One Minute Discussions with Denys Antonenko

Posture and wedges: What’s the connection?

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 15:17:14 GMT

Posture and wedges: What’s the connection?

et’s talk about posture, wedges, Surefoot pads, and balance. Let’s open a can of worms!��

The last post on my Facebook Group sparked many opinions as to whether wedges (especially hind wedges) are the “root of all evil” or the “cure for everything.” Also, there was confusion as to WHY I put this horse on the Surefoot pads (both hind and front) and why the abrupt change in posture happened.

Let’s decipher why the horse changed his posture when I added hind wedges. -
Due to a common occurrence of horses getting long toes in the fronts, their perceptual reaction to this is to lean forward. Add to that the fact that the head accounts for about 10% of the horse’s entire bodyweight, and you can see why they find themselves leaning. In order for the horse not to “face plant” on the ground, the hind end counterbalances this postural issue. The horse brings the hind end more under themselves, resulting in a stance that Dr. Judith Shoemaker famously calls “Goat on a Rock.”

What happens when we stand the horse on Surefoot pads? -
The density of the meticulously designed pads allows the horse to load the hoof as it wants to. The pads allow us to see how the HORSE wants to stand, not how the FARRIER wants the horse to stand. When I placed the pads under the horse, he CHOSE to stand square (as in the bottom picture) and stayed that way for 10 minutes while ground-tied. He felt more comfortable standing square. A square stance reflects a neutral, balanced posture with even limb loading and minimal degenerative strain and stress on the body.

But should we make trimming and shoeing decisions based on a horse’s posture while standing, or should it solely be based on how the horse moves? -

My answer: BOTH! And while we may not like to admit it, domesticated horses spend far more time standing than moving. We HAVE to take stance into consideration when making shoeing/trimming decisions. I am NOT belittling the assessment of horses in motion. I’m simply pointing out that neither can be ignored, and neither should be the only metric. It’s NOT linear.

So what steps did I take to help the gelding? -

I knew that getting rid of the long toes in the fronts was essential to break the degenerative posture pattern. That was the beginning step. The gelding also had thin soles and underdeveloped frogs on the fronts. The owner and I decided on applying glue-on shoes with dental impression material on the fronts. Within a couple of weeks, the gelding showed an improvement at a walk AND in stance. He started standing square in his paddock. His gait improved. He wasn’t showing body discomfort.

The big question is: What clues did the horse’s behavior on the pads give me, and how could I implement it in my shoeing and trimming? -
Why did the gelding immediately stand square when I applied the wedge pads on the hinds? Because doing that helped him bring his P3 to the plantar angle HE wanted, as well as relieve the strain he had on his hind end due to poor posture. I used that as INFORMATION. So Surefoot pads give us INFORMATION. Our goal is to decipher it.

I knew that his hind toes were not only long, but also tall. Hinds distort differently than fronts. Hind feet tend to grow a taller toe, more in vertical depth, which often results in a negative plantar angle and a parked-under stance. So I trimmed his hind toe HEIGHT, which brought his hind feet back to a square stance.

Trimming is subtractive. We can only take AWAY material; we can’t ADD. There are times when the trim is more than enough for the horse to gain comfort. There are other instances when we have to add prosthetic devices to the foot. I felt that the gelding’s front feet required more intervention with prosthetic devices, while the hinds could stay comfortable with a better trim. It worked.

Do wedges hurt more than they help? -

It all depends on the timing and application of the wedge. In my own practice, wedges used with proper caudal support have produced excellent results without crushing heels or creating new problems. Dental impression material that I use to build wedges acts as a stimulant, helping the heel expand and contract, resulting in improved blood flow and better growth.

We can’t ignore the fact that wedges have helped countless horses, and they’ll continue to do so. At the same time, using them at the wrong moment or without the right strategy can create setbacks. That’s why input from a skilled team—farrier, vet, bodyworker—makes such a difference when deciding what the horse needs.
The gelding is being ridden and is sound!

In the meantime, stay open to new ideas and keep widening your perspective. The more you broaden your horizons, the more horses you’ll be able to help.

Denys A.
www.njhoof.com

How to build a dry lot

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:56:32 GMT

Click on the button below to download the free PDF step by step guide to building a dry lot or scroll to look at the guide below!

Leave or remove the lamellar wedge?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:15:16 GMT

One Minute Discussions #66

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

LEAVE OR REMOVE THE LAMELLAR WEDGE?

The lamellar wedge is the adaptation of the hoof to internal problems. And although it’s a sign of inflammation, it may still serve a purpose during rehab. It’s still responsible for “glueing together” the wall and sole, but that “glue” is not as strong as it’s supposed to be.

So how do we address it in the trim. Everything depends on the horses comfort level and the condition of the lamellar wedge.

It won’t be a wise decision to totally remove the lamellar wedge if it is soggy, weak and not fully keratinized.

But in a lot of cases it is safe to remove most, if not all of it, if the lamellar wedge is keratinized, dry and sturdy (especially if we’re putting the horse in therapy boots). In some cases it is a good idea to trim the bottom, flared growth evenly with the well connected top growth in order to reduce leverage on the lamina as much as we can.

Denys Antonenko

What causes lamina separation?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:14:09 GMT

One Minute Discussions #65

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

WHAT CAUSES LAMINA SEPARATION

Yesterday on my group I posted a question… what causes lamina separation?

And although we’re used to hearing the most common things that separate the lamina, such as poor diet, metabolic problems, excessive toe leverage, etc, we don’t often hear about the less common things that can lead to a path of lamina failure without us noticing it.

You’ve heard me say it many times before that lamina failure is not a result of just one thing. There’s always multiple factors contributing to the problem. As an example, bacterial and fungal infections weaken the foot, and that can result in lamina separation. Mental and physical stress can increase hormone levels which may result in poor hoof health. Many different problems happening elsewhere in the horses body (skin issues, allergies, dental problems) can be a factor that leads to a weak lamina.

Denys Antonenko

What is a balanced hoof?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:13:14 GMT

One Minute Discussions #64

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

WHAT IS A BALANCED HOOF?

Yesterday you shared your ideas on Facebook on what balance is and now I’m sharing mine.

T o me it’s very simple. A balanced foot is a functional foot. A foot that is appropriate for the current situation the horse is in. It doesn’t matter how pretty it looks, how much pathology a hoof has, how crooked or straight it is, as long as the external structures are in alignment with the internal structures and the hoof is trimmed according to the alignment of the bones above the hoof. The biggest critic of a farrier/trimmer is the horse. The horses comfort level, movement pattern and posture will all indicate if the problem is getting correctly managed or not.

Denys Antonenko

Would you let your horses eat poison?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:12:08 GMT

One Minute Discussions #63

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

WOULD YOU LET YOUR HORSES EAT POISON?

It’s getting warmer, which means you have to watch out for the poison that’s in your horses pasture!

Early, green grass is extremely dangerous, especially for those horses that are obese, for easy keepers, those with metabolic syndrome and those with sensitive feet. Grass is safe to eat for some horses, but don’t risk finding out if the obese pony, that has been footsore all winter, will be sound from eating spring grass… it won’t end well.

Your solution to controlling your horses grass intake? Dry lots & grazing muzzles!

Denys Antonenko

Documenting trimming progress

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:11:07 GMT

One Minute Discussions #62

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DOCUMENTING TRIMMING PROGRESS

One thing that I regret not doing when I first started out trimming is not taking good progress hoof photos. I’m trying to improve

But honestly, good progress photos are a gem! Why do we need them?

It’s always beneficial & satisfying to see improvements and track how the horses feet are developing. If we’re trying to do the best job we can with horses, how would be know if the hoof improved from the last trimming/shoeing job? We can’t know if we don’t have before and after pictures. And especially for beginner trimmers, there would be a lot of times when you would take good quality hoof photos, then come back home and while scrolling through the photos you’d notice that you missed something in the trim!

It can happen, that’s how we learn.

Also, a lot of people ask me about my little blue pill bottle in the photos. I place it in a specific place near the hoof in order to have an idea how big the hoof is and to keep track of the changes, size, length, etc.

So taking good quality hoof photos, from different/proper angles and with good lighting, is a very powerful tool in hoof rehab!

Post a before and after picture that you’re currently working on!

Denys Antonenko

You're here to just trim the hooves, right?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:10:10 GMT

One Minute Discussions #61

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

YOU’RE HERE TO JUST TRIM THE HOOVES, RIGHT?

It’s true that I’m just a trimmer/farrier, but in my mind this word represents a person that doesn’t just trims and shoes horses, but the person who looks after the horses health and pinpoints anything that’s going wrong, or could go wrong in the horses life.

As an example, I stopped counting the amount of horses in my practice that had improvements due to the diet recommendations I give.

If I notice that the horse is bothered by something higher up the hoof, somewhere in the body, I mention it to the owner.

If I see how we can improve the horses lifestyle, paddock, mental health, etc, I speak up.

Of course we can’t and not trying to substitute a professional vet. On the contrary, we’re always trying to improve the way we work and communicate with them. Farriers and trimmers constantly educate themselves, and we see our clients’ horses on a regular basis, very often, and can mention what changes we see and whether they’re for the best or worst.

So being a farrier/trimmer, in my mind, is not just focusing on feet. It’s focusing on the whole horse.

Denys Antonenko

Barefoot, plastic shoes or metal shoes?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:08:43 GMT

Barefoot vs shod vs composites vs boots. Out of these things, what should be chosen for your horse and how do you know if you’ve done the right choice? Like with many th ings it will depend on your current situation and the horses condition but I’ll mention a couple of examples to give you an idea of what might be a good option for your horse.

1. Your horse is sound and you don’t ride very often.

Why not try having the horse barefoot? It’s a great option if you see that the horse is sound and doesn’t have any major hoof pathology. And if you do plan on riding more, buy some hoof boots that’ll fit your riding needs. That’ll act as an extra layer of protection for your horses hooves during trail rides and riding lessons.

2. Your horse is lame and has major hoof pathologies.

This is where it gets tricky since there’s no cookie cutter method. If you notice lameness the first thing you should do is point it out to your farrier/trimmer and vet. Professionals should always work as a team to figure out the best solution. Sometimes they’ll agree in the need of therapy boots for acute phases of inflammation in the hoof. Other times when we’re trying to grow out pathology we need extra prosthetic on the foot in order to stabilize the weak structures and that’s where composites will come in handy.

3. Your horse is ridden a lot and seems to be sound.

You could try traditional metal shoes but I would look into composite shoes. They’re a better shock absorber, they’re flexible and you can modify them based on the horses needs, add extra frog support, etc.

There’s so many modern tools to choose from to help your horse! We just have to be educated on what will suit your situation best.

Denys Antonenko

Acute and Sub-acute laminitis

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:06:55 GMT

One Minute Discussions #60

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

ACUTE & SUB-CLINICAL LAMINITIS

When you think of the word laminitis what comes to mind? Perhaps pain or inflammation? Changes in the hoof from grain overload and poor nutrition? Those are all of the things that lead to laminitis, but what comes to my mind is “toxemia”… the initial cause of almost all laminitis. Things like grain overload and bacterial infection leads to acute laminitis, meaning the horse has sudden pain and inflammation in the hoof within days or even hours of eating too much grain or getting an infection.

But we always tend to miss sub-clinical laminitis. This is a term used to describe laminitis that has been present for quite some time but didn’t show any dramatic signs. For example extremely thin soles, or event lines, or an occasional abscess. The problem is slowly developing and then one day something tips the horse over the edge into full-on pain.

To illustrate, imagine you’re filling up a cup with water from the faucet. If you were to turn on the faucet to the maximum level, what would happen? The cup will overfill within seconds. This is what acute laminitis looks like… the toxemia levels in the horses system become sky high within a short period of time and the horse ends up with acute pain.

Now what would happen if you turned on the faucet to a minimum level? Eventually the cup would still overflow, but it’ll take more time. The same goes with sub-clinical laminitis. There’s no dramatic signs, but the problem is still present and eventually the last drop will overfill the cup.

