ready to unleash a tirade about feeding hay from a low position. Yep. I normally do that, but when I am trimming I want the horse to feel balanced on three feet while I have hoof number four in the air. When I'm trimming the back feet, the hay goes on the low ring to transfer the weight into the front end of the horse. When I'm trimming the front feet on the hoof stand (aka flare reduction), the hay goes on the top ring. The horse stretches up, weight goes into the hind end and the horse isn't falling off the hoof stand. Much more stable for the horse, much less stressful for all involved, and therefore much safer and easier for me.
Helping the horse to transfer their weight so they can stand more comfortably for hoof care is something I wish I'd known when I was using a farrier. It can really help you get through a trim (and presumably a shoeing too). Have a chat with your hoof care professional to see how you can help the horse balance better for hoof care - they will be really glad you did!

TRIGGER WARNING

I often have conversations about euthanasia with my clients. I share my experiences because I think that having an idea about what happens on the day is important. I really hope you don't need this information anytime soon, but if you do, Andrew is extremely good.

A subject most don`t want to think about but its always best to plan, just in case. one of those jobs that needs doing right, which we always try to do and take the required time, not only for the horse but for the owner and the other horses left behind, Welfare always should have priority over time/money. But as a small business i am dependant on word of mouth so if you know of any one or any group that need my services please share.
I will answer any questions if i can even if its questions for the distant future or just in case.

And another great post by Footloose Barefoot Hooves!

Seasonal changes and regional differences!

At this time of year (ie when we've just had a dry spell in Scotland) I am regularly reminded of regional differences in hooves.
All of a sudden, Scottish hooves start looking more like their southern counterparts. Frogs aren't mushy and sad anymore. Digital cushions wake up. Palmar angles change.
And when we return to softer and wetter ground we sadly lose the improvements.

I don't mean to be negative or shatter all your hopes, guys. But I think it's important to understand what seasons and climate does to hooves and that expectations may need to be different.

I will never forget shadowing an English EP a couple of years back and me and my fellow Scottish EP broke out in (mildly manic) laughter when palpating a digital cushion - we simply do not get DC's like we felt there in Scotland.
(I wrote an article about Scottish frogs a couple of years back; I will repost it alongside this one)

Here is a comparison from a fantastic book, Monique Craig's A Modern Look At the Hoof. It is a great example of how changeable the hoof is in different environments.

Should we stop aiming for the perfect hoof, the perfect angles, the best version of them? Absolutely not.
But we should also be aware that environment plays a big part in what is possible, and we simply cannot look at the hoof in an isolated way.