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23.01.2022 Timmy and Okie were very happy with their grinder trims today I often find horses stand better for the grinder than for rasping (provided they are ok with the sound) as there is less pressure and movement on their hooves.

20.01.2022 This happens a lot, especially with those rehab cases. I promise, we care

20.01.2022 Interested in a career change? Or are you a young person unsure about what you want to do when you grow up? 11 years ago, that was me and thats when I began my studies in Hoof Care. Whether you're interested in full time, part time or just want to learn the skills to care for your own horses feet, this course is for you And currently there is the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. We need more hoof care providers in our area and I know there are plenty of you out there interested in your horses hooves (I see you watching and taking interest when im trimming ). I can provide support and mentoring as well as point you in the direction of other resources to help in your hoof care journey.

20.01.2022 Hai Aunty Em!! I'm so glad you're here to trim my feet (Never actually met this guy before he tried to hop in my car. Have now learned his name is Joey )

19.01.2022 I'm 3.5 days into the new year (as far as work goes) and it's been a great start Most horses have been well behaved and I've been able to use my grinder on 50% of horses so far (some weren't ready for it and on others I didn't need it) and it has been a huge help and often is a nicer experience for the horse (minus the noise). This year I am pushing for shorter trim cycles. It's so much better for the whole horse. The progress and maintenance of hoof health is undeniable. M...y goal is to make things better. Not just persist without improvement. All horses are different, but as a general rule 4 weeks is where you really start seeing improvement. I do have quite a number on 2-3 weeks too. There's a lot more involved as well and I do love chatting about nutrition and paddock environment. Hoof trimming is so much more than cutting nails. It affects the whole horse and the whole horse affects the hooves. Sorry for yet another photo of my own horses. Turns out everyone this week have been holding their horses properly and not snapping photos while I've been grinding The grey pictured is a very sensitive soul who is scared of things flapping around him and reacts easily, particularly on a windy day like it was. Couldn't believe when he let me walk straight up to him with my loudest grinder running, picked up his foot and away I went

18.01.2022 As a trimmer I am always learning and questioning why i trim the way i do. My current trim is so different to what it used to be and I'm making the most progress ive ever made. One of the main reasons I would not choose to shoe my horses is because of the negative impacts I see to the health of the back of the foot. Contraction, negative palmar/plantar angles. I see horses with these problems not performing as well as I suspect they could. They are sometimes being treated fo...r body or behavioural problems that might actually be hoof problems. It's difficult for me to make accurate assumptions and recommendations as I am not well educated in the ways of shoeing. Anyway, here's a farrier who is also noticing these things and questioning what can be done about it. Not only how to resolve these problems, but how can they be prevented in the first place? If you are interested in the health of your horses hooves and/or concerned about their soundness, I'd recommend following Wayne's page. Particularly if you shoe your horses. It's so important to understand your horses hooves. They are too valuable ignore.

16.01.2022 Had a such great week of trimming horses i thought it was worth a mention All lovely horses, 8 new ones, new personalities to get to know and form a connection with. 1 shoe pulling (one of the most difficult shoe pullings ive done - lovely big horse, very well attached shoes). This weanling (pictured), he's a work in progress but its nice to see his hooves 'unfold' and develop. Also got our first visiting pony for this laminitis season, here starting her rehab to get her on the road to recovery and to give her owners time to prepare for managing her at home. I also had a lesson on the famous Kip and took delivery of his new Flex Hoof Boots (planning to test them out this arvo).

16.01.2022 Happy New Year! What a jam packed year 2019 was! Sadly we lost much loved member of the team, our Kelpie Peppa and shortly after our mouse hunter Chappie. Coby continues to ride along with me on appropriate days. I attended many clinics in both trimming and horsemanship which has made a positive impact on my trimming work as well as the horse handling side of things. I began doing groundwork training for some existing clients and I look forward to seeing where this go...es over the next year. I also had some laminitic ponies come stay for some rehab. My track system layout worked really well for them, keeping a low sugar diet whilst allowing them 24/7 access to hay and having plenty of movement in a herd environment. I look forward to continuing this as well. In May I had a horse related accident, resulting in a concussion that forced me to take a good hard look at how I would continue as a trimmer. This led me to cutting out most of the horses on my books that were either difficult, unpredictable or extremely heavy (often due to their own limitations). This was literally a weight off my shoulders and I continued on without too much difficulty and was able to start taking on more horses again once I was back to full strength. Exactly 11 months ago I attended a life changing clinic with David Landreville. Not only did I gain knowledge and skills that I will continue for life, but I also met Jeane Dekter of Barefoot Forward. Turns out we like all the same things and similar sense of humour so not only did we become great friends but also a great trimming team. Trimmer life often involves a lot of time driving and working by yourself, so it has been refreshing to be able to share it with someone. And what’s more, a second set of eyes and another brain to discuss hooves and lameness with is a huge advantage. I was also grateful to share my Conargo/Deni run with Robin Crawford. There are new ideas and plans in the works for 2020, I’m not exactly sure how its going to look yet. At this stage I expect to still continue with my same regular days, but more will be revealed in the weeks to come. Currently enjoying some gorgeous weather (and RAIN) on the Sunshine Coast. I’ll be back at work on the 13th. Thankyou to all who have supported me and been patient with me this year. Thanks for all the cold drinks (and hot ones), chocolate and conversations. I’d like to wish all of you the very best for the new year. See more

