Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy

25/08/2026

What a great day at Mayfield! 🐴

While our Diploma students are at home working through their studies between blocks, there are still plenty of hooves and plenty of learning happening at Mayfield!

These one day trimming workshops give horse owners the chance to get hands on, learn more about their horses' feet and develop practical maintenance trimming skills. They're also a great introduction to the world of hoof care.

And for those wanting to take that knowledge further, the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy combines extensive hands on trimming with an in depth understanding of the hoof and the whole horse.

🐴 Enrolments for the 2027 Diploma are now open, with limited places available!

A fantastic group and a great day of trimming, learning and laughs!

13/08/2026

Block 4 Complete!🐴

With 2027 enrolments now open, this could be you next year.

From functional anatomy, muscles and ligaments to laminitis, pathology, nutrition and rehabilitation. Students trimmed countless horses, worked with foals, developed their nailing and glue on shoeing skills, practised seedy toe resections and learnt to assess not just the hoof, but the whole horse.

And somewhere amongst all that, there was plenty of laughter, new friendships and some fantastic memories made.

It's a big week, but that's where it all starts to come together. Students leave each block with more knowledge, more hands on experience and greater confidence in their ability to look at the horse in front of them and know how they can best support it through the hooves.

Since 2008, the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy has been combining extensive practical trimming with an understanding of the whole horse. It's about developing skilled hoof care professionals who understand not only how to trim, but why they're making the decisions they make.

Based at Andrew and Nicky Bowe's Mayfield Farm in Gobur, Victoria, students complete six intensive on campus blocks with a huge variety of horses to learn from and on site accommodation available.

Enrolments for the 2027 Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy are NOW OPEN and places are limited!

If you'd love to turn your passion for horses and hoof care into knowledge, skills and a career, this could be your next step.

👉 Visit www.equinepodiotherapy.com.au or send us a message to find out more.

Send a message to learn more

11/08/2026

Good work ladies. All of my horses were veiled with glue ons a few days ago. We’ve got the students practicing earlier in the course now ! Then Lisa can shower them with all of her handy hints in block 6.

I did my first pair of EasyCare Down Under Sticky Ones today on a horse with very thin flat soles.

Massive shoutout to Lisa from theglorioushoofau and Firenza Park Equine Services with Kathryn Christieson who were on the other end of the phone to help me work out the best strategy and for the practical trimming advice. More heads are much better than one and being able to call on such experiences professionals for advice is one of the best things about the hoof care world.

09/08/2026

Final Day of Block 4!

There is a big difference between learning about a hoof condition in a textbook and having the opportunity to see it, feel it, work through it and apply that knowledge to a real horse.

The day began with more hoof pathology, before students examined cadaver hooves with advanced cases of seedy toe. This gave them the opportunity to practise resections and learn the precision required when working so close to sensitive tissue.

Then came the mares, where students took that learning into a real life setting, assessing, trimming and treating several cases of seedy toe.

And then came the foals!

Working with youngsters is about so much more than trimming a smaller hoof. Students had the opportunity to learn appropriate handling, assess developing feet and understand just how important hoof care is during these early stages of growth. What we do with a young horse can influence how they develop, so learning how to support healthy balance through the feet while considering the growing body is incredibly valuable.

The final lecture brought everything back to the whole horse. What does it really take to provide an environment that supports horses? What happens when a horse needs rehabilitation? Students explored equine lifestyle and the realities of running a rehabilitation centre.

And perhaps that's a fitting way to finish Block 4.

Because this College isn't just about teaching someone how to trim a hoof. It's about giving students the knowledge, practical experience and understanding to look at the horse in front of them, see the bigger picture and make better decisions at the hoof.

You can learn anatomy in a classroom. You can read about pathology in a book. But being able to connect that knowledge with the horse standing in front of you is where it all starts to come together.

08/08/2026

Day 4 of Block 4!

No two horses and no two hooves are exactly the same, and today was all about expanding the knowledge and skills students can draw upon when faced with something outside the ordinary.

The morning covered a wide range of hoof pathologies, including navicular, ringbone, sidebone, pedal osteitis and plenty more. Students learnt about these conditions and the different hoof care strategies that can be used to support the individual horse.