Keep on the watch for sub-clinical laminitis!

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Mustang hooves: An ideal model for domestic horse hooves?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:05:27 GMT

Ok, so I’ve given this topic a lot of thought since im constantly seeing both owners and professionals debate whether we should trim domestic horse hooves as mustang hooves or not. Here’s my five cents with what common phrases I agree and disagree with.

1. We should always trim domestic horse feet like wild mustang feet .

Should we really? I rehab and trim so many horse feet that have so much pathology in them, that if we were to trim them in the shape of a wild mustang foot they’ll be dead lame. True, we should always have the natural mustang foot in mind and strive toward its function, but we should never force a foot a way it doesn’t want to grow. And it may not be because the horse doesn’t want to grow a foot like that… it may be because there’s so much pathology and damage that growing a “mustang foot” is impossible! So should we trim a domestic hoof like a wild one? I’ll get to that later!

2. All mustangs have good feet because of genetics. Making a mustang foot a model for the domestic horses is stupid.

I think this kind of thinking is very “boxy” and “limited”. Sure wild horses have good genetics and the bad/weak horses get eaten, but have you ever wondered what they eat and how much they move compared to domestic horses? We can’t just limit our thinking by saying that the genes are the only thing involved in domestic hoofcare problems. We often want to blame others, but never ourselves. So why do we always blame just “bad genes” for our horses’ hoofcare problems and not ourselves for the way we limit their movement, feed them bad food? Not to mention the way we stress them out when riding them, keeping them stalled or alone without a herd, creating even more toxemia in their system. I’ve seen and worked on laminitic domesticated mustangs and I’m confident that we’re creating the problems, not them.

3. Mustang roll is a term used by crazy barefooters. It’s useless.

Then why does it help hundreds and thousands of horses every day? I’m not a crazy barefooter, I do shoes too! But the way this little tweak in addressing the hoof wall changed so many horses soundness levels is unbelievable! When we dig deeper in how the hoof functions, we’ll understand the real meaning behind a “mustang roll”. Basically it’s there to get rid of peripheral loading (get rid of loading only the walls). The way it helps the hoof become more functional is incredible! How aggressive the bevel is will depend on the situation, hoof health, soundness of the horse and of course the approach and trimming technique used by the hoof care provider.

4. Wild horses don’t get hoof problems.

Sure they do. Just look at the brumby horses study done by Brian Hampton PhD. He noticed how exposure to high sugars resolved into a lot of laminitis episodes in the wild horses. This just proves again and again the effect that diet has on our domesticated horses. We are the only ones that can control what they eat!

5. The wild mustang hoof model is a great thing to keep in mind when trimming domestic horses.

Yes! One hundred percent!! This doesn’t mean to trim the hoof the same exact shape and size just like the wild horse hoof model in one go (sometimes, with a healthy foot that’s the case, but it’s rare). The reason why we even have the wild horse hoof model is to compare it with domestic hooves and see how can we improve the domestic hoof function. A lot of things in nature are pretty healthy and symmetrical, including the wild horse hoof model. We strive towards soundness, function and symmetry. Only then can we achieve good results with our domestic horses. Keeping in mind the pathology and distortions the hoof has, we should trim a hoof based on the conformation of the horse and it’s needs, and never based on a picture in a textbook.

Very broad topic. We can go on for hours discussing this. Do you agree with the given points?

Denys Antonenko

https://www.facebook.com/groups/403518701681330/permalink/587801686586363/

Bruising: Is it normal and what to expect?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:02:15 GMT

One Minute Discussions #59

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

BRUISING: IS IT NORMAL AND WHAT TO EXPECT

When we hit ourselves somewhere accidentally we develop a bruis e mark. Small blood vessels break and blood seeps out from them, but because there is no open cut, the blood gets trapped under our skin.

Same thing happens with horses. The vessels break, but because there is no open cut the blood gets trapped between the soft and hard material of the hoof (hoof wall & soft tissues or sole & soft tissues).

But are bruises normal to see in horse hooves? It really depends. Just like us, horses might take a wrong step or step on a rock and get a bruise, but if your horse gets bruises consistently we might be looking at a problem.

The root of that problem can be from an imbalanced trim. Or maybe the horse has weak soles and the terrain is just too aggressive. At times bruises will sh ow up after the horse abscessed. Sometimes consistent bruising may be a sign of laminitis.

We really have to dig deeper if we notice consistent bruising on the hooves. Preventing a problem is way better than treating/managing it.

D https://www.facebook.com/groups/403518701681330/permalink/587585829941282/

Is your horse neglected?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:57:58 GMT

One Minute Discussions #58

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

IS YOUR HORSE NEGLECTED?

We look at underweight horses and are terrified! We complain that they are horribly neglected and should have better care, and yet when we see an obese horse in front of us we say that they’re “happy”. This doesn’t make any sense!

Obese horses are as neglected as skinny horses. In both cases we are failing the animal. We have full control of what our horses eat!

Let’s learn to identify an ideal body weight for horses and strive towards that goal.

Denys Antonenko

https://www.facebook.com/groups/403518701681330/permalink/585370983496100/

Front hoof health affects hind hoof health

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:56:30 GMT

One Minute Discussions #57

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

FRONT HOOF HEALTH WILL AFFECT HIND HOOF HEALTH

This picture is just a fraction of what I come across both in the field and in dissections. I am constantly seeing front hooves having a distinctive appearance of laminitis and the hind hooves being bullnosed with a flat or negative plantar angle.

These front and hind hoof shapes are correlated. After all, it’s on the same horse, so by looking at the whole horse we can pinpoint where the initial problem is. But what may cause these distortions?

If the fronts are sore and unhealthy (and most commonly, if they have long toes) then the horse will improperly weight their legs. From this, the posture will shift and horses would want to stand with their hinds more under themselves, under the belly, also known as “goat in a rock”. Movement is also affected, many horses that compensate in the fronts cause changes in the hinds, crushing the heels even more during locomotion.

I think in these cases it’s important to focus on the root of the problem, and many times front hooves are the culprit. Getting them more healthier and functional will correct the improper angling on the hinds. Once we do that the horse will have less pain and will be able to load the front and hind end more evenly, not overloading any structures and not causing any damage.

Do you notice this problem often? What else do you think causes it?

Denys Antonenko

How important are radiographs?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:55:20 GMT

One Minute Discussions #56

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

HOW IMPORTANT ARE RADIOGRAPHS?

How important are vet check-ups for a horse? What about yearly vaccines? Farrier visits? We rarely forget that all these procedures are essential if we want a healthy horse, but unfortunately, very few of us understand that hoof radiographs are just as important!

Hooves are constantly changing. They may distort and acquire pathology or get healthier and more functional. How will you know you’re doing the right thing for the internal structures of the hooves if you’ve never radiographed the foot? We can miss so many things if we don’t listen to what the anatomy has to say!

Treat radiographs as yearly vaccines and vet check-ups, especially if the horse has problematic feet!

Denys Antonenko

Event Lines/ Hoof Rings

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:54:08 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #55

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

EVENT LINES/HOOF RINGS

I’ve recently heard a phrase - “The hooves are like the barometer to the horses body”.

How true!

Event lines are like that “barometer”, they show us what’s really going on with the horses system. They can occur if the diet is unhealthy, if there’s a stressful event in the horses life, after an inflammatory event, etc. You can also spot these lines on hooves that are being overloaded on one side more than the other.

Is your horse really sound?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:53:01 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #54

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

IS YOUR HORSE REALLY SOUND?

What is soundness? I think we don’t fully understand this word. Let me illustrate… If I walk a horse across a gravel road and the horse ends up being sore from the gravel but “sound” on softer terrain, is that horse really sound? Another example: your horses’ shoes are pulled but as soon as you let it walk barefoot it is dead lame, but then the shoes get applied and the horse is running around as never before. Again, is that horse actually sound?

In my opinion, NO! Horses that show any signs of lameness or hoof pain are not fully sound/healthy.

This leads to a different question… how likely is it for these horses to be fully sound? Everything depends on what you’re expecting of the animal. If you’re expecting a long time chronically laminitic horse to be endurance riding barefoot, I wouldn’t count on it. How about pasture sound? Some horses have so much damage in their hooves that the best thing to do for them is let them retire.

In any case it really depends on the situation, how damaged the hoof is, the diet, the environment, genetics and how the owner and professionals are managing the health of the horse.

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Denys Antonenko

There's always multiple causes

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:15:41 GMT

One Minute Discussions #53

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THERE’S ALWAYS MULTIPLE CAUSES

Why don’t all horses with a bad diet develop laminitis? Why doesn’t every horse that gets a high fever founder? Why doesn’t every horse that’s walking on snow develop “winter laminitis”?

What would be your answer to all of those questions?

My thought process is simple: all hoof and horse problems have multiple causes. What pushes one horse off the edge won’t push another. It’s not just one thing that causes inflammation in the first place, it’s multiple! So when you address ALL the inflammatory factors, your chances of saving a horse is high.

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Denys A ntonenko

Traumatic Cracks

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:14:31 GMT

One Minute Discussions #52

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

TRAUMATIC CRACKS

This horse was in my care and was improving but owner decided to take another approach in managing his crack so I didn’t end up seeing how his crack looked afterwards. I took the photo mid trim.

I do see that these injury/trauma cracks can be well managed! Couple of thoughts on how exactly it’s done.

If the crack is fresh and there’s still blood and exposed live tissue it’s best to keep it in a clean environment and in a hospital bandage until the tissues cornify and heal. Change the bandage daily and keep the hoof in a boot with soft padding.

For cracks like in the picture below I prefer to debride them, meaning not dig away anything too aggressive but simply remove excess material that may get caught and act as too much leverage. Clean out any dirt that may be packed in the injured area, manage any flares in other parts of the foot and soak the hoof in CleanTrax as often as possible to prevent bacterial invasion.

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Denys Antonenko

Laminitis & Stress

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:51:59 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #51

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

LAMINITIS & STRESS

I don’t think people realize how much of an effect stress can have on horses and their overall health (not to mention their feet).

But what exactly can the horse be stressed about? There’s are two types of categories of stress: mental and physical. Mental stress could be from trailering, separation anxiety, location changes, fear of veterinary procedures, etc. Physical stress could be from pain, dietary issues, mineral deficiency, etc.

Stress leads to toxicity in the body and a poor immune system. In turn, toxicity and poor immune system may lead to laminitis.

So for horses that are getting rehabbed from laminitis, be sure you’re eliminating as much stress factors as possible! The horses further progress may depend on it!

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Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

Notice the problem before the train wreck

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:51:01 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #50

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

NOTICE THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE TRAIN WRECK

This is a serious warning for every single horse owner out there. All horses on earth are at risk of developing laminitis. That’s why we MUST notice early signs of a problem before the horse falls into an acute state of inflammation. We must notice sub-acute laminitis signs (meaning there’s laminitis signs but no pain) before the horse shifts into an acute laminitis state (where there’s signs and inflammation present). This means monitoring the condition of their feet. Many times feet will tell you a whole story, our job is to listen (or watch)!

Take this horse below as an example, a 22 year old QH. He started developing signs of metabolic problems, and the feet were the first thing that gave it away. He developed “retracted” (extremely thin) soles and started loosing weight. He was tested for Cushings and came back positive. Immediately, he was given medication and was managed accordingly. A train wreck was prevented.

What signs should we watch out for in your opinion? What are the signs of sub-acute laminitis?

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

Does hoof health affect DSLD?

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:49:52 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #49

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DOES HOOF HEALTH AFFECT DSLD?

Many horses will have Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis and still manage to live a happy, retired life. One main reason for this is because these horses are receiving quality hoofcare.

DSLD horses are better off barefoot or in composites in order to have as little shock and stress on the soft tissues as possible. Also these horses have a very hard time holding themselves up, thus shoeing them can be very complicated.