15.01.2022 "The only time you should look back, is to see how far you've come" Or not come... but in the case of this lovely TB gelding, we are moving forward. I have a habit of only seeing the things i dont like in a hoof, so it's always good to look back and see where we started

13.01.2022 We got in a Conargo/Deni run just in time before the border closure. Hopefully they let us back over in 4 weeks. Thanks Jeané of Barefoot Forward, for your help, knowledge and entertainment on the trip. This was the 7th visit since I changed the run to 4 weeks (previously 6 weeks). What a huge difference it has made to all of the horses. It's exciting to see how quickly their hooves are changing and improving each month.

13.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW? In addition to Balanced Equine mineral mixes, i stock the following products. I use them for my own horses and highly recommend them. If you are looking for a local supplier or are interested in trying these products, please get in touch. Magnesium Oxide (56.5%)... Magnesium Chloride Mycosorb A+ Diamond V XPC Yea Sacc See more

13.01.2022 Just a note to let everyone know that at this stage i will be continuing on with trimming your horses, however with a few changes. Starting tomorrow I would like all horses to be tied up or yarded for me - or if we usually trim out in paddock, i can catch and hold them myself (i know all situations are different when it comes to horses and there will be times where we will have to discuss other options). So no owners holding horses while I trim please. I am more than happy to visit while you stay inside too. I would prefer bank transfer as much as possible please.

10.01.2022 This is Milo, he's had a recent flare up of laminitis and experienced a little relief on the surefoot pads today. Laminitis season is in full swing. Don't wait for visible signs. Prevention is better than cure. This is one of the most exercised areas of my trimmer brain so please ask if you need any advice or guidance in laminitis prevention/recovery.

08.01.2022 ATTENTION My books are currently full!! I have a small amount of space available for "special cases" (rehab/vet referals, horses requiring handling/training). That's not to say other horses aren't special, I love them all If in doubt, just ask.

07.01.2022 This guy can't lift his hinds for trimming i normally wait for him to tip his hooves so i can rasp down the walls and he doesnt normally allow me access to the underneath. He tends to get pretty anxious about it and keep swapping. Today was the best he's been in years, i was even able to trim bars and frogs He's such a sweet old boy

07.01.2022 Ground got a bit wet and the remains of their last round bale went under water With all my nets already in use by the other horses i was greatful to be able to raid my stock of Aussie Grazers - Slow Feeding Hay Nets so i could have enough nets to go round and everyone can enjoy dry hay tonight This net fits a whole square bale and has the opening on the long side which also makes it really easy to fill from a round bale (Sorry no horses in photo, they were all down at their feed bins waiting for dinner)

07.01.2022 Let's just clear something up..

06.01.2022 I couldnt tell you the last time started trimming a TB that didnt have NPA in at least the hinds

06.01.2022 Great analogy. It is NOT cruel to keep your horses off grass if they have hay. There are other grass free alternatives to small yards, they may take some commitment but isn't it worth it so that your horse can be happy and pain free?