Then it was outside into some beautiful weather for more trimming! A variety of horses meant more opportunities to assess, make decisions and continue developing those all important practical skills.

The afternoon moved into the rehab shed for glue on shoeing. Students learnt how to prepare, trim and balance the hoof for shoe application before getting hands on and applying a variety of EasyShoes. It's another skill to add to their toolbox, giving them additional options to draw upon when a horse requires extra support or protection.

Then tools down and pizza out! 🍕

The evening finished with show and tell, where students shared stories from their travels and presented cases they had encountered along the way. It opened up plenty of discussion, different perspectives and another opportunity for everyone to learn from each other's experiences.

Because some of the best learning doesn't just come from the classroom. It comes from sharing experiences, asking questions and learning together.

07/08/2026

Day 3 of Block 4!

What does nutrition, environment, posture and conformation all have to do with trimming a hoof?

Everything.

The Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy is about much more than learning how to trim. Because to make the best decisions at the hoof, you need to understand the horse as a whole.

Students took an in depth look at laminitis, a serious and unfortunately common condition. They learnt about everything from mild cases through to severe cases involving pedal bone pe*******on, what happens inside the hoof, how these feet can be trimmed and managed, and supportive options including boots and pads.

Nutrition added another piece to the picture, exploring feeds, hay, supplements and herbs, and what horses need to support healthy hoof growth and condition.

Then it was out to the rehab shed and onto the gelding herd. Students looked at posture, conformation and movement, then brought those observations together with what they could read in the hoof to help guide their trim.

It's never just about looking at the foot.
Each piece of knowledge helps students see more of the horse in front of them, understand what that horse may need and ultimately make better informed decisions at the hoof.

A little more nailing school to keep building those practical skills, then after three very full days it was off to the Bonnie Doon pub!

Because College blocks aren't only about learning. They're also about the people you meet, the conversations you have and a few laughs along the way.

06/08/2026

Day 2 of Block 4!

Today continued to build on yesterday's learning, with students further exploring the muscles, tendons and ligaments that allow the horse to move, stabilise and perform.

As students continue building their understanding of functional anatomy, they're also learning how to interpret what the body is telling them. Every muscle, tendon and ligament provides another piece of the puzzle, helping guide the decisions made at the hoof.

As students discovered throughout the day, the horse's body is full of remarkable adaptations. One of these is the stay apparatus, an intricate network of tendons and ligaments that allows horses to rest while standing with minimal muscular effort. It serves as a great reminder that every structure has a purpose, and that balanced, functional hoof care plays an important role in supporting the way the horse is designed to move and function.

Knowledge quickly turned into action as students spent the afternoon trimming the college ponies, applying what they'd learnt while continuing to develop confidence, observation skills and practical technique.

The day concluded with nailing school, where students learnt how and when to apply polyurethane shoes and hoof tips. Developing an understanding of these options gives students another valuable tool to support horses according to their individual needs. Polyurethane shoes provide support while absorbing concussion and flexing with the hoof, while hoof tips protect the toe and pedal bone without restricting the natural expansion and contraction of the caudal hoof.

From anatomy to trimming and therapeutic hoof protection, every session adds another layer of knowledge, preparing students to make thoughtful, evidence based decisions for the horses in their care.

04/08/2026

"No hoof, no horse."

It's a saying most horse people have heard... but what does it really mean?

Day 1 of Block 4 is underway, with Dr Sharon May-Davis leading students through the fascinating world of equine biomechanics.

One of the things that sets the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy apart is that students don't just learn how to trim hooves. They learn how the hoof influences the body, and how the body influences the hoof.

Every muscle, tendon, ligament and joint works together. A change in one area influences another, and the hoof is often where those changes become visible. Hooves don't just support the horse. They tell a story about how that horse is moving, loading its limbs and compensating throughout its body.

Throughout this block, students explore movement, posture, conformation and biomechanics, learning to assess the horse as a whole rather than viewing the hoof in isolation. By understanding these relationships, they are better equipped to make hoof care decisions that support soundness, comfort and long term performance.

The better we understand the whole horse, the better we can understand how to support it.