It has been noticed by many that shorter toes and a slightly “boxy” foot is best in supporting the horse.

Do you know or have a DSLD horse you’re struggling to manage?

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

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Developing healthy heel

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:49:01 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #48

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DEVELOPING HEALTHY HEEL

The picture below shows a great example of how a horse is slowly developing healthy heel.

The back of the hoof is filled with soft structures and we have to trim the foot so that these structures are functioning properly. When the caudal hoof tissues are not stimulated they break down/fail, leading to overall poor hoof health.

A lot of times poor caudal hoof health is the result of a long toe. The leverage that is present in the hoof from the long toe deteriorates the soft tissues.

Caudal failure is a common thing if a horse is placed in shoes without any frog support (like in the picture below).

What develops the heel in your opinion?

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

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He doesn't look due

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:48:07 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #47

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

“HE DOESN’T LOOK DUE”

Does that phrase sound familiar? As a horse owner have you said it before?

Truth is, a hoof shouldn’t look due in order for it to be due for a trim! It’s that simple and here are a couple of reasons why.

Think about rehab cases when we, farriers, are trying to help the horse grow out a “bad foot”. In order for us to achieve good results we have to get rid of the old hoof material in time before it overgrows and causes more issues. That’s not possible if the hoof is too long by the time we come out for a trim and we’re basically chasing the problem, we can’t catch up!

A lot of times owners will ask to lengthen the trimming schedule in the winter but in reality that’s the time of year farriers can catch up to the problem and correct it in time! Yes, the foot may grow slower in the winter months, but it’s the perfect time to eliminate unbalanced growth and help the horse faster and more productively.

Staying on a short trimming schedule will benefit your horses in the long term. Preventing a problem is much better than correcting it!

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

https://m.facebook.com/groups/403518701681330/permalink/549534617079737/

The truth about barefoot rehab

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:47:17 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #46

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THE TRUTH ABOUT BAREFOOT REHAB

I want to get this out to as many people as possible, please share��

Im always hearing people say that their horse can’t go barefoot. This always makes me think - what exactly did the owner, hoof care provider and vet do to help the horse go barefoot?

Many times this is where the barefoot trimming approach gets misunderstood and from that its’ reputation suffers. A lot of scenarios go like this: The horse is shod and the owner asks the farrier to pull the shoes and try a barefoot trim. The farrier willingly pulls the shoes and trims the foot, after which they let the horse out “barefoot”. Next thing we know the horse is lame in the paddock and the farrier comes out to apply shoes. So does that mean the horse can’t go barefoot?

Unfortunately barefoot rehab doesn’t work that way. When the horse is shod for a long time and you’re removing that shoe, you’re basically making the horse walk on marshmallow feet, underdeveloped structures that are prone to inflammation. Yes, at times the horse will be lame when we pull shoes, why should we be surprised? The feet are unstable! They need help!

So coming back to our initial question: what has the owner, farrier and vet do to help the horse go barefoot? Was the diet corrected to get rid of inflammatory-causing factors? Is the horse in need of extra hoof protection, such as hoof boots or composites? Is the foot trimmed in a way to fit a shoe or trimmed so that the structures get used to natural biomechanics (trimming for barefoot and trimming for shoes is two different things)? Is the vet involved if medications and radiographs are needed?

There’s more to barefoot trimming than just pulling shoes and letting the horse loose in the paddock. With a knowledgeable team of professionals and with an owner that is willing to try the best thing for their animal, it is very likely for a horse to be sound barefoot.��

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

Does sidetone affect the bars?

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:46:03 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #45

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DOES SIDEBONE AFFECT THE BARS?

While studying this limb I stumbled upon an interesting chain of events!

I knew this hoof had a little bit of sidebone but what I didn’t notice before was how the sidebone was affecting the bar lamina.

The first photo was taken from the back of the heels. As I placed the bone inside the capsule I noticed how perfectly the ridges of the sidebone aligned with the “dents” of the bar lamina.

In the next picture I took the half of the hoof capsule and studied where exactly the pressure from the sidebone landed, and by looking at how the bar lamina are deformed and how there’s a dent where I marked the white circle I started to guess how uncomfortable this horse was.

Lastly I flipped that hoof capsule and was shocked to find a “scar-like” mark on the inside of the bar.

This leads into a question, does sidebone affect the bars? What are your thoughts?

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

To see photos go to :

https://www.facebook.com/100043840516906/posts/pfbid0iqqzBQqAjs9UYfUNNkRgQcikjfmZy4HgGSSyVKsEhFvsiutyaex1JFs6U3vdFFLDl/?

Rotational Deformity

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:44:47 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #44

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

ROTATIONAL DEFORMITY

The more I work with horses the more I notice rotational deformity in the bony column of the leg. Not only does deformity affect the horse statically but also dynamically, while moving.

Many times these crooked horses are trimmed so that the solar plain of the foot looks pretty and symmetrical while the bony column is even more out of balance. I’m my opinion, this is the worst thing you can do for these horses. If you’re not taking into consideration the alignment of the bones that are above the hoof, you’re failing the horse.

You HAVE to look at these horses move and how they land, shift and breakover. Many times the hoof will show where the horse wants the breakover to be (even if it’s not at the center of the toe). In my opinion, the trim or shoeing should focus on adapting to the position of the bony column, even if it means the solar side of the foot is not symmetric al.

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

Long Toes

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:06:57 GMT

One Minute Discussions #43

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

LONG TOES

So many horses suffer from problems caused by long toes that it’s becoming a pandemic in the domestic horse world. Many people will look at a long toed foot and count it as “normal” or “within adequate proportions”.

Truth is, the longer the toe the more stress the foot is experiencing.

Not only do long toes create a serious amount of flexion on the tendons in the caudal aspect of the foot, but they also lead to soft tissue degeneration (primarily the digital cushion and lateral cartilages).

Take this leg for example in the picture. It’s a donkey. Notice how broken back the HPA (hoof pastern axis) is. Imagine all the strain that is put into the bony column and the deep & superficial digital flexor tendons, along with so many other soft tissues. Take in mind that this little donkey is only 400-500 pounds, not that much weight and yet it’s still uncomfortable for him. But imagine the same toe, same scenario, with an average sized horse. Imagine what strain is being put on those soft tissues. Pretty painful.

The difference between the two images is 5 minutes. Many would think that such an aggressive trimming approach would lame the horse/donkey but if done correctly, with proper knowledge, it IS possible to achieve dramatic results within a short period of time, helping the animal to our best advantage while keeping it sound.

If we’ve achieved such amazing results statically, imagine how comfortable the animal is in movement!

Keep an eye out for long toes, don’t view distortions as “normal” and always remember that long toes cause problems, so it’s best to avoid or professionally manage them in the first place.

Denys A.

Image: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02aDJxxCAFaLZL1j1jyzkYXvnvwLqaY34u83GY1X9D8mbDLZXMiWmMyPaveYfFjAP4l&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

How to determine caudal failure

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 04:22:40 GMT

One Minute Discussions #42

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

HOW TO DETERMINE CAUDAL FAILURE

Caudal failure is plaguing our domestic horses. It’s a result of lack of frog stimulation, thus the structures are failing to support the horse. That’s why it’s important to spot it in time and help the horse the best way you can.

Pick up the hoof, clean up and brush any dirt, debris, mud, etc.

Position yourself to see the frog looking downward (as in the first illustration below).

Even if the horse is wearing shoes, determin where the heel is (not the shoe but the true hoof heel).

Compare the height of the heel with the height of the frog. If you see that the frog is “reaching up”/ protruding/ is higher than the heels, you might be looking at caudal failure.

Second thing to look at is the heel bulb hairline. If you see the heels pinched, almost in an arrow-like shape, this is a red flag!

The horses hoof below improved within 4 weeks. He was wearing correctly fitted boots and was kept on a short trimming cycle. We can see the results already!

Denys A.

to see images visit like below:

h ttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0eB5gaMsKM2WDG7dYR9XCrHVWm5F31WUumT6qiBkd2SGCsd16QCHbN8kCYS47RVCPl&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

Amount of laminae in quarters and toe

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:05:16 GMT

Here you see the difference in the amount of lamina in the quarters compared to the amount in the toe. In this specific foot, there’s significantly much more lamina in the toe (27 laminae per centimeter) compared with the quarters (16 laminae per centimeter).

Question is: why?! Is it a perfusion issue? The way the horse walks? The trim? Terrain?

Dr. Robert Bowker raised the same question and had a few theories about this but this still remains a mystery to some extent.

My thoughts:

Since the horse is designed to move and bear an extreme amount of weight on the hooves, they need to withstand all of that stress. When horses hooves break over, the last point of contact with the ground is usually the toe, the horse pushes off the ground with the toe, thus that part of the hoof needs a larger amount of lamina for protection and durability. In addition to that, the wall in that area is much thicker than in the quarters. This, in my opinion, does not mean that the toe is the main weight bearing structure, rather the extra laminae in the toe help the hoof not to fall apart.

What are your thoughts on this? Why is there more lamina in the toe than the quarters?

Denys A.

Images in link below

h ttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02kSrg43nw7XPLAQjev6huqtTLs6nRZXBZz6rHfL2Mac2cbFApEG6iWmj6VYrP7S6sl&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

What are you looking at in a hoof?

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:04:05 GMT

What are you looking at when you see a hoof in front of you?

Very broad question! Some may immediately notice pathology and distortion while others try to picture the end result, a sound and functional hoof after a trim.

Whatever you’re looking at, it is always important to train your mind into seeing the internal anatomy... having “x-ray vision”.

This is missed by many people simply because there is a lack of internal anatomy knowledge.

So learn as much as you can. Train your mind to see what’s hidden behind the external structures!

Denys A.

The laminae and peripheral loading

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:03:12 GMT

One Minute Discussions #41

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THE LAMINAE AND PERIPHERAL LOADING

The laminae acts as a zipper/bond between the hooves soft & hard structures. Although the dermal (sensitive) and epidermal (insensitive) laminae are small, only 2-3mm in width, they are very sturdy!

When a horses hoof overgrows, the wall grows above the sole, creating peripheral loading, which then creates immense pressure on that laminae. To compare, imagine your toenails overgrew and you tried to stand on your tippy toes. Your whole weight would be on your nails, and that’s pretty painful.

Taking all of this in mind, many have the illusion that peripheral hoof loading is a normal thing and it doesn’t affect the hoof in any way.

Many won’t agree, but the lamina and hoof wall shouldn’t be the main weight bearing structures in a horses hoof! Peripheral loading destroys the internal anatomy of the hoof! Each of the structures on the bottom of the foot should work with one another to help the horse bear weight.

What are your thoughts on peripheral loading? Should lamina be the main loading structure?

Denys A.

Link to article photos below!

h ttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0G4qstfKvACw1HWQhddxDij5FQX3xvcn1h8CStaxP9zxhJLnvk4xP4cwRPdaNVjDGl&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

Coronary band injuries

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:01:53 GMT

One Minute Discussions #40

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

CORONARY BAND INJURIES

Sometimes horses will have injuries in the coronary band that result in permanent cracks. Below is a great example of a crack that is permanent from an old injury.

The lamina and/or corium (soft tissues) are damaged in the area and create a scar, forming a funky-looking hoof wall.

A great way to maintain these problems is by starting with the basics: a proper, low starch/sugar diet and a frequent trim cycle! Although Epoxy, casting and shoeing may be beneficial in some cases, they may not work if the foot is trimmed once every 6-8 weeks and the horse is eating a rich calorie diet.

Start with the basics and you’ll see the results!

Denys A.

False sole/ Exfoliating Sole

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:01:06 GMT

One Minute Discussions #39

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

FALSE SOLE / EXFOLIATING SOLE

The horses sole exfoliates and it’s a normal process. This happens usually when there’s a change in weather from wet to dry (vise versa), when the hoof overgrows, when there’s an abscess, etc.

