Put simply Equine Podiatry is about the study of the horses foot. In more practical terms it is about getting the healthiest feet possible for a horse. I’m far less interested in whether the foot has a shoe on or not, but whether the foot is the best it can be and suitable for the job it needs to perform. To get a healthy foot you need to have a healthy horse, so for me Equine Podiatry has become about the health of the whole horse, not just the study of the feet.

I’m very keen on preventative methods. If I can spot a problem when it first occurs or when it’s still a relatively small problem, then we can fix it and avoid bigger problems later on.

What Equine Podiatry can do for...

You

The more knowledgeable you can be about your horse, the better. Having a professional to advise you is a wonderful thing, but as you’re the person who sees your horse every day it is also a great benefit to understand as much as possible yourself. I try to make sure I’ve explained as much as possible to an owner (don’t worry there isn’t an exam) so they can feel confident about horses feet.

Your Horse's Feet

Having healthy feet doesn’t mean you’re never going to have a foot problem, but it does mean that you have a much better chance of recovery if a foot problem occurs. It means that the horse is as sound and comfortable as possible. A healthy foot absorbs and utilises concussion far more efficiently so unwanted stress on the rest of the body is reduced which often improves the performance and endurance of the horse.

Your Horse's General Health

When there is a problem in the body it often shows in the feet. Growth and wear are both greatly affected by how the horse moves and stands, so it’s possible to tell a lot about the overall health and balance of your horse by the health and balance their feet.

Not having metal on the bottom of the feet means the concussion going through the body is greatly reduced which is highly beneficial to horses with arthritis or other joint problems, muscular problems and nervous system problems.

Prevention

There are many problems that come from or are exacerbated by foot problems. Being able to pick up the early signs that something is happening is vital to nipping it in the bud, before you have a bigger problem.