05.01.2022 Best hay to feed your horse? Short answer may be the hay you can actually can get hold of and the hay your horse will eat! In some parts of Australia, especiall...y with the drought, there may be little to no choice. However, putting that aside, since this question comes up a LOT including during my equine nutrition seminars, I'll try and answer this in more detail looking at the most common hays. Lucerne hay - in small amounts can be brilliant for boosting calcium and protein as lucerne is renowned for being high in these nutrients. Protein is quality, high in essential amino acids. The rest of the nutrient profile isn't as predictable so difficult to estimate. The reason why lucerne shouldn't be fed in bulk is due to the high calcium to phosphorus ratio. A high calcium intake isn't directly toxic but when not balanced with phosphorus, the excreted excess in urine can precipitate out as calcium carbonate. The sludge (calcium carbonate and mucus) can build up in the bladder, cause irritation by forming stones and could block urine flow. https://www.msdvetmanual.com//urolithiasis-in-large-animals Known to be common in geldings, probably because the urethra is more narrow. Dr Kellon VMD recommends the ratio of 1.2 to 2:1 for calcium to phosphorus for the whole intake. The high calcium in lucerne makes it ideal for horses on high oxalate pasture like Kikuyu, Setaria and so forth to provide much needed calcium. Lucerne does contain phytoestrogens or isoflavones but at low concentrations in the growth stages typically harvested. Another advantage is that lucerne is considered to help buffer gastric ulcers. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10895901 Note: -The high pectin level in lucerne coupled with high protein that produces a lot of gas is why many horses will show bloating and diarrhoea if lucerne is introduced too rapidly. The same thing can happen to varying degrees with any hay change. -High lucerne intake and especially if combined with alkaline drinking water has been linked to the potential for enteroliths. For example https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15188822 -For a number of insulin resistant/elevated insulin horses, lucerne is a risk factor for laminitis. It's generally low in sugar + starch but some horses react possibly to the amino acid profile, we don't know why. Or a horse can be intolerant of lucerne, which can happen with any feed ingredient. More information: https://balancedequine.com.au/nutrit/8-is-lucerne-evil.html Teff hay Generally I have found from the numerous Australian Teff hay tests that it's fairly reliable for safe levels of sugar + starch (if we are concerned with preventing insulin spiking in IR/elevated insulin horses, it's sugar (ESC) + starch we look at, not NSC), though I do have one test with over 15%, clearly not safe. Guideline is sugar + starch to be under 10%. For the rest of the nutrient profile, the calcium to phosphorus ratio is all over the place, sometimes calcium is higher, other times phosphorus is higher than calcium (what we call an inverted ratio). Nutrient levels have a wide range so one test can't be considered 'typical'. There are reports of Teff containing oxalate levels at levels to be concerned about yet I haven't found anyone with actual evidence. If you know of any, would love to see it. There is only one study and it was on Teff straw. Minerals and oxalate content of feed and water in relation with ruminant urolithiasis in Adea district, central Ethiopia https://www.revmedvet.com/2004/RMV155_272_277.pdf Teff hay has been fed for many years to horses around the world, especially in America and there have been no reports of oxalate issues. Oxalate metabolism is complex, incompletely understood and varies not only by type of plant but also different strains of the same plant: Oxalate accumulation in forage plants: some agronomic, climatic and genetic aspects https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org//d8c7a6bb8b7ed25e5dbdecf5 Worthwhile being aware that many plants contain oxalate but in a number of plants it's so low, we don't consider it to be an issue, for example, oaten hay and Rhodes grass hay. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au///109982/pastures-for-horses.pdf Unfortunately the banned stimulant synethrine has been found in some Teff hay. "Although this does not imply that all Teff Grass Hay is affected as this is likely a seasonal and regional issue, EA recommends that members do not feed this hay to competition horses." https://www.equestrian.org.au//warning-regarding-detection Oaten hay (and wheaten, very similar) Renowned for being the 'candy' of hays, oaten often tests high in sugar + starch and is NOT recommended as a safe feed for IR/laminitis prone horses. I have found over the years that oaten hay tests can be highly variable and can be over 20% for sugar + starch. Sometimes sugar + starch can be low which is great but often the nutrient levels for the rest of the profile to be low/poor as well. This is not surprising when hay growers leave it as long as possible before harvesting, the more mature the hay, the lower the expected sugar + starch levels but then the same will apply for protein and other nutrients. Possible to have a great nutrient profile but only way to know is to test a sample in a lab, can't tell by looking at it as is the case for all hays. These hays especially can't be said to have a profile that is 'typical', broad variability in all the nutrient levels. For example calcium can be higher than phosphorus or the other way round. A disadvantage with high sugar oaten hay is that a horse will spend hours grazing on it which can lead to dental issues. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28707363 Rhodes grass hay Over the years this hay has been the most reliable with low sugar + starch levels. Of course not guaranteed but it would be my expectation. Calcium and phosphorus levels are variable, ratio can be inverted but usually calcium is higher. Wide variability with the rest of the nutrient profile, impossible to have 'typical' values. One potential issue with Rhodes is when growers leave it too late before harvesting. Fermentability of Rhodes grass declines rapidly as it matures - as do all grasses, but Rhodes grass is considered inadequate even for beef cattle if it contains more than 10 to 15% seed heads. Ryegrass hay Poor ole ryegrass has a poor reputation due to issues with annual ryegrass toxicosis and perennial ryegrass staggers. Annual ryegrass toxicosis is caused by a group of highly toxic compounds called corynetoxins. They are produced only when annual ryegrass is infected with a specific nematode (Anguina funesta), and when that nematode is infected by a bacteria (Rathayibacter toxicus), and when the bacteria is infected by a bacteriophage. Infection can be recognised as a yellow slime on annual ryegrass seed heads. Perennial rye grass staggers is caused by a fungus (endophyte) called Neotyphodium lolii. It is found in perennial, long rotation and a few hybrid ryegrasses. Understandably if you have ever had to deal with either ryegrass toxicosis or staggers, you are going to hate ryegrass and vow never to feed it but these issues do not apply to all varieties of ryegrass grown for hay. The more recent varieties are claimed to be safe for horses. Now I know there are certain people/websites saying that no ryegrass is safe but there are thousands of horses in Australia on ryegrass pastures and hay that show no issues at all. To be safe, if you can avoid it, perhaps do so. Another potential issue that has been identified is that ryegrass being a C3 grass is known to accumulate the storage carbohydrate fructan more than C4 plants (eg Rhodes). Is this a problem? A number of studies have shown that fructan does NOT cause insulin to rise but that sugar and starch (glucose units) do, which is why we look at sugar + starch, not NSC. For example: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22966077 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16677122 I've found that many ryegrass hays test low in sugar + starch and equally many are high, not safe for IR horses. For a horse owner desperate for low sugar + starch hay, it's possible that the much maligned ryegrass hay they have access to will be fine. I know of severe IR horses that are thriving on low sugar + starch ryegrass hay. In terms of the rest of the nutrient profile, very broad range of levels, calcium can be higher or lower than phosphorus. Again, there is no such thing as a 'typical' profile. Lab testing is the only and best way to find out. Grass hay/meadow hay Since grass or meadow hay can be any combination of these hays and any other species of grass harvested for hay, it's impossible to generalise. Anything is possible with the nutrient levels and mineral ratios. One thing we can rely on to an extent is that the older or more mature the grass was before harvesting, the lower the protein as protein is always highest in actively growing young shoots. The growth stage matters with protein. Same applies to potassium, fortunately high levels of potassium are rarely an issue in horses as they excrete the excess in electrolytes via the kidneys and urine, can be as fast as within an hour. Exception is the genetic condition Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis HYPP. So the best hay is often the one you can get hold of but if you have a choice, my pick would be a combination of Rhodes grass hay or a quality grass/meadow hay combined with a small amount of lucerne, mineral balanced by testing a representative sample in a lab. Only with data can it be mineral balanced. My horses though (and my budget) are very fortunate, they have plenty of green nutritious grass. Phew. B.Sc M.Ed