Horse soles tend to exfoliate in different ways… it can happen in chunks, small powder-like form or in one huge piece (as in the video). The way it exfoliates depends a lot in the terrain the horse is walking/living on.

Should exfoliating sole be trimmed by farriers?

My opinion: depends! What ground is the horse going to be walking on? Will the horse have hoof protection such as glueons or boots? How thick is the new sole underneath the old exfoliating sole? Will the horse be ridden or worked? In this particular case, is the old sole causing discomfort or acting as an extra layer of protection?

All of this should be considered if a trimmer or farrier decides to take a huge chunk out of the exfoliating sole.

(Horse in video was sound and happy after trim��)

Denys A.

Link to photos and video below!!

h ttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Y2WSYUTf25ycuqbRR24bPZeQPSbSA9tqF3ehXuk8S1FdCMsAfUtcyErN4KsiAa4gl&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

Three types of laminitis/ SIRS laminitis/ Part 3

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:59:30 GMT

One Minute Discussions #38

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THREE TYPES OF LAMINITIS/ SIRS LAMINITIS/ PART THREE

There are three main types of laminitis. This part will discuss the third type: SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) Laminitis.

This type of laminitis is caused by many things including bacterial infection, sepsis related problems, and systematic inflammation. It is counted that SIRS is more severe than any other forms of laminitis since the inflammation and damage in the hoof lamina happens at an extremely fast rate.

For treatment it is recommended to stand these horses in ice water slurry up to the knee. This helps relieve the inflammation and save the internal tissues from getting totally destroyed.

Vet intervention is important!

Denys A.

Three types of laminitis/ Endocrinopathic/ Part 2

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:58:40 GMT

One Minute Discussions #37

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THREE TYPES OF LAMINITIS/ ENDOCRINOPATHIC / PART TWO

There are three main types of laminitis. This part will discuss the second type: Endocrinopathic Laminitis.

This form of laminitis is the most common type. It is directly associated with the horses insulin dysregulation and metabolic problems.

In most cases obese horses suffer from this kind of laminitis (but not always, the horse can be thin or normal weight).

Many times owners will kill their own horses with kindness by overfeeding them and unknowingly making the horses insulin levels rocket high. Lots of times older horses develop Cushings Disease (see article No. 13 for more info on Cushings, link below).

You do have the power to prevent Endocrinopathic laminitis by limiting your horses sugar and starch intake!

Is your horse insulin resistant? Have Cushings? What do you do to help them? Comment below!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=610850547052957&id=100043840516906

Denys A.

Three types of laminitis? Support limb/ Part 1

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:57:40 GMT

One Minute Discussions #36

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THREE TYPES OF LAMINITIS/ SUPPORT LIMB/ PART ONE

There are three main types of laminitis. This part will discuss the first type: Support Limb Laminitis.

It’s cause is restriction in perfusion/blood flow in the distal limb of the horse. This type of laminitis is rare and mainly happens when a horse fractures or injuries a leg to the point when all the weight is being held on the neighbor/supporting leg. That supporting leg develops laminitis due to all that pressure and lack of blood circulation and limb stimulation.

It is difficult to rehab these horses to soundness since the legs aren’t able to bear weight and the horse is in immense pain but there are cases when the treatment resulted in a positive way. Very interesting info, study and videos done by Dr. Andrew Van Eps and others. Link below!

http://www.thelaminitissite.org/s.html#SLL

Denys A.

How to tell if horse has thrush

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:55:56 GMT

One Minute Discussions #35

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

HOW TO TELL IF HORSE HAS THRUSH

There is a way to tell if your horse has thrush. Do not rely on smell because most (if not all) horse feet smell, especially if they’re standing in mud.

Take a hoof pick and clean out the feet thoroughly. Remove all mud, dirt, shavings. Take a brush and remove small debris from frog, sole, grooves and wall.

Next, take the pick and gently slide it across the length of the frog, downward into the central sulcus and heel bulb area. If your hoof pick can go into the crevice (like shown on the picture below) and especially if you let go of it and it stays there, your horse most likely has thrush. Bacteria will get into that crevice and cause bacterial and/or fungal infection, causing that frog to rot away even more. A healthy frog will have flaps from natural exfoliation, but it should never have a crack in the heel bulb area that causes pain.

Club feet and contracted heels are more prone to getting thrush.

For treating thrush refer to my article “No. 2 - OUCH! THRUSH HURTS”, link below.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=562652801872732&id=100043840516906

Denys A.

Fibrocartilage in digital cushion

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:55:06 GMT

One Minute Discussions #34

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

FIBROCARTILAGE IN DIGITAL CUSHION

The back of the horses hoof is full of important structures that are there for supporting the horse during stance and locomotion. One of the most crucial structures is fibrocartilage in the digital cushion. This flexible skeleton of cartilages help the horse dissipate the energy coming from the ground while the hoof is under stress (hoof lands with immense force on the ground while in motion and that energy needs to be dissipated).

It is noticed by many equine professionals (including Proffesor Robert Bowker) that “soft footed”, weak-heel horses tend to have very little of these fibrocartilages and they don’t extend to the midline of the foot. On the other hand, horses with healthy feet were noticed to have a rich amount of fibrocartilage and it extended to and supported the midline of the foot.

This shows us what complex and essential role these small cartilages serve.

Denys A.

View images at my Facebook page link below!

h ttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Q8oojsU2nrWcZqVAo9pS9YcfT6G19a3wpvN92AV1M6zp5UP2vFqBCsz4i6BSd9z5l&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

Toe first/ heel first

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:53:12 GMT

One Minute Discussions #33

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

TOE FIRST / HEEL FIRST

Get up and walk a couple steps in a straight line on a flat surface. Usually your heels will land first and your toes will follow. This is a normal walk for a person that doesn’t have any foot pain/pathology. Same goes for horses.

See, we’re used to pathology, so for a majority of owners and equine professionals horse toe-first landing is a “normal thing”. But what is the landing telling us about the health of the foot?

It’s simply a way to indicate heel pain. If there’s pain in the heel, horses tend to avoid it, thus constantly landing toe-first. This results in tissue damage and foot pathologies. If the structures in the heels are healthy and functional the horse will land heel first while walking in a straight line on a flat surface. Next article will be about ways for helping a horse land heel first!

What are some other ways you find helpful in indicating heel pain and why?

Denys A.

Toe dragging

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:52:27 GMT

One Minute Discussions #32

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

TOE DRAGGING

I find this problem quite common in my line of work and there are a couple of causes that I’m observing over and over.

Many times toe dragging (especially in hinds) is caused by mechanical issues in the back, psoas, hock and/or fetlock area. Either from pain or muscle underdevelopment, the horse isn’t capable to lift the foot up during locomotion and drags it on the ground instead.

Also, a lot of times I see worn off toes from constant toe-first landing. This becomes a big problem with developing the foot since with toe-first landing the heels are becoming much weaker.

Toe dragging wear shouldn’t be mixed up with toe dubbing, a technique purposefully done by farriers and trimmers where they rasp the toe from the top.

Denys A.

Donkeys need care too

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:49:51 GMT

One Minute Discussions #31

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DONKEYS NEED CARE TOO

I’ve seen neglected donkeys too many times. Most people don’t realize that they need constant hoof maintenance and proper diets, just like horses!

Donkeys require around 75% of calories that a horse would get. This makes them more prone to being overweight. If you been around many donkeys you’ll notice that a number of them tend to have an enormous hay belly, have a huge, pillow-like crest (fat pad), and crumbly, overgrown hooves. All of that is an emergency call!

Restricting sugars and access to pasture, having a persistent hoofcare schedule and exercising them will improve their hoof and body health!

Denys A.

Navicular Syndrome & Navicular Disease

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:48:52 GMT

One Minute Discussions #30

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

NAVICULAR SYNDROME & NAVICULAR DISEASE

Navicular syndrome is a phrase used to describe a situation when the horse has heel pain but no bone changes. Navicular disease is used to describe a horse that has heel pain and bone changes.

We should dig deeper before saying that the cause of lameness for a majority of navicular horses is navicular bone damage. Dr. James Rooney and Dr. Robert Bowker have scientific proof that bone damage follows soft tissue damage. This means that the soft tissues that surround the navicular bone become weak and unable to bear the weight of the horse, resulting in caudal foot pain and lameness. From the lack of soft tissue strength comes bone damage and deformation.

I’ve also seen countless cases when the horse was diagnosed with navicular syndrome but actually had aggressive thrush.

Our goal in trimming and managing these horses is to protect and develop the heel. Many times people think of wedging the heel so it won’t have any ground contact, and it may work for some time since it removes the pain from lack of stimulation BUT at the end of the day all we’re doing is worsening the condition and weakening these soft tissues even more!

With teamwork from the farrier/trimmer, vet and owner, there’s a huge chance of recovering a navicular horse from lameness.

Denys A.

Deformed and crooked legs/Hooves

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:47:31 GMT

One Minute Discussions #29

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DEFORMED AND CROOKED LEGS/HOOVES

Can a crooked and deformed hoof and/or leg be balanced out? How do we deal with deformities?

The most important step in this matter is NEVER FORCING SOMETHING TO BE PERFECT. We can correct deformities based on the horses age and movement pattern. But if the horse had these deformities for the most part of his life, we can’t expect major changes and we shouldn’t ever try to force-correct them. A crooked leg/hoof CAN be balanced if it is 1) functional and 2) the internal structures are aligned with the external structures.

Denys A.

A method that helps all horses

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:46:33 GMT

One Minute Discussions #28

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

A METHOD THAT HELPS ALL HORSES

Is there a method of shoeing or trimming that helps and rehabs all pathologies? I’m sure you would agree with me that such a method doesn’t exist. A certain approach can cure one horse but fail and cripple the next.

What does that mean for you?

Don’t focus on one specific method. By doing so you’re missing out on an opportunity to learn and limiting your own spectrum of knowledge.

Hoofcare is twisted and complicated. There’s no cookie cutter method. We have to use our brain! So the more you know about the hoof and horse, the more likely you are to help them the best way you can!

Denys A.

Thin Soles

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:45:34 GMT

One Minute Discussions #27

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THIN SOLES

Thin soles plagued the horse world for years. Many don’t recognize the true cause of this problem up to this day. Here are some causes I found in my practice and by researching the work of others.

1)Poor diet. 2)Farrier constantly cutting or rasping the sole. 3) Improper body/hoof movement and landing. 4) Lack of blood supply in the solar area from constant sole pressure. 5) Underlying metabolic problems. 6) Atrophied internal structures.

Would be happy to hear your thoughts on other causes of thin soles!

Denys A.

Arthritis & Ringbone

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:42:53 GMT

One Minute Discussions #26

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

ARTHRITIS & RINGBONE

Can arthritis/ringbone horses be sound? Many doubt it, but there are ways to improve the life quality and relieve pain in these horses.

It is very important to reduce the leverage on the joint by making the breakover as short as possible. A lot of times composite shoes help with that. Limiting the flexion in the joint can improve soundness. It’s also important to correct the diet so that the horse isn’t overweight. Just imagine how painful it is for obese horses to deal with arthritis with all that extra weight.

I’ve seen a few instances when arthritic horses are ridden every day. Please don’t ride your horse if you’re not managing the problems and if your horse isn’t sound.

Denys A.

Caudal Failure/ Frog Health

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:41:44 GMT

One Minute Discussions #25

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

CAUDAL FAILURE/ FROG HEALTH

Below is a great example of rehab from shoes & caudal hoof development… weak (left image), healthy (right image)! We see this too often on horses and are puzzled by the true cause of this problem. What is the true cause? LACK OF FROG STIMULATION!! The tissues in the back of the hoof dissipate the energy when the hoof hits the ground heel-first. Lifting the frog without any support simply deteriorates the mechanism and causes caudal hoof failure.

What role does the frog and digital cushion play in your perspective?

