Bean Barefoot

25/04/2025

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This time of year, springtime in the northern hemisphere, if I see any “sudden” or new hoof problems, I assume it’s the grass.

Is your horse moving a little slower than previously? A little “lazier” all the sudden?

Is your horse suddenly less willing to canter or trot in turn out?

Is your horse now picking their path a bit more on the trail, and avoiding stones more than usual?

Do you have a resurgence of thrush, wall cracks or chips, white line disease, or hoof quality issues?

Is that old on again/off again lameness suddenly “on” again?

Does your horse turn a little slower than before, and you think it’s just their arthritis suddenly flaring up (even though the weather is warming up)?

It might be the grass.

If your horse has ANY access to grass this time of year, even if it’s just the grass edging in a “dry lot” paddock, and you see any change in hoof comfort, soundness, or hoof quality- it might be the grass.

I know your horses love it. I know you love to see them happy. I know for some “they never had issues with the grass before.”

Just trust me. Trial your horse off fresh spring grass and see if you notice any difference in comfort or new hoof growth at the hairline.

I’m telling you. It might be the grass.

Photo of one of my “grass free tracks” with a little bit of grass edging which could even be too much for a super sensitive horse.

16/03/2025

Home made Natural Horse Licks 😄 Ready for the day !

10/03/2025

Sub solar abscesses and chronic laminitis go hand in hand.

The destructive effects of laminitis at the tissue level very often leads to multiple abscesses.

This foot had sub solar abscesses and chronic laminitis.

This is a Sagittal section.

The sole depth was about 1 mm and was bulging outwards.

The coffin bone and the associated tissue it had attached to it plunged down because the laminar attachment failed.

The weight of the horse and the failed suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx lead to what is called distal descent.

This was the foot I studied on Friday in my zoom class. The video will be available in around 10 days.

It was a really interesting foot. Sad, so sad, and my gut feeling is that the whole issue was down to inappropriate diet…..
Green green cow grass. Full of sugar.
Every step a new mouthful of sugar laden grass.

I saw the paddock she lived in.
It was like a lolly factory.

09/03/2025

Sole lipping in laminitis.
When the laminar wedge is formed, it is a chaotic mess of cells from the epidermal lamellae, the sole and the white line. They divide without “purpose’ and are not under the normal control of normal cell division biological Instructions.

One of the issues with the laminar wedge is what I have seen on many occasions during my dissections is sole lipping.
The sole starts to grow inwardly and again, like the laminar wedge, it is chaotic. It is not under the normal control and this is a big issue inside the foot.

I did not realise what I was looking at until I did a zoom session with Prof Pollitt and he explained this to me.

The sole lipping, as it grows inwards towards the coffin bone, it destroys it. It’s due to osteoclastic activity that is in overdrive in laminitis plus the pressure of the sole lip on the coffin bone.

So the key in laminitis is to halt it asap to avoid any more destruction of the laminar bond, and then the formation of the laminar wedge.

08/03/2025

❤️💜🧡🩷🩵💙

02/03/2025

Rasping the hoof wall in laminitis.

I was chatting to Prof Pollitt last week about the laminar wedge.

He commented that rasping the hoof wall to reduce its thickness is like unlocking the prison that is containing the laminar wedge. By releasing that pressure the wedge will not have such devastating internal effects as when encapsulated by the wall prison it has nowhere to go but inwards.

My lightbulbs went off in my head!

I understand that the inward pressure and growth of the laminar wedge is catastrophic to the coffin bone.

The laminar wedge is a chaotic tissue formed from epidermal lamellae and white line and is an uncontrolled growth of cells without the correct instructions for cell division and growth.

The wall will diverge due to the lever forces on it as the horse walks- per Prof Pollitt. If the horse was in outer space the laminitis would still occur but there would not be any wall divergence or bone divergence as that’s all due to biomechanically forces.

Wow!

Interesting thoughts.

20/02/2025

Licking promotes calmness🫠 ... Homemade Natural Horse Licka👅 ! Every horse needs one 🤩

12/02/2025

Can you see these Ergots on the back of this beautiful Clydesdale... they are huge , and you can really see how horses have evolved so much over of hundreds of years , as these used to be one of their toes 😝😛🤩
Also a piece of stretched lamminar from a ponies hoof ... can you see how much stretching has happened, and how the blood has mixed into the horn as its grown together down the hoof ... now we have a lamminar wedge, which is the soft yellow horn , that fills up the gap between the pedal bone and hoof wall 🤪 This only happens after a horse or pony has had a case of laminitis over time and time again ...
The yellow laminia is what holds the hoof wall to the boney structures of the foot , and when we feed too much green grass to any horse or pony , it becomes inflamed within the hoof capsule and as you know the hoof cant swell up so the fluid builds up inside causing intense pressure and pain . Laminitis !
Keep a check on your horses cut offs after the farrier has been and we can learn lots as to what our hooves are doing or have done 🤗

30/01/2025

Be careful with laminitis at present... the grass is full of sugar even tho its starting to brown off theres still enough to cause sore feet and major problems ... less green more brown people 😇🤣

29/01/2025

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30/12/2024

Scoot boots brand new size 5 slim forsale $250

21/11/2024

Another awesome owner with 6 minis ! They were very well behaved and such a pleasure to trim ! Definitely not overweight and very nice condition 🥰😍🥰 minis can be hard work as we all know !

20/11/2024

Horse of the week !!!
Beautiful condition Sally and Dave !! Excellent weight especially for this time of year as the grass is flourishing 🤪 Look at those beautiful dapples, telling us how healthy she is from the inside out 🥰
On a great track system which indeed is helping !
No pulling feet off the stand and was comfortable during her trim . Simplicity is key and less grass means less sore feet !
Keep up the great work guys ! Was a pleasure trimming 🥰