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Equiliberta, Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa (2026)

02/06/2026

Harvesting sticky w**d for autumn/winter. Did you know that it apparently helps with CPL?

What is CPL? Chronic Progressive Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive disorder of the lower limbs, seen especially in heavy breeds such as Shires, Clydesdales, Belgian Drafts, and other heavy feathered breeds of horses.

Typical signs of CPL include:
▪️ swelling around fetlocks and lower limbs
▪️ increasingly thick, “tree bark” skin
▪️ crusting/scabs hidden under feathers
▪️ discomfort during handling
▪️ skin folds and nodules
▪️ itching / stamping
▪️ recurrent Pastern Dermatitis-type lesions
▪️ progressive enlargement of legs

One thing worth mentioning because there is a lot of confusion online. Feather mites are often associated with CPL, but they don't cause it. They do however make the condition worse manifold. Irritation, inflammation and scratching lead to more tissue damage.

So is there a way out? I can only share what I have come to believe to be true through my horses. Consistently over the past 10 years I can say with confidence that the biggest trigger I see for CPL is ingestion of grass (namely life in traditional pasture). In 2023 my boys lived on almost no grass track that I have created and managed since 2019. That's when all the flare ups cleared on their own. The swelling on their legs just went away, skin folds decreased drastically, skin was soft and they had 95% scab free skin. Just me doing nothing else but replacing pasture with a diet lower in sugar. "Fructan free" diet 😆 We had to move that same summer, and horses ended up having limited access to grass that grew along the track edges. Within three weeks of them having a little bit of rye, and a little bit of clover I began noticing first mite flare ups pop up.

Fighting chronic conditions is always an uphill battle. So as I learnt and discovered over time my base knowledge got better and I knew where the real power was. It really was in creating environment akin to their adaptative environment, like the U.S. Great Basin. This is why I am such a big fan and suppprter of Paddock Paradise. I do try to help people create their own tracks, in fact I have some exciting projects I've been working on recently, but 🤫

Running a track requires a bit of dedication, especially at the beginning, but if you learn how to systemise all the work, how to set up your place, and what materials to use, it is a much better way of life for horses. In the long run, it is kinder to our wallets too. The cost associated with treatment of symptoms drops. Most importantly the risk of some of the most debilitating conditions can be managed, or even prevented.

CPL is not just some random condition. It is linked to diet, and it can be viewed through the lense of what we call Whole Horse Inflammatory Disease (WHID). It doesnt just affect heavy horses. All horses that suffer metabolic distress are at risk of developing visible discomfort or health issues that can be traced back to the toxicity associated with fructan rich diet.

I hope this was informative, now I'm back to work... The day is just not long enough to do all the jobs 😐 but I'm proud of our Marigold patch seeded by Charlotte 🙃 now I hope we get some more rain. We need more hay.

PS. Marigold too is recommended for CPL.

31/05/2026

Thought for the day: Emotion makes you a bad observer.

Women are 70% emotion, 30% thought in very plane terms. We process things very differently to men. In fact men would be on the opposite side of the spectrum. It's not bad or good. Being close to an emotion carries certain advantages, like intuition and insight. When were not well balanced emotionally and allow emotions reign, we destroy not only what is in our sight, but also our own life. It's not to say that only women carry the burden of emotion, men do too, it's just a part of a bigger conversation. Anyway. I know this is so off topic but I've heard this brilliant thought and I felt I had to share it. Have a blessed day

27/05/2026

Oh I love surprises 🫣 spider season is in full bloom. They're everywhere 😭
Mind me saying this, at least we don't have to deal with ticks.

26/05/2026

What Hard Sole Plane (HSP) Really Is

We are witnessing a growing number of claims and misconceptions surrounding the Hard Sole Plane and the role diet plays in rehabilitation of severely compromised hooves. Some of these ideas are being repeated with great confidence despite standing in conflict with what we observe in nature and in the hoof itself. This article aims to clarify what Hard Sole Plane really is, what role it serves and why preserving it matters.

Term Hard Sole Plane was originated by Jaime Jackson in efforts to build a frame of reference for what today is known as natural hoof care. HSP is but one of many inventions to come out of the hoof care paradigm shift. NHC is infused with many original concepts that can be traced and evidenced in nature. Their original meaning can only be preserved by clearly defining essential qualities of a concept, even if the wording changes, its meaning should not.