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

P.S. The two photos are 5 months apart. The trim is done by the one and only, my friend, Nicole Acerbo who does an AMAZING job! Keep up the good work ��

To view images go to my Sep. 5th 2022 Facebook post below

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Mw2sKyKt2m4YDgHUh1ncQN3mmCf7wWWk7Mjg3bedPhKEZrYhVTq4YoxryqADATcYl&id=100043840516906&mibextid=qC1gEa

Farrier VS the untrained horses

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:38:51 GMT

One Minute Discussions #24

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

FARRIER VS THE UNTRAINED HORSES

Farriers want to help your horses. Every day they are doing a risky job trimming horse feet. The job becomes even more dangerous when they’re dealing with an untrained horse. The chance of injury increases significantly with untrained/unhandled horses.

This message is more for the owners. Please train your horses! Handle them and their feet often. If you’re not sure what to do, hire a trainer. When you contact a farrier, please mention if your horse behaves well or not. By doing so, you’ll prevent many problems, injuries and even death.

Den ys A.

What purpose do the bars serve?

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:37:50 GMT

One Minute Discussions #23

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

WHAT PURPOSE DO THE BARS SERVE?

What are the bars? What purpose do they serve? Huge rabbit hole that can’t be explained in one little post but from the dissection you can see the similarity in the hoof wall lamina and the bar lamina (image 1). This proves that the bars are a continuation of the hoof wall since the wall material curves around into the bar area (image 2 & 3). Now it’s logical to think of questions such as: Should the bars be trimmed in according to the wall? Should they be a specific length? Or do we simply carve them out?

The bars are there at the bottom of the foot for a reason, so they should be loaded either way. The amount of load depends on the health of the foot and the type of terrain. Interesting to find out what hoof care providers think about this!

Denys A.

How soon should a newborn foal be trimmed

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:36:50 GMT

One Minute Discussions #22

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

HOW SOON SHOULD A NEWBORN FOAL BE TRIMMED

I often hear that the first trim for a foal should be around 6 to 12 months of age. But is that healthy for their little feet?

Let’s take the foals that are born in the wild. As soon as they get on their feet they start moving, walking running and catching up with the herd (note: they do this on rocks and hard ground). This makes their hooves wear out naturally from the very first day. Now take the domestic-born foal. We lock them in stalls, keep them in small paddocks (that prevent movement) with soft ground. By month 2, their feet are starting to atrophy (not to mention the harm the bad hooves are doing to the joints, ligaments and bones).

All of this can be prevented IF the foal is trimmed as soon as possible! My clients’ foals are all trimmed within the first weeks they are born.

Denys A.

Dry lots: A Lifesaver

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:34:47 GMT

One Minute Discussions #21

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

DRY LOTS: A LIFESAVER

Do you have a dry lot at your farm? Is there really a need for one?

Dry lots are a lifesaver not only for founder/laminitis cases but for horses that are metabolic, have chipped-up hooves, obese, have navicular, etc. I’ve seen countless instances where these types of lots helped the horse get back in shape and recover from inflammatory episodes. This is simply because there’s no rich/sweet grass for them to eat.

I always tell owners to have a dry lot “just in case”. You never know what may happen to your horse or when you’ll need to seriously monitor the intake of grass… dry lots will help you with that (and keep the horse moving at the same time).

Denys A.

Just give him some Bute...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:33:57 GMT

One Minute Discussions #20

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

JUST GIVE HIM SOME BUTE…

Bute is known as an NSAID (Non-Steroid Anti Inflammatory Drug).

It is prescribed for horses for the relief of pain. But often times (especially in hoof rehab cases) bute will mask the pain, making the horse “feel good”, when in reality the horse is just doing more damage to weak hoof structures. Before giving bute, please consider these questions…

1. Is it necessary?

2. Is it safe in this particular situation?

3. By giving Bute in this case, what am I expecting to achieve?

Like with any drug, there are side effects and owners should be aware of them. Many times NSAID’s can do more harm than good so in these cases it’s great to consider alternatives to drugs.

Denys A.

Testing horses for PPID (Cushings)

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:32:43 GMT

One Minute Discussions #19

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

TESTING HORSES FOR PPID (CUSHINGS)

Does your horse develop lameness closer to end of summer/beginning of autumn? What May be causing that?

It’s August, that means it’s the seasonal rise of ACTH, a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. This has a huge impact on horses that have PPID (or Cushings Syndrome) since their ACTH levels are abnormally high during the seasonal rise. The high levels of ACTH are causing these horses to have autumn laminitis (sometimes year round), thin soles, long hair, top line weight loss, pot-bellies, excessive urination, etc.

If you notice these signs in your horse the first thing to do is go to ecirhorse.org

You will find out what steps to take next!

It is recommended by many vets and hoof care providers to test the ACTH levels during the seasonal rise (from August to October). This can determine whether your horse needs medications to manage PPID (Cushings Syndrome).

Denys A.

Lame horse after farrier visit

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:31:52 GMT

One Minute Discussions #18

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

LAME HORSE AFTER FARRIER VISIT

How many times has your horse got lame after a trim or shoe job? Is it a normal thing for them to be sore for a day or two?

Before blaming it on the farrier, first and foremost we have to identify the cause of lameness. Are there underlying problems that are causing inflammation, and the slightest change in the trim makes the horse lame? Perhaps over the years, from improper movement and diet, the hooves have become so pathological and atrophied that even the best trim out there is a nightmare for the horse.

In other cases, sometimes professionals may be aggressive/take too much off in a single trim and lame the horse. Is that normal?

There are two main opinions about this… many farriers state that they want the horse to be sound at any cost while others say that if an aggressive trim changes most of the problems in one shot, even if the horse is lame afterwards, it’s worth it and things will improve.

The goal here is not to be against an idea or method, rather be open minded. Where is this method/idea leading your horse? Do you see any improvements?

If you reason more on these questions, you will understand if a certain technique works for your horse or not.

Denys A.

Killing with kindness

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:31:03 GMT

One Minute Discussions #17

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

KILLING WITH KINDNESS

What’s worse, a skinny, starved and neglected horse locked up in a stall or a fat, ”thick-boned” horse that’s on molasses and grass pasture 24/7?

Truth is, it’s the same scenario! In all these cases the horse is suffering from human incapability/unwillingness to understand the importance of PROPER weight the horse should have based on its activities, health & lifestyle.

An obese (chubby or as people call them thick-boned) horse is NOT a sign of health! It’s a sign of health problems, such as metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, Cushings.

By overfeeding the obese horse to ”maintain good weight”, people are killing their own pets with kindness!

We all know the signs of a skinny horse, but are you aware of the signs of an obese horse?

Denys A.

Buying a horse? Ask your farriers opinion!

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:25:17 GMT

One Minute Discussions #16

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

BUYING A HORSE? ASK YOUR FARRIERS OPINION!

I’ve seen a lot of instances when owners buy “healthy” horses and then after their purchase discover a ton of health (including hoof) problems.

To avoid this, please, always ask your farrier and vet to look at the horse before the purchase.

That horse that you’re planning to buy for barrel races may not be the best choice if he/she has pigeon toes or club feet. And the horse you want to buy for rough trail rides may show sub-clinical laminitis signs that you may not notice, but your farrier and vet can point it out to you!

Of course if you’re saving a horse from neglect then it’s logical to expect at least some health difficulties. But in other cases, ask a pro for help!

Denys A.

You've trimmed him too fast

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:24:06 GMT

One Minute Discussions #15

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

YOU’VE TRIMMED HIM TOO FAST

What’s the ideal time to trim a single foot? 10 minutes? 7? 5? Or maybe 2?

Everything depends on the persons knowledge, health and experience.

There is NO ideal or proper timing.

Why am I bringing this topic up?

I want to warn people not to get into the trap of judging farriers/trimmers based on how fast they trim a foot. In order to achieve the speed they are trimming the foot at, the professionals have to spend hundreds of hours of education and hands-on experience.

Even the fastest, 2 minute trim can be high quality if done by a knowledgeable hoof care provider.

The result is what matters!

Denys A.

Long Toes

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:21:37 GMT

One Minute Discussions #14

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

LONG TOES

One of the most common things I find myself correcting as a farrier is long toes and low heels. When the toe gets long the gait and posture of the horse changes. This affects the heels and they start going “under” the foot (underrun). The whole structure of the foot starts collapsing.

Dr Robert Bowker mentions the importance of the development of lateral cartilages and digital cushion in the back of the foot. In image 2 I drew a basic idea of how to assess the caudal aspect of the foot. The heel is divided into 3 parts. 1 and 3 are lateral cartilages and 2 is digital cushion. Each section should be the same size. If they are then it looks like the heel is developed. But again, it LOOKS… doesn’t mean IT IS!

You have to palpate that area and see if the digital cushion is soft or firm.

Post a photo of your horses hooves and let’s see if the heels and toes are long!

Denys A.

www.njhoof.com

Hoof pictures by Denys Antonenko

Should horses have duck feet?

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:20:27 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new One Minute Discussions #13

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

SHOULD HORSES HAVE DUCK FEET?

Silly question? Not at all! It’s unbelievable how many “duck feet I come across on horses. They look so similar! Check out the photos!

But seriously, why is this “pandemic” of duck feet so popular in the horse world?

Its a combination of different factors… 1)diet 2)trimming 3)movement.

1)When the horse is eating a high sugars/starch diet the internal structures suffer from inflammation and they can deform. Since the hoof is such a flexible structure it can deform into a ducks foot.

2)If the foot isn’t trimmed properly by a professional then we start to notice horrible changes to the feet. We’ll start noticing flares, bad white line connection, cracks, thin soles, trushy frogs and weak caudal structures.

3)No movement = No horse. That’s the saddest part of this “pandemic”. Horses are getting locked up in stalls and don’t have the movement they should have. While standing in mud and fecal matter they develop bacterial infections.

As you see, quite a lot to think about. Believe me, 99% of the time all these hoof problems are man made. When we correct them we start seeing changes.

So next time you come out to see your horse take a look at their feet… who knows, perhaps you have a duck in disguise!��

Denys A.

Reversing Negative Palmar/Plantar Angles (NPA)

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:12:02 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post One Minute Discussions #12

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

Reversing Negative Palmar/Plantar Angles (NPA)

It’s pretty cool what you can do to the hoof in a single trim while maintaining soundness. With time I learned that not being aggressive enough with my trim and not having any results is the same as over trimming the hoof and causing lameness/soreness. I think that this statement is very relevant when we’re talking about negative palmar/plantar angles.

First for those who don’t know, Palmar is front legs, Plantar is back legs.

Palmar/plantar angles can be measured by looking at the last bone in the hoof capsule on a radiograph and measuring what’s the angle/degree between the bone and the ground (see images). In a negative palmar/plantar angle, the front part of the bone will be higher than the back part.

Starting with my personal observations and experiences…

I’ve had quite a lot of cases of NPA over the years, and I noticed the same problems and distortions over and over again. All the horses that I’ve met with NPA had 1)almost always excess toe 2)were standing mostly in stalls/very little movement 3)some were reining horses 4)had toe-first landing/underdeveloped heels and heel pain 5)had hip/back pain & 6)had a broken back hoof pastern axis.

Sometimes, if you look at the lateral (side) view of the hoof, NPA horses will typically have a “bullnose”. That happens when the tip of the bone is pushed upward and the hoof capsule gets distorted. (See images)The tip is being pushed upward from excess toe material and caudal foot failure. Remember this equation…Long toe + weak heels = Disaster

I believe that if the horse stands and walks on unbalanced feet this created posture problems. You will see the back legs moving under the body from the toe leverage resulting in NPA. Basically same thing happens in reining only the horse is sliding and literally pushing the bone in an negative position in the hind feet.

A common thing to do with NPA is to wedge the heels. I believe there are much more efficient ways to deal with this problem. NPA hooves tend to have weak digital cushion and underrun/crushed heels. This indicates that they are in need of protection and stimulation. Usually in NPA hooves I never lower the heels.

