Whole Horse Hoof Care - Equine Podiatrist

29/08/2026

And thats me finished up until the 7th Sep 😀

Norway here we come 🚢 ⚓️ ❤️

08/08/2026

I couldn't resist taking a photo of how nicely this little Connie had her feet placed mid way through a trim.
Her RF and RH are both finished here (LF and LH still to be done).

She had a lot of compacted sole due to the ongoing dry weather but her owner has been diligently applying Effol Summer Hoof Gel and soaking her feet and that old compacted sole was ready to pop off, leaving quite a lot of length in the toe in particular (we are working on improving caudal structures to develop the back of the foot whilst addressing hoof wall separation and what had been significant imbalance and flaring as a result (already greatly improved)

At the moment it can look like there isn't so much growth but I promise its there, and if the sole is compacting under the bars in particular it can lead to corns developing and bruising so it is as important as ever to stick to routine hoofcare appointments and add regular soaking into your hoofcare routine.

These two photos also highlight how a photo doesn't always paint the true picture as both were taken together, the mare didn't move at all, yet the angles differ and therefore the image we see appears different (photos were not taken for record, purely for the owners and my own interest at the time).

14/07/2026

Wow, how has it been 5yrs already!

I was and still am extremely proud to have been one of the first to gain this qualification, it was a major step forward in ensuring the quality and standard of work provided.

Equine Podiatry Training Ltd and the The Equine Podiatry Association together with all of the EPA members continue to set the standard of professionalism and care that you should expect for your horses (there are also other highly qualified EPs who are working to extremely high standards of care - for example Areion Academy).

With barefoot trimming looking set to fall under statutory regulation within the newly revised Veterinary reform act, under a licence to practice system, the level 5 Diploma in Equine Podiatry (and equivalent recognised qualifications such as Aerion Academy) will hopefully gain further recognition as the standard of service we should all be providing and striving for.

02/07/2026

And thats me done until Monday 13th July.

Bye bye South Coast, hello Scottish Highlands (when we finally get there) 😀

29/05/2026

And here's another that my clients will have heard me saying - a good quality balancer and correct diet is far more beneficial than simply adding biotin. Healthy horses produce biotin naturally.......

Biotin isn’t the magic fix for hooves. Learn what really supports hoof health - protein, amino acids, gut health - and why biotin may not help at all.

29/05/2026

I'm pretty sure all my clients know about the digital cushion (and associated structures comprising the internal arch) - they certainly should, I bang on about it enough in describing what we're seeing, want to develop and how we are going about it.

Every horse is different and understanding how important the internal structures are and how to work on development in varying environments and routines is an integral part of our visits.

Heel height is a bit of a hot topic at the moment, but what actually matters is the structure hidden inside them: the digital cushion.

➡️ The digital cushion is a thick, fibrous structure at the back of the hoof. In a healthy hoof, it takes up more than half of the available space inside the hoof capsule and acts as the horse’s natural shock absorber.

➡️ Every time the horse lands, the digital cushion compresses and expands to absorb concussion, support blood flow, and protect the structures higher up the limb. It’s quite literally the horse’s “landing gear”.

➡️ When the digital cushion is weak, underdeveloped or damaged, the whole hoof struggles to function properly. These horses are often more sensitive on hard ground, have thinner soles, lower heels, and place more strain on other internal structures.

👉 👉 So rather than focus on the heel height you can see outside the hoof, it's better to pay attention to what’s happening inside the foot, and whether the hoof is able to move, flex and absorb force the way nature intended. (Of course there are "rights and wrongs" when it comes to the external heel height, but that's a topic for another post...)

❓ If you want to learn more about healthy hooves, and how to achieve the strongest possible hooves on your horse, join our Hoof Care Essentials online course. It's got so much valuable information inside it, it'll make your head spin 😂

🔗 Link in comments 👉

29/05/2026

Only one appointment left for boot fitting in June - in the Botley/Bishop Waltham area on Tuesday 9th early pm.

Availability going into July (locations noted plus surrounding areas) -
Wed 1st - Guildford
Thur 23rd - Petersfield

Hoof Boot fitting appointments are becoming more and more popular and to keep up with the demand I have invested in a large range of fit kits (from mini to XL)

Scoot boot slim, standard and Theraride/Enduro
Flex boot standard and wide
Equine Fusion slim and standard
Explora Magic slim and standard
Cavallo CLB, BFB, slim and standard

Covering Hampshire and beyond, up to 65 miles from PO8 (no additional travel charges within 40 miles).

Hoof boot fitting appointments consists of a static and dynamic assessment of your horses stance and gait, along with a discussion on your requirements to ensure we focus on the best type of hoof boot for both of your needs. After taking measurements the boot shells are tried and where possible a dynamic assessment will also be carried out (subject to suitability of the specific shell.

For more information or to book a visit, please PM or text 07719945346 or email - [email protected].

27/05/2026

Its been HOT HOT HOT today once again and top marks for my wonderful clients who have - cleared space in a large open sided barn and rinsed their horses (and hooves) off Karis Bonner / provided ice water for me Helen Rance and Tanglewood Equestrian Centre / provided shade to work in Katherine Limebear /and stood their horses in buckets to soak their hooves Bray.

And the most ingenious and cooling today - stood under the trees with the hedge providing shelter, and the hose constantly running under our feet through mid length grass, thereby soaking the horses hay, feet and keeping all of us cool - absolutely genius Leann Waldock. We only realised how hot it had got back by the cars xx