The sole of the hoof is not one solid structure. It is built gradually from many layers of keratinised material laminated together, almost like sheets of paper being stacked one on top of another and bonded together. These layers are not random accumulations of "dead material" or compacted growth. They are part of an organised biological growth process.

The sole corium produces structurally different material than the coronary corium. It extrudes solar epidermis that sheds its layers in a similar fashion to our skin continuously shedding and renewing itself. Under normal circumstances we do not notice this process because regular grooming and everyday contact with the environment gradually remove material that has already completed its purpose.

The hoof under natural conditions functions in much the same way. In an adaptive environment horses are exposed to varied terrain and movement patterns that support this natural and largely invisible process of exfoliation.

New layers are continuously produced from living tissue within the hoof. Older layers slowly move downward, harden and are eventually released from duty and expelled by the body over time. The outer aspect of the Hard Sole Plane often appears waxy and the supercorium tightly holds onto solar plates that are not yet ready to shed. In nature these structures are not removed before their "release date". In domestication we use metal tools, sometimes without much consideration to HSP.

Beneath the Hard Sole Plane lies newer and more sensitive material referred to as the Live Sole Plane. This area requires protection. Think of it similarly to newly formed skin after a cut. While mature skin can tolerate friction and pressure, newly formed tissue requires time and protection before it can safely withstand the outside world.

The Hard Sole Plane and overall sole thickness form a protective barrier between the ground and the sensitive structures above. Appearance alone cannot determine whether material is unnecessary. HSP is the hoof's natural protective outer layer. It is the layer nature intends to meet the ground.

Think of it as the hoof's own built-in flooring.

Preserving natural sole thickness matters because that thickness exists for a reason. The supercorium continuously builds layer upon layer of protective material beneath the foot to contain pressure within the hoof capsule and support the structures above. Supercorium's intelligence network continuously responds to changing demands placed upon the hoof.

Excessive removal of HSP under the guise of "correct" anatomy, when practiced systematically over time, may gradually contribute to loss of protective mass and compromise the hoof capsule's natural integrity. In the short term excessive thinning is likely to create hypersensitivity. Long term consequences may be far less obvious and develop slowly beneath the surface. This excessive removal is concerned with solar plates around the toe, as much as it is around the seat of corn and extending to excessvely shortened heel.

In wild horses living in an environment such as the Great Basin, constant movement over abrasive terrain naturally wears away only the old, dead material while preserving this protective layer intact. Supercorium's intelligence network directs growth according to loading patterns and weight-bearing demands. Some areas naturally experience greater wear than others.

Natural hoof balance is born from the relationship between growth and wear. In the wild these two forces exist in harmony. Domestication and unnatural lifestyle disturb this delicate balance. Our role as Natural Hoof Care Practitioners is not to force the hoof into anatomically idealised shape. Our role is to mimic natural wear patterns while honouring the Hippocratic clause: "do no harm."

Hard Sole Plane is most frequently assaulted when pathology within the hoof is present and the Hoof Plexus begins to disintegrate. In NHC we recognise gut to hoof connection and the adverse influence of fructan rich diet on horses' health and condition of their hooves. Our primary role is in preserving these structures, even though sometimes signs and symptoms of underlying chronic inflammation become so glaringly obvious. Ironically it is often during these situations that the temptation exists to mechanically remove more material in pursuit of visual correction, even though the hoof may already be struggling to preserve what little protection remains.

This does not mean we allow the hoof to grow unchecked.

We recognise that both wild and domesticated horses hooves share the same set of characteristics. This extends to Hard Sole Plane and its natural thickness, although that thickness may vary depending on history of management, diet, movement and previous hoof care practices.

Excessive removal of sole, wall and frog is frequently justified through terms such as remedial trimming, compaction, retained sole and dead material. Hyperfocus on aesthetics often disregards concern for hoof capsule integrity. Over-trimming more often than not creates hypersensitivity and can become inhumane.

The credit frequently goes toward mechanical correction. Far less frequently do we acknowledge that the hoof itself is a living organ that responds to its environment. Not only to the external environment, but perhaps even more so to the inner ecosystem.