Most cases the toe is the culprit in NPA. There’s too much thickness/length so it has to be brought back and trimmed accordingly.

I do want to mention that a NPA and a Dumped Wall are NOT the same. A dumped wall is a common thing to see with shoes… the farrier vertically rasps the wall of the toe. This may give the appearance of a NPA and a bullnosed toe, so be on the watch.

How soon can we expect changes? In as little as one trim. Its true that we can’t correct the underrun heels and develop the digital cushion instantly, but we can certainly correct the hoof pastern axis and the palmar/plantar bone angle.

I’ve had instances when I changed the angle of the coronet band from 33° to 18°, that’s 15 degrees in one trim! The horse ran off sound and has been having improvements every trim cycle. This is where the statement from the beginning is relevant, in NPA cases I find that I have to be more aggressive in my trim in order to make fast changes and improve the horses health.

I’ll finish up with a quote from Pete Ramey -

”We want to be aggressive enough to make changes but not aggressive enough to cause lameness.”

What are your thoughts on NPA? Comment below!

Please share this post! Perhaps it’ll be useful to some.��

Denys A.

856-238-3533

The truth about club feet

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:33:28 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #11

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THE TRUTH ABOUT CLUB FEET

No hoof is perfect. There will always be differences in all four feet of the horse. One foot can have a steeper angle than the other and many times its normal. However, when a horse develops a foot that looks very steep, has a high heel and at times a toe flare, there’s a good chance that the horse is club footed.

What is it?

A club foot/hoof has a more upright look than an “average” looking hoof. The heels of a clubbed foot are in a steep position. The bone angle (palmar or plantar angles) is steep and the hoof pastern axis is almost always broken forward. I compare it with human high heel shoes. Imagine what it’s like to wear high heels 24/7.

What causes it?

There are many things that can cause club feet. In a lot of instances it can be from improper saddle fitting, improper rider position/balance in the saddle, tendon/muscle/bone injury that caused pain and the hoof started to develop a steep angle, dental problems and improper trimming. All of this can make the horses foot adapt to the environment and become clubbed.

Whenever I tell owners that their horse has a clubbed foot they instantly ask me a logical question… is this treatable? Can we get rid of a club foot?

Hmm I’ll answer both Yes and No.

It really depends on the age of the horse and the situation.

There’s a lot of nuances to consider when we’re planning to “treat” a club foot. Many times a club foot can’t be treated but can definitely be managed! Hundreds of horses are managing to live a happy life while having club feet. The most important thing in managing club feet is knowing how to approach, trim and care for them!

There are cases when foals develop club feet earlier in life and the foot is addressed immediately. In these cases, if proper steps are taken, the club foot usually disappears making the foal grow a “normal” looking foot. In other instances, it doesn’t work that way. When dealing with a club foot we have to find the root of the problem to properly manage it. If the root of the problem is not dealt with, we can’t expect any good changes... chances are that the horse will continue growing a foot that’s even more steeper! As was mentioned, many horses will still have an upright looking foot despite changes in the environment and frequent trimming but this doesn’t mean they can’t live with it. We have to focus on managing it, not treating it. If we’re trying to force a “normal” looking shape on a club foot then we’ll cripple the horse... it won’t end well!

As hoof care specialist Pete Ramey once said, the club foot is an adaptation the horse created to the environment.

So remember, the secret to managing club feet is listening to what the horse is trying to tell us. If we see it’s safe to lower more heel, do it. If we see that we’ve reached the limit, don’t push it!

Every horse and hoof is different so every trimming approach should be different when we meet a club foot case. Almost in all club foot cases we have to lower the heels and rocker them (bevel them at an angle). When lowering heels we should be very cautious not to overstress the tendons. Also, some club feet tend to develop a toe flare since the hoof is biomechanically leaning forward. Many times club feet will have thrush infection. This happens because the frog is raised above ground level by the heel. Treating thrush infection in club feet is very important because sometimes the horse will avoid loading the heel due to pain from the infection.

In theory, when trimming club feet we should:

* Lower (not force) and rocker the heels

* Manage flares around the perimeter of the foot and especially in the toe

* Treat possible thrush infection

As was said, we should always keep in mind how the tendons will react to lowering the heels. If we over-trim the heels, the horse will be left standing on his tippy toes. If we’re not aggressive enough in lowering the heel, we won’t be able to achieve good results. Listen to your hoof care provider to accomplish results (1).

Does your horse have a club foot? How is it managed? Tell me in the comments!

Denys Antonenko

856-238-3533

(1) - Ramey Pete, Club Foot, Hoofrehab.com , https:// www.hoofrehab.com/ClubFoot.htm

That looks like an abscess

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:31:47 GMT

One Minute Discussions #10

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

THAT LOOKS LIKE AN ABSCESS

Everything was perfect at the barn! Your horses were sound, they were galloping with their friends and enjoying life. You come back the next day and you’re horrified: your horse is lame. He’s limping as though he broke something. What’s going on? What happened overnight?

Often times that’s a sign of a hoof abscess.

Let’s discuss why abscesses happen, what are the signs and ways to treat them!

Why do they happen?

A horse can get an abscess due to multiple reasons. One that I see VERY often is the sugar spikes in grass, especially in the spring. As the weather gets warmer, the sun shines brighter on the grass. This raises the sugar levels in the grass and horses end up lame. As you’ve probably read in my previous posts, sugars destroy the foot, and if there’s subclinical laminitis, or in other words internal inflammation and minor changes that are happening in the hoof, they may cause necrosis (dead tissue) which can result in an abscess.

Abscesses can be caused by overlayed bars that are creating a pressure point resulting in necrosis and nasty infections. Sometimes in wet conditions, gravel or rocks can get under the bar and create pressure points.

If a horse has a puncture wound, bacteria can travel up into the open area and there may be an infection.

In laminitis cases there is a big possibility of getting an abcess because of the inflammation happening in the foot. A lot of times the bone can create so much pressure that it can form a blood pocket inside the foot. That blood pocket can get infected.

If your horse is having abscesses often then I would strongly suggest getting radiographs. There may be severe internal problems that are causing the frequent abscessing and its best to address them as soon as possible.

As you see, many causes for an abscess. But how can you tell if it’s really an abscess?

First, check the pulse. Is the leg hot? Is there an aggressive pulse? If so, check the sole side of the hoof and try searching for a soft/ouchy spot. A lot of times you’ll find it and the horse will react if you push hard on that spot with your finger. Check to see if the bars are long. Check the other leg. If the other leg is hot and has a pulse then I doubt its an abscess, it may be a laminitis episode. How severe is the lameness? How fast did it become worse? Try to get a vet out. Get their opinion. Ask your farrier what to do. When you put the puzzle pieces together, you’ll discover the real cause of lameness in your horse.

Ok, so it looks like an abscess, now what? Do you carve it out? Soak the foot?

Lots to debate here! Every equine professional will tell you different things! One will tell you to soak, the other one will tell you to let it dry out. One says “carve it out” and the other says “leave it be”.

In order to understand how we should treat an abscess, we have to understand the physics and science behind the process.

When there’s a pocket of infection inside the foot, the body naturally reacts and causes swelling, pulse and inflammation trying to get that infected pocket out of the system… this is why your horse may be dead lame for days and weeks... that’s the body working. Abscesses form between the soft tissue/lamina and the keratin wall, or at times between the sole and the corium. The lamina are positioned vertically, thus it’s easier for the abscess to pop out in the heel bulbs or in the coronet band, rather than in the sole (see illustrations). So if you do happen to find a soft spot on the solar side I would think twice before carving it out with a knife. Why? It is almost impossible to avoid a reinfection if there’s a hole at the bottom of the sole. By carving the sole you will relieve the pain, but is it really worth a shot? It’s for you and the professional to decide.

Some people say to soak in Epsom salts. My colleagues and I prefer either CleanTrax, White Lightning or a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. It works! Try wrapping the foot in a clean baby diaper or pad, put some hoof boots on… a lot of times they help big time!

One of the most important things to mention is MOVEMENT!

DO NOT lock a horse with an abscess in a stall. Even if they’re lame, keep them out, they’ll move as much as they want/need. Always remember that movement helps abscesses work their way out.

Can’t forget to mention the use of Bute and other anti inflammatory drugs. Although a huge percentage of vets recommend giving Bute to abscess horses, studies have shown that anti inflammatories slow down the process. We need inflammation in order for the abscess to pop out. Drugs get rid of the inflammation. Of course if the horse isn’t moving at all and they’re in severe pain then I would suggest giving some medications, but other than that I would avoid them.

Always keep an open mind when it comes to hoof and horse care, especially when we’re dealing with abscesses.

Did your horse ever have an abscess? How did it go? Tell me about it in the comments

Denys A.

https://www.thelaminitissite.org/a.html

How important is continuing education in hoof care?

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:28:51 GMT

One Minute Discussions #9

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

HOW IMPORTANT IS CONTINUING EDUCATION IN HOOF CARE?

Every single day, week, month and year there’s new info, studie s and research that’s being put out in video formats, articles, blogs, posts that discuss hoof and horse health. At times its updated information. A lot of times it may totally be a new understanding of a certain topic.

We as farriers try to stay up to date on all the research that’s being put out there.

Why is continuing education so important to hoof care?

Suppose a farrier was applying a shoeing or booting method that he has done for years. It some cases it works, in some it doesn’t but he just goes with the flow. At the same time a researcher publishes an article which states that in order for a specific method or approach to work even better, there has to be some modifications. If the farrier was to read that article and apply the modifications to his booting/shoeing method, then he would help more horses, more productively.

Or take for example the way people understood laminitis a couple decades ago. Many people focused on the trim but not many focused on the diet, terrain and hoof protection. If we didn’t have the research done for us, we wouldn’t have made such a leap in rehabbing horses from laminitis and founder.

So as you see, continuing education is very important.

It’s very wise to ask your trimmer or farrier what she/he does for continuing education.

In some cases, your horses health depends on their knowledge, open mind and their willingness to learn more.

A great source of continuing education is the PHCP (Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners) as well as the AANHCP (Association for the Advancement of

Natural Horse Care Practices). Daisy Haven Farm has online and in-person courses and I can’t recommend them enough! Definitely check them out!

Do you have any continuing education if you’re an equine professional? Share what you do or are planning to do in the future!

https://www.aanhcp.net

https://progressivehoofcare.org

https://www.integrativehoofschool.com

Denys A.

Smile and show me those teeth!

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:13:45 GMT

One Minute Discussions #8

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

What is the correlatio n between hooves and teeth? Interesting question, we don’t hear it often. And yet the correlation between them is mind-blowing! When we start to understand how one is affecting the other we start appreciating how complicated and amazing the horses body is ( and how it’s IMPORTANT TO CALL THE DENTIST IN TIME).

It all starts from fascia.

Fascia, fibrous connective tissue, runs throughout the body of the horse. It’s there from the tip of the nose, all the way down to the hooves and up to the tip of the tail. This connective tissue is VERY important when it comes to proper dentistry and hoof care for horses. It’s responsible not only for bonding the organs, skin and muscles together but also it helps the horse sense its surroundings thanks to the nerves and keeps the body in balance.

How does this relate to equine dentistry and hoof care? To understand this better, do a little experiment at home. Stand on a flat surface and try shifting your whole weight from one foot to the other. Continue swaying back and forth. At the same time try focusing on your jaw while swaying from side to side. When you shift your weigh you will notice your jaw having tiny movements, as if it’s “compressing” more on the side that is bearing weight. That’s the fascia working in your body.��

The same thing can happen to a horse. Imagine a horse walking around with crooked/unbalanced feet. That creates a problem for the teeth. ��With unbalanced feet the horse has a hard time chewing on either sides if the jaw. Or vise versa, the teeth are not floated in a long time. In this scenario the horse is more likely to show signs of pain while riding or training, loss of appetite and even aggressive behavior.

