Make the transition to going barefoot. Why? Its very simple : Because horses are born barefoot. The natural trim is based on the hooves of wild horses.
Natural Hoof Care allows the entire hoof mechanism to function completely. A normal hoof is not flat on any plane. It has naturally arching quarters,
recessed bars and sole. These important shapes are eliminated to permit the secure application of a shoe. By providing a natural approach to the maintenance of our horses feet the horse will travel and wear the hooves the way his or her body dictate
s. Our model is the outer form that allows the inner form to function optimally. Each hoof is a unique force which expresses itself to best serve that limb, on that animal, in that environment, at that time. The role of the trimmer is to support this natural process. The Wild Horse Hoof promotes Holistic Equine Management and Natural Hoof Care. I am seeking to accomlish this by providing information, service and support and by educating people to this cause.
80% to 90% of all laminitis cases are due to metabolic issues. If your horse, donkey, pony, or mule has laminitis, assume that your equine has EMS/IR (Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance) and start him or her on the Emergency Diet right away. Blood tests are also in order. Test glucose and insulin for EMS/IR, and if PPID/Cushing's disease are suspected, test ACTH. For details on the best ways to deal with and prevent laminitis, go here: https://bit.ly/2J4ZgYT
Why do our domestic horses suffer from so many hoof related problems? this link...
The Proceedings from Dr. Kathleen Gustafson’s lectures from the 2021 ECIR Group – NO Laminitis! Conference are now available for download at no cost. Dr. Gustafson has addressed two equine nutrition topics that are of the greatest interest to owners who care for horses with metabolic disorders. https://www.e-junkie.com/i/11b2s
Part 1, describes the typical nutrient profile of hay and shows how indicators of grass maturity affect nutrient value. This is to challenge two misconceptions: 1) The continued belief that overly mature, poor quality hay is the only safe hay for horses with metabolic disorders and, 2) to encourage owners to analyze their hay and consider all nutrients, not just sugar and starch. Forage is the foundation of the equine diet and horses with metabolic disorders deserve good quality hay.
The carbohydrate content of forage is discussed in Part 2. This is a difficult and controversial topic, partly due to confusion surrounding the role of grass fructans in equine nutrition. Fructans are plant storage carbohydrates. Mammals cannot digest fructans, therefore fructans serve as prebiotic fiber and may confer a health benefit. Sugars (primarily sucrose) are the most abundant carbohydrate in most pastures around the world. Simple sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose) and starch have an undisputed role in glucose and insulin dynamics. High serum insulin is the direct cause of insulin-induced laminitis. To date, there is no credible evidence that fructans have a substantial role in the production of glucose or insulin when compared to simple sugars and starch.
For those who are overwhelmed and don’t want to dig into the academic nuances of forage nutrient values and carbohydrate controversy, here are three simple take- home messages:
- If your horse has high insulin, s/he should not be consuming pasture.
- The chance of finding good quality hay with safe sugar and starch is greater than 90%
- If able, the best “cure” for high blood insulin is exercise.
Remember ECIR’s proven protocol DDT+E: Diagnosis, Diet, Trim, and Exercise. For details, visit our website https://bit.ly/2IPkXMo
Unfortunately, by the time many owners find us, their equines have already experienced laminitis. Since 80-90% of all laminitis cases are a result of the horse, donkey, or mule having uncontrolled EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome) and/or PPID (Equine Cushing's Disease), our goal is to help owners and equine professionals get the correct diagnosis and initiate treatment BEFORE a laminitic event. Here's what you need to know: https://bit.ly/2A36ERq For more details, click here to view our short film: Getting the Correct Diagnosis: https://bit.ly/2BSdEhK
Fascinating anatomy. If I sound like a broken record to some of my clients about treating thrush in the central sulcus...watch this and get a better understanding on how serious this issues is.
Trim Balance is Key!
This illustrates that the hoof grows forward every trim cycle, and must be trimmed BACK, not FLAT.
The toe, heels and bar need to be trimmed back, and put into alignment with the limb every month or the horse will risk lameness issues and mobility restrictions.
To learn how to trim for balance, and soundness, please visit www.successwithhorses.com or see our online tutorial video’s at https://successwithhorses.uscreen.io/
Important read for metabolic horses
Why do ‘cresty’ necks suddenly go rock hard?
This information is relevant and useful to people who own horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome and are in danger of laminitis or whose horses are intermittently ‘footy’. Understanding this has helped with rehabilitating, not only all the ponies at Jen Heperi’s Mini-HaHa Rescue Haven but many more horses and ponies all around the world.