While relatively stable hoof capsules may tolerate invasive practices for some time without immediately exposing damage, severely compromised hooves often reveal the consequences much more clearly. In these situations inflammation can hide beneath the noise and invasive practices can quietly disguise themselves as progress. Thus horse owners are vulnerable to conflicting advice and emotional messaging.

Veterinarians play an important role in rehabilitation and their guidance should not be ignored. Horses have been put down for a very long time and this is not a veterinarian-created problem or a farrier-created problem.

It is an environmental problem.

To improve equine health we need to address causes rather than chase symptoms. This takes us back to the Natural Horse and lessons from the wild. Where we find equines in their adaptive habitat. To heal horses we must learn to "Respect the healing powers of nature" (Hippocrates), reduce inflammatory state and provide horses with safe forage compatible with their adaptation.

Our role is to educate the public about equine adaptation and the dangers of chronic inflammation.

Grass is the real enemy, not your hoof care provider or your horse's physician.

25/05/2026

What an interesting spot to chose for a snooze! We're all hot here. Boys had a cool down shower and temperatures have gone down a little more now.

24/05/2026

I'm still playing catch up. Here's a little something. I've enjoyed recent video making and would love to get back on track. For now, I'm focused on taking care of my body. Hope all is well with everyone. Looking forward to meeting new people again this year 💗

18/05/2026

Success is just as dangerous as failure. — Lao Tzu

18/05/2026

On a positive note, Jack's got some flowers and Sid a new toy. Charlotte always looks out for them ❤️

17/05/2026

As much as possible, I try to stay away from the "us" versus "them" mentality.

Rehabilitating a severely compromised hoof capsule is really not an easy task. Doing it publicly borders on insanity because, in this specific area, no one agrees with anyone on how to help the horse.

In NHC we follow a specific protocol, but so much depends on access to SAFE forage (not all hay us safe either) and the horse owner actually following through with everything. Euthanasia is certainly a problem on both sides.

What I strongly disapprove of is this very public front of ostracizing everybody and condemning other professionals, especially veterinarians.

If Hoofing Marvellous wants to do God's work above everything else, they should try to reach towards academia and professionals willing to work with them, not against them.

They have fostered a victim mentality and martyrdom. They are not the real victims here.

Rehabilitating hooves with severe hoof capsule deformity crosses the veterinary line and has to be done with the approval of a veterinarian and in close collaboration with one. Vets are the only professionals that can treat and diagnose at this level of healthcare practice. It is everything.

This is why I believe their strategy is set up to fail. Marketing campaigns that aim at victimhood and emotional messaging lead to division and the creation of enemies. They are self-destructive, and I believe this is what we are witnessing unfolding right now.

Besides this, professional conduct online is EVERYTHING. Your reputation is at stake.

19/02/2026

🐴 Over the past few weeks I’ve been preparing to share some news on offering professional hoof boot fitting. I’ve invested in fit kits from The Hoof Boot Shop and can currently fit Scoot Boots, Cavallo, Flex Boots, Equine Fusion and Evo Boots. I’m still awaiting Explora and am also anticipating kits from the Pioneer Hoof Protection once they launch in March. My official training on hoof boot fitting will take place at the end of March.

🎁 For now, I’m offering hoof boot fitting as a complimentary service to both new and existing clients. It’s important to me to continually upskill so that I can offer you the most appropriate and well-fitted hoof protection when needed.

🥿 An interesting tid bit is that I have six years of experience fitting shoes on human feet 😅😁 What has transpired to me over the years of trying many different shoes is that a shoe has to fit the foot. Not the other way around. I am observing a trend with hoof boots. We seem to have moved away from trimming the hoof to fit a shoe to trimming a hoof to fit a boot.

👣 The Natural Trim was designed to mimic natural wear patterns and trim the hoof in accordance with our trimming guidelines. Characteristics of naturally shaped hooves play a huge role in knowing how much we remove, and how much we leave. This is the only way our tools don't compromise the integrity of the hoof capsule.

📩 If you're interested in complimentary hoof care service, feel free to get in touch while it's still free 🙂

Equiliberta

02/06/2026

31/05/2026

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

25/05/2026

24/05/2026

18/05/2026

18/05/2026

17/05/2026

19/02/2026

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Thursday	9am - 5pm
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