Recent content by wild at hoof

I remember all through pony club that poisonous plants and trees were talked about - sycamore was never on the list. From what i can establish its not the tree / seeds itself but something to do with the spores / bacteria they generate in the soil ... wonder if it has anything to do with milder...

just saying - if you feed your horse on a high sugar diet (like the one its on) if you remove the sugar they tend not to like it. When i switched my mares diet she refused to eat it ... but now she loves it ... they like sugar so you have to wean them off it. As much has as possible is...

Simple is the way forward! i have a 22yr old tb and a 2 yr old irish sports who both get fed the same. Im also an EP so diet is something i care alot about as it shows in their feet. I feed: Pro earth balancer coolstance copra Micronised linseed handful of grass chaff (something like...

my old mare is a B***er to feed - real fussy. THis winter she has lived out on adlib hay, and 2 meals consisting of: pro earth balancer Coolstance copra - soaked in warm water Mirconised lineed Handful of grass chaff Shes 22 and a TB and looking great ... plus she actually wants her...

even if riding a really sensible horse accidents happen ... i always remember Christopher Reeve (superman for those who are too young) was paralysed from a fall while walking his horse in a sand school. That being said he wasn't wearing a helmet ... a lot of injuries are worse because...

This is exactly right ... if you feed high energy its like eating a mars bar before running up some stairs - it will work but you will probably damage yourself ... however if you regulary run up small flights of stairs your fitness will improve. That being said extra protein is a good idea -...

did he hit with foot or leg? on a boot? Bone bruises hurt a lot :( (from my own personal experience) There are also alot of important tendons on the front on the leg. if he hit is foot / coronary band - if there is inflammation there is no where for it to expand (think laminitis pain) A...

There are some theories (and research via venograms) that say that a shoe put on too 'tight' can restrict blood flow and potentially give horses a pins and needles type reaction ... i cant remember the paper i read on it but will try and find it out for you. there are also theories (following...

Has trimmer / farrier used hoof testers on the sole to see if it is thin? On the track - do you have different surfaces or it is just grass / earth? THey only ever get used to what they are exposed to. Boots with pads can be really useful to see if it is his feet ... could be other influences...

You have 2 issues currently - the ppid and the laminitis ... the drugs work to manage the blood sugar : insulin levels. Which will obviously affect the laminitis. If its working - she wont get laminits again from 'nothing' However! REhabbing a laminitic takes longer than 2 weeks so you will...

The drugs have a lot of side effects (such as lethargy and decreased appetite) however they are far outweighed by the benefits. Most horses dont die of cushings / PPID but they can be affected very seriously by it. The biggest issue is avoiding laminitis - which for a ppid horse is a...

This happens a lot :) The key is making sure you grow healthy food by keeping the diet right, exposing him to the surfaces you want him to be sound on and then making sure he is being trimmed to both correct any pathologies or to maintain a healthy hoof. There is no reason why he can't be...

Lots of my clients left them on ... but then they gradually stopped using the boots as the horses became more sound. I think it depends on the horse ... if you have a fine skinned Arab or tb you may need to leave them on. I would rather leave them on than risk rubs :(

I always say to allow 4 months to see any changes, this allows time for the sole to thicken but also for your trimmer or farrier to make changes that will be noticeable. Many horses I take on are footy not from diet but because their soles are thin, either from being shod or bein stretched...

I'd second red horse products. Hoof stuff is great for packing small crevices and amazinf in frogs. Field paste my go to product for thrush. I'd trim any flappy bits of frog as they Inuktitut harbour bacteria (but I am a trimmer ... I'd suggest you ask your farrier it trimmer to do this) then...