equine podiatry

I do use an EP. Mainly because I was not happy with my farrier's work. My horses' feet were getting gradually worse, with my EP they are improving. I see it like this: a farrier trim is like quickly cutting your nails. An EP trim is like having a manicure. EPs also advise on diet, management etc, which, in my experience, farriers do not.
 
Equine Podiatry/Podiatrists is the trade marked name for KC LaPierre trained barefoot trimmers. Don't restrict yourself just to EP's as barefoot trimmers trained by anyone other than KC LaPierre are just as good and well trained.

Sall I don't know who you have found but I know a barefoot trimmer who covers your area - he is probably the best and most experienced trimmer in the UK. If you want his details PM me. He's also an ex-farrier for anyone who is a bit nervous about the training levels of barefoot trimmers.
 
hannahc said:
EPs also advise on diet, management etc, which, in my experience, farriers do not.
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According to friend they can tell all kinds (diet, back issues, general health etc) which is why I was temped down that route. But with no recommends for the guy, i'm not sure..


Thank you everyone
 
My last Horse I had barefoot. He was terrified of traffic and hacking was on sandy tracks so no need for shoes. I tried a fancy 'podiatrist' / 'barefoot trimmer' - Horse went lame immediately after. So, from then on I used a regular farrier at 1/3 of the price. Was never lame again.
Farriers ARE trained to trim Horses feet for barefoot as well as for shoeing them afterward. They are also far more highly trained than 'barefoot trimmers'. The one I had charged the same as for a set of shoes from a regular farrier - massive scam if you ask me. Glad I saw the light. I'm sure there are some decent 'barefoot trimmers' out there but V hard to know who!
 
My ex farrier..............£20 for 10 minutes work!!!!!!! When Ben was shod he kicked him :(

New EP lovely lady...........£40 BUT she spent nearly an hour balancing, trimming, filing, getting rid of bad flares that my farrier just ever did anything about, talking about diet, exercise etc.

Good and bad in every walks of life, but I know which one I choose :)
 
suzysparkle said:
My last Horse I had barefoot. He was terrified of traffic and hacking was on sandy tracks so no need for shoes.
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I keep hearing this myth - particularly from farriers! - that horses can cope barefoot as long as they aren't doing much roadwork. Nothing could be further from the truth. Working barefoot horses on roads is fabulous for conditioning feet and stimulating healthy growth. The 'no need for shoes' would still have applied to your horse if he'd been out hacking on the roads every day!

Of course most farriers can trim horses feet perfectly well, what they are often not trained in are the dietry and environmental needs of barefoot horses. Too many farriers I know are happy to take shoes off but if a horse hits a problem - becomes footy for example - they generally advise to put shoes back on rather than addressing the real issue which is almost always diet.
 
hannahc said:
a farrier trim is like quickly cutting your nails. An EP trim is like having a manicure. EPs also advise on diet, management etc, which, in my experience, farriers do not.
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That is a bit of a sweeping generalisation in my experience. It depends very much on how enlightened and conscientious your farrier is. My farrier is very pro barefoot, trims accordingly and offers a wealth of management information to back up his high standard of practical skills.
 
mrdarcy said:
I keep hearing this myth - particularly from farriers! - that horses can cope barefoot as long as they aren't doing much roadwork.



Of course most farriers can trim horses feet perfectly well, what they are often not trained in are the dietry and environmental needs of barefoot horses.
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And I keep on hearing this myth ;) Farriers ARE trained in dietary and environmental needs of barefoot horses. Its on the syllabus quite extensively.

Whether or not they actually show it is a different story :rolleyes:

That is a bit of a sweeping generalisation in my experience. It depends very much on how enlightened and conscientious your farrier is. My farrier is very pro barefoot, trims accordingly and offers a wealth of management information to back up his high standard of practical skills
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.

I really, really wish more farriers were like yours. If they were, the "barefoot profession" wouldn't have sprung up. I'm so very frustrated that I know my farrier(s) has/ve been through all this training, but its trying to extract it and to get them to do more than just a "toenail trim" that is the problem in my own experience.

To the OP, the UKNHCP is the organisation which regulates barefoot trimmers. You can look up a recommended one local to you on their website I think.
 
Naturally said:
To the OP, the UKNHCP is the organisation which regulates barefoot trimmers.
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Not quite accurate. This org is one of several in the UK that trains barefoot trimmers. Many of the founders of these various orgs were all trained at least in part by the AANHCP. Then for whatever reason they decided to go their own way.

At present in the UK there are draft National Occupational Standards (NOS) for barefoot trimmers. These have yet to be finalised and published. Even when they are published they will not be a legal requirement.

The UKNHCP have been involved in consultations about the NOS, but are only one of many organisations that have been equally included.
 
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