This teeth/hoof imbalance creates tension in the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint). This joint is responsible for opening and closing the mouth. We can imagine what it would be like for the horse if there’s even a slight amount of pain in that area. Thus, fascia is getting affected.

So what do we do to prevent this problem? Call a qualified and knowledgable dentist! For foals its usually once every 3 months, for adults (and especially old horses) once every 6 months.

From studies and by researching wild mustangs we know that their hooves can self-maintain. Is that the case with their teeth as well? Yes! They’re not having yearly dentist visits, and yet their teeth are VERY healthy. Why? Constant wear. They’re eating dry desert pasture, and occasionally nip on pieces of sand, rocks, twigs, thus not only the molars (back teeth) are getting “floated” but the incisors (front teeth) as well. Domestic horses don’t do that. They’re eating this soft, green, lush grass that’s not doing anything to their front teeth and rarely does anything to the back ones (since the grass is soft and it’s not creating the wear effect).

In the domestic environment, your horses’ teeth can self-maintain, even a bit, if we take the appropriate steps.

1. Buy hay nets. ⚠️NOT METAL ⚠️Metal will destroy your horses’ teeth! Many people learned the hard way. You can either buy fabric, nylon and/or cotton. Many horse owners had good results with all of them. With hay nets the horse is wearing his front teeth, just like in the wild! Also, they’re very good at stretching the meal throughout the day, that’s very beneficial for the gut. It mimics the intake of food as if they are in the wild. (Article at the end)

2. Get them moving. I don’t mean lunging. I mean get them out to gallop, jump and buck in a big area, paddock or field (of course if you have one). From the words of Dr. Tomas Teskey, an equine vet and dentist, movement creates “micro movements” that helps with the wear and tear of the teeth.

3. Get a dentist out. As was mentioned, you will create yourself a lot of problems if there’s no yearly dentist checkups. Get a professional to float those teeth. You can ask around for a good dentist, im sure you’ll hear many recommendations.

Believe it or not, there’s a HUGE connection between hooves and teeth. Ask yourself, “When was the last time your horse dentist has been out?”. If you open your horses mouth and the teeth look like they’re from a horror movie I suggest trusting your gut and calling a specialist.

Wanted to mention the work of Dr Tomas Teskey. He is an AMAZING vet and dentist. His book, Insight to Equus, opens up A TON of info about proper hoof and teeth health.

Please check out his website and book below.

(P.S. thanks for the images Tomas Teskey��)

Awesome, you’ve just read another “One Minute Discussions” post!��

Feel free to share this! Im sure a lot of horse people would find this interesting!��

By the way, what’s your experience with hay nets? ��Comment below!

Denys A.

856-238-3533

https://www.insighttoequus.com

https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/using-slow-feed-hay-nets#benefits-of-hay-nets-1164661

https://ker.com/equinews/advantages-haynets-hay-feeders-horses/

The horse has stretched white line

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:11:35 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

When I tell that to owners while trimming their horse they just nod, smile and say “Wow that’s interesting��”. Not a lot of owners dive deep into the anatomy of the equine hoof so it’s hard for them to understand what im talking about. No problem! This is exactly why im posting this!��

So the hoof is made up of different parts. If you pick it up and look at the bottom part of it you’ll see the sole and on the outer periphery comes the white line, water line and then the hoof wall. (Look at images below). First I want to mention that white line is actually not white, its a creamy color, so don’t be fooled. ��

If we look from the side of the hoof, the bone should be parallel with the hoof wall (radiographs show that). The white line grows directly from the tip of P3 (Third Phalanx) , it connects the sole and hoof wall around the periphery of the hoof and in a “normal”, healthy foot it is even, around 2-5 millimeters thick and not crumbly. I repeat, healthy white line SHOULD NOT be crumbly if you were to pick at it with a hoof pick. It should be “waxy”.

What happens in an unhealthy hoof? If we were to split the hoof in half and take a look at it from the side we would find out that the space between the white line and the hoof wall literally stretched. When it stretches the space between the sole one the wall fills in with material called lamellar wedge. This material is not as dense as the hoof wall or white line, thus when you touch it with the hoof pick it will usually crumble.

What causes this separation? It can be caused by improper trimming. If flares aren’t managed then your horse will continue having a stretched white line. ❗️Diet is a big thing. ❗️If there’s something the horse is eating that’s causing inflammation then we can’t grow a tightly connected hoof.

Next time you clean your horses feet out take a look at the white line. Is it stretched? If it is, then its time to make some changes!��

Do you see stretched white line in your horse?

Denys A.

https://www.thelaminitissite.org/feet-faq--articles/the-realigning-trim-the-front-of-the-foot

Those white hooves are the worst

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:09:17 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Raise your hand if you believe this��

There’s a popular myth out there and surprisingly a lot of people still believe it. They think that white hooves are more vulnerable to damage and cracks than dark colored hooves. Is that true?��

I’ll tell you right away, no, that’s not true. Theres a ton of problematic white hooves out there as well as a ton of problematic dark hooves. How do we know that this popular belief is a myth?

First of all there’s no scientific proof anywhere that states that white hooves are weaker than dark hooves��. If there is any proof then please send it over to me, I wanna see it��. Second, I think that we believe this myth because out brains are getting tricked by an illusion and how we perceive information��.

The more you’ll spend time studying equine hooves the more you’ll notice that it’s very easy to find a bruise (red spot) or a surface crack on a white hoof than it is on a dark one. The dark hoof kind of “blends” the surface cracks with the background color. Bruises are even harder, if not impossible, to find on the dorsal wall of a dark hoof just because the pigment masks them.

Basically that’s the difference between a white and dark hoof, pigment. Dark hooves have pigment. White hooves don’t.

Depending on the genetics, a horse can be born with dark, white, striped, spotted hooves. ❗️That’s not important! ❗️Our priority should be the health of those hooves, not the color. As you may have read from my previous posts and articles, hoof health depends on the horses diet, movement and trimming.

Short post but enough to bust the myth!��

Do any of your horses have white hooves? Comment below!

Hey, you’ve read another “one minute discussions” post, congrats!��

Denys A.

856-238-3533

My horse cant go barefoot

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:07:27 GMT

One Minute Discussions #5

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care Who has a barefoot horse and who has a shod one? Comment below, I wanna know��

“My horse can’t go barefoot”

I hear that a lot… from different people, everyone from barn managers to dressage riders to backyard horse owners. But what is making the people believe this myth?�� Why are so many people convinced that their horse can’t go barefoot?��‍♂️

First, I want to mention that I’m not criticizing any farriers/trimmers or their work since all of them are helping horses in their own way. I think its good to know the information that’s available about shoeing and barefoot. Let’s discuss the role shoes play. They protect the hoof from the harsh environment. Instead of wearing the hoof structures, the horse wears off the metal shoe. It sounds like a great idea! To a certain point, it is! The shoe is getting all the wear and tear and the hoof is getting protected from the terrain. What could be better, right? It’s important to consider not only the benefits but also the detrimental effect the shoe can have on a hoof.

Dr. Robert Bowker, a veterinarian and equine specialist, studied countless horses and hoof cadavers and came to a conclusion that in order for the hoof to properly function barefoot, the soft tissue structures in the back half of the foot have to be developed. This can be done ONLY if the hoof is being stimulated while moving. That means that it can’t be accomplished when the horse is locked up in a stall. (Check out the articles at the end of this post)

What effect does the shoe have on a hoof? It’s no secret that the frog absorbs the shock impact when the horse is moving… but when the frog is lifted off the ground by the shoe it can’t achieve that shock absorbing goal. Another thing to watch out for in shod horses is pressure and peripheral (edge) loading. In a barefoot hoof there is pressure when the foot is loaded on the ground and release when the hoof is in midair. With shoes there is a risk of constant pressure which then creates a problem with circulation. Dr. Bowker mentions that lack of circulation, especially from toe clips, can cause bone loss in the hoof.

Now you may say, “Well I pulled the shoes and let him/her out barefoot in his paddock and he/she was lame the next day, so the hooves need shoes”. Unfortunately, in order for the horse to be sound barefoot we can’t just leave them running in the paddock. In order for us to successfully get the horse sound barefoot we need to view the hoof as something that can self-maintain if proper steps are taken to improve its health.

When you pull shoes, especially if the horse has hoof pathology and has been in them for a long time, usually, you’re putting the weight of the horse on very weak and underdeveloped structures. We can’t expect the horse to trot like a dressage/ show horse if he’s walking on soft, marshmallow feet right? That’s where hoof protection comes in��. I’m talking about hoof boots. In many cases it’s great alternative to steel shoes. Hoof boots are flexible and durable which means it provides both stimulation and protection. I’ve heard stories about people giving up on hoof boots just because they got a pair, put them on the hoof and they were rubbing or the boot simply didn’t fit. Thats where you need pro help, or at least advice from a person who’s knowledgable in boot fitting✅!

Another big thing when pulling shoes is diet! In fact I should’ve mentioned it first��! It’s very important to get rid of products that may be causing internal inflammation in the hoof even before you pull shoes. If there’s constant inflammation, if the structures are falling apart from the inside-out then its very hard to get the horse sound barefoot.

Looking from a financial perspective, you’re saving yourself ��money ��when you pull shoes. A trim & basic front shoes cost anywhere from 120$ to 150$. Trim & shoes on all 4 may cost you from 150$ to 200$… and that’s every 4-6 weeks. Now if you were to buy boots you would spend roughly 100$ to 160$ and they would last you a long time. Of course it depends on how often you ride in them them but if you put them on the hoof on trail rides and take them off afterwards then I guarantee you they will last at least a year, sometimes even more. Trims are usually 40$ to 60$ every 4-6 weeks, depending on the health of the hoof. Add this all up, it’s worth sitting down and counting your expenses.

Of course sometimes we find pathology in the hoof that requires constant protection and it is very hard for the horse to be barefoot. There’s great alternatives to steel shoes these days, for example composite glue-on shoes, or many owners are willing to try booted turnout for their horse.

I constantly remember what Pete Ramey, a farrier/hoof rehab specialist once said: ”If shoeing horses fixed all the problems I would have stopped at learning to shoe. If a barefoot trim fixed all the problems I would have stopped at learning to trim.”

That’s a very powerful statement, I think a lot of people should read it again and think about it more. This shows us how important continuing education is when we’re rehabilitating a horse to barefoot.

Being barefoot is normal for a horse and it’s not that difficult or scary as it might seem��. As was mentioned, before pulling shoes it’s important to consider the horses diet, terrain, movement and the physical activities in order for them to stay sound. Along with the help of a knowledgeable farrier it is possible for a huge percentage of horses to be barefoot!

If you have any questions feel free to chat with me! Also if you want to share your experience with switching from shod to barefoot you’re more than happy to comment!

As always, thanks for reading and you’re more than welcome to share this post��

Denys A.

https://www.thelaminitissite.org/feet-faq--articles/robert-bowker-hoof-anatomy-videos

https://www.hoofrehab.com/Gelpad.html

https://www.hoofrehab.com/ArticlesPDF/Pete%20Ramey%20Q&A.pdf

Wow, that's a shiny hoof!

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:05:29 GMT

Write below if you use hoof dressing!

Are you a fan of hoof dressing? Do you have a can in your barn? What purpose does hoof dressing serve anyway?

I get a lot of questions about hoof oils and if I use or recommend them. Honestly, I don’t see the need to use them. ��‍♂️We have to find out their purpose and the effect they have on the hoof in order to come to any conclusion.

People strive to “moisten” the hoof because to them it seems “too dry”. The hoof is a very complicated structure and believe it or not it balances its own moisture from the inside out whether the environment is wet or dry☀️��. When we apply topical oils, hoof dressings, we’re trapping the fungi and bacteria between the later of the oil and the microscopic cracks on the surface of the hoof. Don’t forget, if the horse is standing in poop�� and urine then its twice as dangerous for the hoof to have bacteria literally trapped on the hoof wall��. Theres a high chance that this can progress into something more dangerous, like white line disease!

