Goodfoot Hoof Care

06/05/2023

That is the question! Horse owners are told to keep horses on short grass if they want to manage weight (and prevent laminitis etc.) but it is not that simple.

30/03/2022

Question: How long is it safe for horses go without forage, especially when being fed a mostly hay diet?

Response: While horses do not need 24-7-365 access to forage (hay or pasture), they do need enough forage to ensure their nutritional requirements are met and that they have enough forage to maintain gut health. Ideally, horses should go no longer than 4 hours between forage meals and be fed on a consistent schedule. However, there are always time, labor, management, and other constraints that impact how and when horses are fed.

To balance meeting nutritional requirements and optimizing gut health with not over-feeding or exhausting labor resources, many owners have started feeding hay from slow-feed hay nets. UMN research found that slow-feed hay nets slow the rate of forage intake which increases the amount of time it takes a horse to consume a hay meal. Feeding a portion of the diet that includes more mature forages that are higher in fiber will also help slow forage consumption. Having horses on a regular schedule is also key to maintaining gut health.

25/02/2022

I don't know if this is the cause but I've definitely seen some cases of unexplained swelling.

22/02/2022

What an crazy summer we've had here in SEQ and it's not over yet...
I think it's taken us all by surprise, the amount of rain and how much the grass has grown in the paddocks.
The last few years of drought it's been hard to keep weight on but now we can't get it off.

Many horses were carrying too much weight into summer and this has resulted in it being very difficult if not impossible to stop them from becoming obese.
We're having to implement emergency measures like dirt paddocks and grazing muzzles etc in an attempt to get their weight back under control.

Along with all the grass there's the constantly wet and muddy paddocks.
Almost every horse I see has some form of hoof disease due to the wet grounds.
Seedy toe (white line disease), thrush, soft retracted soles and excess wall growth to name a few.
I've seen strong feet deteriorate quickly into soft, smelly messes when a dry area would have prevented the damage.

Wild horses have a natural cycle coinciding with the seasons. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1076/brhm.34.4.383.26227
Yes they are wild and live a different life but they are still the same animal.

Cheers!

Mike

(2003). Annual Rhythm of Body Weight in Przewalski Horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) Biological Rhythm Research: Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 383-395.

26/06/2017

I am now stocking Carol Layton's hoof rescue mineral mix.

Hoof Rescue will help with hoof growth and quality, and you will see a difference in coat, mane and tail, immune system, ability to handle a high work load and general well-being.

PM me if you are wanting anymore info or would like to purchase on my next visit.

04/08/2014

Here is part one of a case study on how natural hoof care can help with cases of laminitis.


http://goodfoothoofcare.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/phoenix-rising-01.pdf

20/06/2014

Do slow feed hay nets mimic the natural foraging behavior of horses? Read this article to find out. :)

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have tested the rates of consumption for ‘slow’ feeding haynets and found that they increase the amount of time horses spend eating.

02/06/2014

A top level dressage rider is exploring the use of barefoot trimming methods to help with rehabilitating a horse with a quarter crack.

Trainers Shannon and Steffen Peters explore the benefits of barefoot dressage with high-performance horses.

21/05/2014

Here is some good info on identifying the signs of laminitis. The earlier we can treat it, the better. Cheers!

Laminitis is inflammation of the sensitive laminae in the hoof which are 'Velcro-like' connections which interlock and suspend the pedal bone within the foot. When a horse suffers from laminitis, the condition causes these connections to separate and break down. Horses showing signs of laminitis mus…