We learned from Dr Deb Bennett PhD (who has conducted many dissections), that “the horse's "crest" is made of fibro-fatty sub-cutaneous (adipose) tissue similar in texture to high-density foam”.
Have you ever wondered how it is that the ‘crest’ of the neck can harden so rapidly? Sometimes overnight?
The actual reason is because it goes ‘turgid’ (it fills with fluid). Like foam, the crest tissue can take up water like a sponge; so it swells and hardens because fluid ‘leaks’ into it, filling the interstitial spaces until it is hard as a rock, and ‘softens’ when electrolyte balances are corrected thereby allowing fluid to be resorbed.
When the crest swells with edema, other parts of the horse's body like the abdomen and the hooves (significantly the digital cushion is made of similar material, it is a thick wedge of fibro-fatty subcutaneous tissue) -- are liable to be in trouble, too.
Hardening of the ‘crest’ coincides with not only spring and autumn growth spurts but also potassium and nitrogen spikes in autumn and winter grasses. It coincides with early signs of laminitis which are ‘stiffening’ of gait and being ‘footy’.
It is a sure indication that one cause of ‘pasture related laminitis’ is as much to do with mineral imbalances, (particularly potassium and nitrogen excesses concurrent with salt deficit) as sugars and starches. It explains why short Autumn grass can cause laminitis when analysis shows soluble sugars + starch content is only 7.5% while potassium is 3.4%, sodium only 0.154%, nitrogen 5.8%, nitrates 2290mgs/kg (far too high, in mature grass/hay they are undetectable).
It is one of the many reasons clover is such a ‘no-no’ for EMS/laminitis equines and a likely explanation why there are some insulin resistant/elevated insulin horses that can't tolerate Lucerne (alfalfa) and is why Lucerne can perpetuate laminitis when everything else is being done ‘right’.
People who own horses with EMS are aware they need to pay attention to this vital sign: that just before a horse has a bout of laminitis, the normally soft and spongy crest stands up firm and hard. Then they can immediately reduce potassium/nitrogen intake by eliminating short, green grass replacing it with soaked hay and make sure they add salt to feeds and not rely on a salt lick. If action is taken quickly enough in these early stages, laminitis can be averted, you can ‘dodge a bullet’.
Soaking hay for about an hour not only reduces sugars but also reduces potassium levels by 50%.
Therefore a very important aspect of EMS and laminitis is that identifying and addressing mineral imbalances (particularly high potassium/nitrogen & low salt) are equally as important as sugar and starch content when rehabilitating individuals and assessing suitability of forage for these compromised equines.
How does hydraulic fluid theory relate to hoof morphology?
Gunkelman and Hammer (2017) discussed the possibilities of negative hoof morphology in feet that had insufficient ability to dissipate the forces of impact.
The ability of the hoof to have and to utilise a strong hydraulic damping mechanism stops high transient energies from being transmitted onto bone and sensitive tissues (Bowker). But also reduces the shock and work load on the hoof wall and of course the heels. When these structures suffer excessive strain they exceed their elastic capacity and fail, leading to negative changes in shape.
Join me in the upcoming webinar where I am excited to present some brand new, never before seen art work, to help me explain the theories of haemodynamics and how they relate to hoof proportions. Then we will compare them with what we see from live dissections done by Lindsey Field! Follow the blue link!
https://fb.me/e/1fq8E03Af
The digital cushion is what a healthy hoof is all about. Without its full development the hoof has weak support.
Why are the caudal hoof structures so important in whole horse health and performance?
The haemodynamic system is a miracle of evolutionary bio-engineering.
An animal that can experience 2.5 times its bodyweight crashing through a single limb, needs to have a pretty impressive shock absorption mechanism to not shatter bones!
Up to 75% of the shock of impact is absorbed before it reaches the fetlock.. How!?
Join me and The study of the equine hoof as we explore this miraculous anatomy.
I will be teaching the theories, explaining the anatomy and delving into the bio-mechanics and mechanisms, and also discussing the farriery implications. Also linking all of this to the risk of injury and connections to the entire musculoskeletal system! While Lindsey will be dissecting the cadavers and we will test the theories against real anatomy.
join us at this link.
https://fb.me/e/1fq8E03Af
This is fascinating to say the least:
https://www.thirzahendriks.com/post/the-un-balanced-horse
Practical considerations for horses with lower neck problems In nature, horses use their neck as a natural balancing entity. Ever seen a horse turning flat like a motorcycle but still keeping balance? They can do so by placing their weight into the inside front limb while cantilevering with the head...
Learn more about the symptoms of EMS/IR and how to manage them here: https://bit.ly/2OspeWl
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