Hoof Care Services

Barefoot Trimming

My practice places a profound emphasis on balanced trimming to complement the horse’s biomechanics, bony alignment, and static and dynamic balance, to reduce leverage on the skeleton and soft tissues. Within these parameters, the horse’s flight pattern, particularly breakover and landing, are of great importance. A heel first, and flat (medial/lateral) landing are critical for fostering the horse’s hemodynamic system (blood flow) and higher up biomechanics.

Clients are required to stay on a four-to-six-week cycle depending on the horse’s needs. Maintaining an appropriate trim cycle length is very important for optimal hoof health. Typically, this is 4-5 weeks for most horses in summer, in some cases extending to 5-6 weeks in winter. Rehab cases may need trims more frequently depending on pathology. I do not offer long cycles. Short cycles have been shown to be an effective approach to mitigate pathologies and distortions, maintain proper balance, and avoid overgrowth related issues, particularly during the quick growing summer months.

In addition to equines, well behaved donkeys, mules, and minis are welcome. Drafts are only accepted if they stand impeccably and are power-tool tolerant (additional fees apply).

Composite Shoeing

Composite horseshoes are a productive alternative to traditional steel shoes. Here are some benefits and uses of composite shoes:

1. They are made from a combination of materials, typically including polymers, rubber, and often a metal core for added stability. These materials offer a dampening effect which allows for advanced shock absorption, thus reducing impact and trauma to soft tissue and joints. 
2. While still providing excellent support and biomechanics, composite shoes allow the hoof to flex as nature intended. This mobility fosters the hemodynamic system, or healthy blood flow, in the distal limb and improves overall hoof health. 
3. No nails! My shoeing practice primarily uses acrylic glue, which suits the damp environment here in the southeast. Acrylic glue is a more flexible substrate, which complements the dynamics of the composite shoe. With glue, I am able to prioritize and maximize the trim and shoe placement to best suit the horse’s needs. 
4. Composite shoes are 100% customizable. Composite shoes can often be molded or shaped to fit the specific needs of the horse, allowing me to maximize biomechanics, breakover, and shoe placement. 
5. Most of my shoe packages include the use of dental impression material, or DIM, which is essentially a custom orthotic to provide complete support to the internal structures of the hoof. 
6. Trimming is a subtractive process, and often there is only so much foot to take to achieve homeostatic balance. Composite shoeing allows for prosthetic application to build vertical depth, global/capsular support, bony alignment, and palmar/plantar corrections. (credit to my mentor, Daisy Bicking)
7. Composite shoes can be used for steel to bare transitions, rehabilitation, and a healthy alternative for horses requiring consistent shoeing. 
   

Rehabilitation

Common Reasons for Hoof Rehab

• Poor/incorrect angles: This includes caudal failure, negative palmar/plantar angles, club feet, or chronically foundered feet.
• Laminitis (acute or chronic)
• Navicular Syndrome or Disease
• White Line Disease
• Abscesses
• Thrush
• Cracks
• Neglect (overgrown hooves)
• Pathologically thin soles

Steel transitions

The baseline health of the horse’s hoof, distortions, and pathologies when coming out of steel are deciding factors on the transitional protocol. These transitions are done with the support of short cycle trims, diet overhaul, environmental management, infection control (e.g., thrush, white line, etc.), and if appropriate, medical management. 

Each horse’s transition is unique to them. Some transition from steel to bare seamlessly and require minimal intervention. Their feet just know what to do and they are healthy enough to adjust without auxiliary measures. Others require a more remediable approach with the use of composites or therapy boots. 

Occasionally when horses come out of steel/perimeter shoes, they suffer from frog prolapse. Essentially, this is failure of the soft tissues and caudal hoof due to lack of sufficient support. While mendable, this presentation can be painful for the horse. I typically recommend therapeutic cloud boots for this restorative period. Cloud boots are a therapeutic (non-riding boot) with a 2-degree comfort pad. (I carry a full stock of cloud boots) Some horses will only need them for a few weeks, others perhaps a month or two. Again, each horse is different. During this time, turnout and movement is always encouraged (if vet approved). It is best to pause riding or forced exercise to allow the horse to heal. After graduating from cloud boots, some horses will need the support of composite shoeing for a few cycles, while others are able to successfully transition to barefoot. More complex cases will require the consideration of sole depth, coffin bone health, corium health, and vertical depth. Radiographs from your veterinarian are a significant support for virtually any case and are always recommended/appreciated. If your veterinarian has concerns about the health of the hoof’s blood flow/hemodynamic system/corium health, they may also recommend a venogram.