05.01.2022 Given the number of msges and enquiries over the past few days, I'm just letting you all know im going to be out of phone reception til Sunday, so will probably catch up on Monday

05.01.2022 I'm happy to finally say that i've had new Mycosorb and Yea Sacc arrive. Took its time, but its here so all who were waiting, please get in touch

04.01.2022 New nipper feels Already missing the comfy well worn feel of the old ones but enjoying the cutting ability of the new

03.01.2022 Did you know... ? I am a stockist for Aussie Grazer Haynets. They do nets of all sizes and 3 different hole sizes (3cm, 4cm & 6cm). I'm putting through a new order this week so if you are after anything in particular let me know. I tend to keep the small (2-3 biscuit) and medium (half bale) in stock in the 3cm and 4cm. Anything larger I usually need to place an order for. Pictured is my 3cm round bale net. My horses eat through this all year round, and the laminitis ponies that come to stay often join them. Having hay always available to them prevents gorging and allows them to 'graze' all day long just as they would in a paddock of grass.

02.01.2022 This is Belle. She spent 12 days here in July after developing Laminitis. I'll pop a video from when she arrived in the comments (it won't let me upload 2 videos ) Her recovery was quick and she was stepping out with a spring in her step by the end of her stay. Her time here enabled her owners to do some fencing and prepare a suitable area for her to continue her recovery from home. She came along in leaps and bounds and has returned to riding with her young rider

02.01.2022 Who needs haynets and minerals/prebiotic? I've got plenty! (Well, most were preorders but i do have a limited supply available too )

01.01.2022 Turn on sound for full effect

01.01.2022 I'm just preparing an order of Balanced Equine minerals. Anyone running low? Please msg me to make sure I include your order. Dont forget Balanced Equine also supplies prebiotic, toxin binder (both of which i normally keep in stock) and a number of other useful products. Jump on their website or contact me for more details. (i had to use this particular photo as that's my boy Kip's hoof on the label )