02/07/2026
The top two photos are of Hawke's feet today, before and after a trim. I've been a little slack with frog care recently and only upped my game this last week.
Now. It's been a wet few weeks and they've come out the other side pretty okay considering I haven't gone out of my way to treat them.
His diet, environment and physiological status all affect how well his feet handle this wet weather. All in all, I'm very happy. You can see how light the trim is and only where required. All four feet took less than 10 mins. Done every 3 or so weeks
Zero separation
Zero seedy toe
Good sole depth
Frogs could be better, but good enough
He is a good doer and has a diet that supports his metabolism. Rhodes hay makes a big impact with CEN CF50, a little chaff, a little calcium, fresh ground linseeds, salt and Digest and Protect for his gut.
Track at night, paddock during the day.
The feet below his feet. Yes they are definitely struggling. In the dry, these feet do well. In the wet, conditions outside of the trim make them vulnerable. Underlying inflammation or separation, held at bay in dry conditions but in the wet? Pathogens are able to enter vulnerable areas. The hoof and frog tissue health may not be at optimum, due to unknown or as yet unconfirmed conditions. Some of these conditions are known, but may not be able to be actioned upon.
For horses with compromised hooves, these conditions, singularly or in combination, can include;
⭐Diet - mineral imbalance (too much, too little) and consumption of unsuitable forage e.g. lucerne or grass for horses that are showing signs of metabolic issues
⭐Environment including the paddock, soil, grass, weeds, water and the comings and goings of the herd or those in the neighbourhood
⭐Movement, e.g.not enough exercise or excessive loafing in the paddock waiting for the tuckshop to turn up (i.e.the owner and the magic bucket of food)
⭐Social stresses or routine disturbances
⭐Metabolic issues, as mentioned above. Seems to be getting more and more common. Many horses are too fat or undiagnosed
⭐Systemic issues, including ongoing pain and inflammation
⭐Mineral imbalance in the water source or plants in the water that are sweet and sugary e.g. water lilies
There are more conditions that affect feet. These are the ones that pop up most regularly.
The trim is the icing on the cake. The above conditions, well, that's your cake.
Same trimmer, different horses. Different locations, routines, diets, etc.
Boohoo, Jane, where is your humour? Well, it's there, but is currently getting a full lathering of soap after dealing with some smelly feet recently.
My job is to support the horse and the owner to achieve healthy feet. Sometimes it's hard when life gets in the way, and I totally understand that. Small tweaks, that hopefully don't make your life more complicated than it needs to be, can make a big difference and save time and money in the future.
What tweaks can you make to achieve healthier feet when the weather is making things more challenging than usual?