I also want to mention, there were studies that found that “Formalin”, a common ingredient in hoof oils, acts destructively to the hoof. ❗️It causes the hoof wall to become brittle and have micro cracks that trap bacteria inside. ❗️Serious stuff! Research Formalin and what it does to the keratin material of the hoof.

If you are worried that your horse has “dry feet” or tiny cracks its worth looking into the diet first. I’ve seen so many instances when the quality of the hoof wall improved just by limiting sugars and starches and getting the horse on a balanced mineral supplement. In instances of poor nutrition, applying hoof dressing on these types of hooves is the same as painting over a dent on a car��. The dent is still there, you’re just covering it with a “pretty mask”��. In order to get rid of the dent a mechanic has to correct it from the inside or replace the damaged part of the car. Same thing in hoof care. When the hoof wall is poor quality, masking everything with hoof dressing is worthless. It’s much more efficient correcting the problems from the inside out, rather than masking them from the outside.

If you live in the desert☀️�� and the hooves are actually dry, use water��. Believe me it helps. Hose the hooves down with water for a couple of minutes and you’ll see the difference. If you live in the wet

environment of the East coast as I do (New Jersey, USA) then there’s no point of dressing the hoof with oils. We live in a wet climate��! The hooves sustain themselves!

Sure, the hoof looks ✨shiny ✨, pretty, not arguing! But I’ve seen cases when owners put the dressing on a messed up hoof and say “it helps”. I’ll tell you a secret, it doesn’t��! If the hoof is trimmed improperly, if the horse is landing incorrectly and as was mentioned, if the diet is bad, you’ll end up with a shiny, distorted hoof��.

Traditions play a big role in horse & hoof care. There’s a lot of myths out there about hoof care that are passed on by generations of owners. Just because somebody told you “its healthy” doesn’t mean it’s true. You’ll be surprised how many things can be improved in the life of your horse when you do your research��!

If you made it to the end thanks for reading! You’re the best!

Feel free to share this post, maybe it’ll be useful to somebody ��

Denys A.

856-238-3533

https://thehorse.com/130678/hoof-dressings-what-studies-show/

See you in 4 weeks!

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:01:19 GMT

One Minute Discussion #3

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

O ne Minute Discussions #3

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

SEE YOU IN 4 WEEKS!

What’s the trimming schedule for your horses? ��What is the ideal trimming schedule? Many people will debate that their horse can go many weeks, or even months without trimming. But is that healthy for the hoof?

The average hoof wall grows at a rate of 3/8 to 1/2 inches (around 9 to 12 millimeters) per 4-6 weeks. That’s a lot of grown within that period of time! ��

Now imagine you’re walking on half an inch of excess growth at the bottom of your feet. It’s uncomfortable, it’s painful, and walking feels weird, especially if you have these “swimming fins” on your feet��. That’s how it feels for the horse to walk around untrimmed. Not to mention how uncomfortable it is for the horse to carry the weight of the rider on these overgrown feet. One principle has to be kept in mind… The longer you stretch the schedule the more problems you’ll have with your horses hooves��‍♂️!

So what is the ideal trimming schedule? 4-5 week… for extremely healthy feet you can stretch it to 6 weeks. When it comes to laminitic hooves, or severely overgrown, pathological, then you HAVE to trim them at 2-3 weeks. Once I heard a pretty interesting phrase - “If your farrier is coming out to trim and using his/her nippers, then you can be sure that the hoof is overgrown and you should probably shorten the trimming schedule. When there’s a farrier visit, the tools that should be used the most are the rasp and knife”. ��Pretty cool statement��!

Are you saving �� money ��by stretching the schedule? ❌ NO! ❌The longer the schedule the more distorted a hoof will be. And the more distortion there is, the more likely your horse will have problems, not just with hooves but with the body. At the end of the day if you count the vet bills, massage therapy, supplements and medicine you’re giving to your sick horse, it’s worth just shortening the trimming schedule and keeping the hoof healthy and in peak performance✅.

In what situations is it safe to stretch the trimming schedule? In rare cases. Only if the horse has fantastic feet or is self-trimming. Standing in a concrete barn alley and stomping flies IS NOT self trimming��! Self trimming happens when the horse wears the hooves down on rocky/hard terrain by running many miles a day��. I don’t think there’s a lot of horses that do that in captivity.

So if owners want healthy hooves and want to see progress its best to shorten the trimming schedules! Your horses will thank you��!

Thanks for reading!

Check out my website for cool articles and hoof photos!

https://denysantonenko13.wixsite.com/my-site

856-238-3533

Oh and check out this article!��

https://scootboots.com/blogs/blog/how-often-should-you-trim-your-horses-hooves

Denys A.

Ouch! Thrush hurts!

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 04:58:39 GMT

One Minute Discussions #2

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

One Minute Discussions #2

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

OUCH! THRUSH HURTS!

Your horse has thrush. ��How do I know?

Well, are they walking or standing in poop? In their own urine? Standing in a stall? Trimmed once a year? Eating grains?

Yea, they probably have thrush. ��‍♂️

What is thrush anyway?

It’s a bacterial and/or fungal infection in the frog (the frog is the triangle shaped part in the middle and lower half part of the hoof). You can notice thrush especially in the back part of the frog, in the central sulcus. How does it occur? I mentioned above. And you can add “improper and/or little movement” to that.

See, the more the horse moves, the less stuff gets trapped in the bottom of the hoof. The more the horse stands in its own urine and poop, the more likely you’ll have an infection. Plus, don’t forget that the frog is getting stimulated while moving. Stimulation = health

Common myth - thrush can be found only in a wet environment … ❌ false ❌! It may seem like it but there’s also a thing called “desert thrush”. Not a fun thing for horses out west. So you can find thrush everywhere, both in dry and wet environments. And besides, the ground, dry or wet, is a breeding place for fungus and bacteria, so again, it’s a myth that I keep hearing that thrush is from the wet terrain.

So how do you treat it? Soak it with bleach and thrush buster? No, I don’t recommend it.

Imagine you have an open wound, and somebody comes and pours bleach, alcohol and iodine on it��. It’s gonna burn ��! The tissues around that area will be destroyed and you’ll probably have that open wound for another month or two. That’s how it feels to have thrush and apply thrush buster and the common thrush medicine you can find at pet stores, for example copper sulfate. It burns, kills the bacteria (and with it the live tissues) and the healing process lasts twice as long.

Instead of using aggressive treatments and causing heel pain, use tissue-favoring creams. A good thing I found (and my colleagues use it) is zinc oxide. Amazing thing, both aggressive to the bacteria and favoring the tissues. Neosporin is also great!

❗️Persistency is key❗️If you’re planning on treating it once a week, you will not see any changes, I guarantee it. Staying on top of the problem is essential if you want to get rid of thrush. Treat the infection twice, or at least once a day.

I use a dental syringe and apply the cream in the infected areas that are hard to reach. Put the cream into the syringe using a spoon or butter knife and it should last a while. I also found that soaking cotton balls in the cream and then stuffing the infected areas with the medicated cotton balls helps big time.

It may take a while but with time and proper care it is possible to get rid of thrush!

Don’t give up!��

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to call or text me to schedule an appointment I service NJ, And parts of PA & DE! Also, if you notice your horse has thrush, let’s chat! Maybe we can figure out a solution!

856-238-3533

Denys A.

P.S. Great article and video

https://www.hoofrehab.com/Thrush_treatment.htm

https://youtu.be/PGCx7Ny8KgU

What's the deal with diet?

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 04:51:14 GMT

O ne Minute Discussions #1

Discussing Natural Hoof & Horse Care

If you have me as your farrier or know me just a little you probably heard me mention something about proper horse diet. To some it’s annoying (totally get it ��), to some it’s very informative, others don’t want to get into that stuff.

So what’s the deal with diet? Why am I always asking owners to limit sugars and starches for their horses?

To answer shortly, your horses health depends on it. We are what we eat, right? Why can’t this be true with horses?

There’s tons of new research done by many people that prove the detrimental effect sugars and starches have in hooves (and overall health of the horse). Sugars are found in that lush, green pasture you have in your backyard. Starches are found in the grains you buy at tractor supply. Where’s the proof?

All we have to do is…. google it ��

(links at the end)

No but I’m serious. I’m trying to help you and your horse. When I go there to trim your pasture mate, I make certain changes biomechanically. This means that I “rebalance” the hoof, adapt to the patterns of wear and try to make the horse land properly and comfortably. That’s where my job ends. I can’t control what happens next or what the horse eats the next 4 weeks that I’m gone. But you can. And believe me, it makes a difference.

We wonder why the hoof won’t grow out a crack or a split, why the horse has crumbly, poor-quality walls, why the soles are thin, why there’s thrush and white line disease, why there’s lameness and discomfort…. hmm��, have you tried switching the diet?

Often I get a reply - “It won’t help” or “I tried pulling shoes, he just can’t be barefoot”

Switch the diet and see for yourself! I bet you a nickel you’ll see a difference ��

No, limiting starches and sugars doesn’t mean starving the horse. There’s great and healthy alternatives to grains and grass, and you get to keep the weight on the horse. In fact, we’re so used to seeing fat horses that we count it as normal! It’s not! Obese horses are as bad as starved ones.

So please, keep an eye out for crests, fat pads, poor-quality hooves and lameness issues. Perhaps the problem is not in the trim… it’s in the diet.

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2021/09/24/learn-to-recognize-an-overweight-horse/

https://www.safergrass.org

https://www.hoofrehab.com/Diet.html

One Minute Discussions with Denys Antonenko

Posture and wedges: What’s the connection?

How to build a dry lot

Click on the button below to download the free PDF step by step guide to building a dry lot or scroll to look at the guide below!

Leave or remove the lamellar wedge?

What causes lamina separation?

What is a balanced hoof?

Would you let your horses eat poison?

Documenting trimming progress

You're here to just trim the hooves, right?

Barefoot, plastic shoes or metal shoes?

Acute and Sub-acute laminitis

Mustang hooves: An ideal model for domestic horse hooves?

Bruising: Is it normal and what to expect?

Is your horse neglected?

Front hoof health affects hind hoof health

How important are radiographs?

Event Lines/ Hoof Rings

Is your horse really sound?

There's always multiple causes

Traumatic Cracks

Laminitis & Stress

Notice the problem before the train wreck

Does hoof health affect DSLD?

Developing healthy heel

He doesn't look due

The truth about barefoot rehab

Does sidetone affect the bars?

Rotational Deformity

Long Toes

How to determine caudal failure

Amount of laminae in quarters and toe

What are you looking at in a hoof?

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The laminae and peripheral loading

Coronary band injuries

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False sole/ Exfoliating Sole

Link to photos and video below!!

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Three types of laminitis/ SIRS laminitis/ Part 3

Three types of laminitis/ Endocrinopathic/ Part 2

Three types of laminitis? Support limb/ Part 1

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How to tell if horse has thrush

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Fibrocartilage in digital cushion

Toe first/ heel first

Toe dragging

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Donkeys need care too

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Navicular Syndrome & Navicular Disease

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Deformed and crooked legs/Hooves

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A method that helps all horses

Thin Soles

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Arthritis & Ringbone

Caudal Failure/ Frog Health

P.S. The two photos are 5 months apart. The trim is done by the one and only, my friend, Nicole Acerbo who does an AMAZING job! Keep up the good work ������

To view images go to my Sep. 5th 2022 Facebook post below

Farrier VS the untrained horses

What purpose do the bars serve?

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How soon should a newborn foal be trimmed

Dry lots: A Lifesaver

Just give him some Bute...

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Testing horses for PPID (Cushings)

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Lame horse after farrier visit

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Killing with kindness

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Buying a horse? Ask your farriers opinion!

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You've trimmed him too fast

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P.S. The two photos are 5 months apart. The trim is done by the one and only, my friend, Nicole Acerbo who does an AMAZING job! Keep up the good work ��