Barefoot...again

Akkalia, bear in mind that EPAUK only took up the UK training since 2011 (even though they were already training since early 2000's). So anyone who was trimming earlier probably had training abroad from well established barefoot farriers. The history is very interesting (google Jaime Jackson/barefoot/natural hoofcare) but don't look too much into it or else you'll want to become a trimmer!!! Ask Jane if she comes, I'm sure you'll find it really interesting :)
 
Think Jane started trimming in 2011 looking at her profile. I will give her a ring today and see what she says. I'm already wanting to learn about doing it myself haha!
 
Little update for those who are interested. Farrier came out on saturday as she was still trotting up lame in her boots. He pared off the bulge around the separation although didn't think it was enough to be causing the lameness. Said the separation really wasn't bad at all. Took her out after he'd left in her boots again and she trotted up sound! Bit footsore the morning after the paring though but sound since in boots.

And I have Jane (trimmer) coming next monday to see her, will let you know how it goes!
 
Regandal said:
You won't regret it. She really is very good. Also has a very good eye for body alignment, will spot if they're out of kilter.
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Agreed, Jane is fab. She does my daughter's ponies feet and has been hugely helpful in improving them. I decided to look for a female farrier as said pony is a bit neurotic about men after a bad start in life and was not always well behaved for male farriers in the past which led me to Jane through a recommendation from a fellow livery. Over the course of just over a year we have now got a pony who will stand (mostly!) nicely for trimming, has recovered from seedy toe in all 4 hooves and is not as wonky behind as she was as seen in the huge improvement in the flares she had previously. Not only has Jane advised on the feet but behaviour and diet too.
 
Ester - I've just seen you're in Wiltshire. I'm on the Somerset / Wilts border and am thinking of trying barefoot. You may be the other end of the county but can you tell me who you use (or anyone you can reccommend)?
 
I've moved to cambs now but would recommend Deborah Powell, she is near glastonbury and did Frank in Bridgwater and later near salisbury until I took over :)
http://www.barefoothoofcare.co.uk/
She was fairly newly qualified when she was suggested to me by Nic at Rockley but has always done a fab job and is a lovely person.
 
Thank you Ester - i've pinged e-mails off to Deborah and a couple of other trimmers to see what they think of us.
I've mulled over going barefoot several times over the last few years but never felt brave enough to take that first step.
 
little_critter said:
Ester - I've just seen you're in Wiltshire. I'm on the Somerset / Wilts border and am thinking of trying barefoot. You may be the other end of the county but can you tell me who you use (or anyone you can reccommend)?
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There's also a lady called Jayne Hunt who is very knowledgeable and she runs the training at the EPAUK. She's Melksham I think. Also Sally Bell if you're more towards Somerset. Oh yes, and Caroline Andresen although I don't personally know her.
 
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I am aware of Caroline from years back but note she is now working under the hoofing marvellous banner and I wouldn't touch them with a very long barge pole, because I wouldn't want to give them any money whichever one of them was doing the trimming I'm afraid.

I spoke to lindsay cotterell too after she was suggested on here and only didn't go with her as she was a bit further away.
 
Well, an update as promised. Trimmer came out last night, arrived at 5pm...left just after 8pm!! Was so impressed with her, she took time to explain absolutely everything. I feel a bit overloaded with information in fact, but it was fascinating. Most of the time was spent talking actually as there was very little she could do as the changes need to be made so slowly. But she confirmed as I already knew that she has very poor digital cushions on the front in particular and generally weak (although not poor) feet. She pointed out the imbalances caused by uneven loading. Hind feet were particularly interesting, she said looking at the outside shape, one was particularly bull nosed (and turned out), the other less so and she would suspect her coffin bone to be flat on the less badly affected one and pointed down at the back in the worst one. I forget the term she used - negative something or other. After looking at the soles she said she was as certain as she could be about it without X-rays due to a sudden marked concavity near the frog where there shouldn't be one. Was slightly terrified at this point but she said it was very common. Overall she thought the whole picture was actually very good in terms of looking at her whole body in relation to her feet, her feet are on the small side so need to be as strong as they can be. Thought given how weak her soles and frogs etc are her footiness on the road wasn't too bad - she lands toe first as suspected of course. Strongly suspects hindgut ulcers, which could be affecting her gait on the hinds (i.e. the turned out feet, particularly on her near hind). She stands with one hind forward a lot then shifts to stand with the other forward, rarely stands square. And is reluctant to hold particularly her near fore up for any length of time. Physio very happy with her muscularly btw. Suggested treating for hindgut ulcers to see if there's an improvement. She does show some other treatment of ulcers and she is an ex-racer. Haven't been able to box her for a scope to check for foregut ulcers and to be honest not sure she would cope with the stress of the whole procedure so would probably just rather try treating. Trimmer suggested to try treating for hindgut ulcers first as she felt they were more likely than foregut ulcers after palpating her (and with the symptoms she shows).

Said she shouldn't be hacking in boots without pads at the moment which means i need to re-think my booting, but hopefully the renegades can come back into play once she's a bit further down the road. No trotting on roads quite yet either. Which is fine as I'm mainly walking anyway. Can ride in the field without boots if there's give in the ground.

So fairly positive I think - long road to go down, but I was concerned she was going to say I couldn't work her until her feet were better. Which given how far we've come from an anxious mess to a much more relaxed horse that I can only recently feel happy to put back into work, would be a bit of a step back. And we've had many of those!
 
negative palmar angle, Frank was flat in both his fores when we started, and bull nosed, it did resolve :)

It seems like a very informative visit, though it can seem like a lot of info when all broken down like that. Did she have any other boot suggestions for you?
 
Negative palmar angle, that's it!!

She did do a bit of careful trimming, just trying to balance the fronts out a bit, and she shortened the break over ever so slightly on the backs.

She suggested trying equine fusions as a rehab boot with pads. I tried putting pads in the front renegades but they affected the fit causing them to twist which they hadn't been doing previously. Ive bought the front renegades but she suggested sending the back ones which are still on hire back as she thinks until the hinds are more sorted they'll have real twisting problems, and trying a pair of fusions. She said for now on the fronts if I didn't want to buy fusions for them I could try using my old cavallos but with pads and wraps to prevent the rubbing issue I had with those. The rubbing was always worse on the backs anyway. So I may try hiring fusions for the backs and seeing how I get on with those and going back to cavallos on fronts until she's more comfortable. It's not like we're doing fast work anyway.
 
Pretty sure alexhyde likes her fusions on doodle too :)

I think the tread seems to have got better than on the first ones they brought out.
 
Yes think the treads were improved on the Ultimates and then further on the all-terrains. Have gone for the all-terrains on hire initially again, hoping they'll arrive before the weekend.
 
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