John Cook DipWcf Farrier

24/07/2026

06/07/2026

06/07/2026

Some of the most important work a farrier ever does is on a foal, long before there's any thought of a shoe. 

Those early weeks matter more than almost any other time in a horse's life:
🌱 Foal hooves grow incredibly fast. A foal's hoof grows at around twice the rate of a mature horse's, meaning small issues can develop quickly, but it also means there's a precious window to correct them too.

⏳ There's a window that doesn't stay open. A foal's lower limbs are still forming and the growth plates in their bones close as the foal develops after which very little can be changed by trimming. 
"Understanding growth plates is not an academic exercise. It is the foundation for a horse's long-term soundness and athletic potential." Dr Carol Shwetz, DVM

🦵Catch a minor deviation early, and careful trimming can encourage the limb to grow straighter. Miss the window, and you're stuck with that conformation for the rest of their life. 
Hoofcare for foals shapes the soundness of that horse for the next twenty years.
Regular monitoring and trimming of a foal's hooves can go a long way toward helping the rest of the limb grow straight and strong.

🤝 It's a team effort between the vet, farrier and owner. Spotting issues early and acting quickly while it still makes a difference.

🤲 Owners start handling on day one. The earlier a foal gets used to having its legs and feet touched, picked up and held, the calmer it will be for every farrier visit of its life. Gently rubbing down the legs and handling the feet from very young, and cleaning out the feet each time the foal is handled, accustomed to having its feet held. Little and often makes all the difference.

A foal that learns young that feet-handling is nothing to fear becomes a horse that stands quietly, stays safe, and is a pleasure to shoe for the next twenty years. The opposite can make every future visit harder and more dangerous, for horse and farrier alike. 

Between the farrier's skill and your handling at home, you're shaping the soundness and the temperament of that horse for life.

29/06/2026

Out of the van, Big Foot heart bars with Equimesh ready for Comfortmix hoof pad

29/06/2026

Hoof cast - 6 weeks on, after pulled shoe and Damaged hoof wall

29/06/2026

Sole pad for unshod horse with sensitive soles, on hard ground.

29/06/2026

Out of the van heart bars with hoof cast.