theequinedocumentalist
The Truth on Dorso-Palmer/Plantar Balance
1.0 Introduction The hoofs interaction with the ground should provide the horse with mechanical and functional efficiency while...
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theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
Reliability Test of an Application for the Assessment of Hoof Balance
Changes in hoof balance are associated with increased strains in the soft tissue structures of the equine digit and injury. These links...
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theequinedocumentalist
13 min read
Quantifying Posture : The research so far
The effects of posture on equine musculoskeletal health have been recognised subjectively and visually and are now becoming quantified...
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theequinedocumentalist
18 min read
The quantification and definition of a new hoof balance paradigm
An investigation into the current hoof balance parameters and the quantification and definition of a new hoof balance paradigm The...
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theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Neuro-Bio-Tensegrity, the Push Puppet Effect
The interconnectivity of the horse’s musculoskeletal system, and the complexities of movement is continuously being unravelled and has...
2,368
theequinedocumentalist
19 min read
Negative Plantar Angles and Pathology Along the Dorsal Myofascial Line
An Investigation into the Postural Link Between Negative Plantar Angles and Concurrent Pathology Along the Dorsal-Myofascial Line Using...
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theequinedocumentalist
4 min read
The Importance of Trim Plane
How can we change the palmar/plantar angle with the trim? We know that hoof growth during an average shoeing cycle reduces the...
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theequinedocumentalist
3 min read
Hoof Capsule Integrity for Improved Morphology
Long toe, low heels are something that every farrier deals with at some point in their daily practice. But are there misconceptions on...
1,726
theequinedocumentalist
15 min read
Physiological implications of domestication on the horse
Very often, certainly in the argument of barefoot versus shod, comparisons re made between the wild and domestic horse. But in reality,...
4,331
theequinedocumentalist
12 min read
Hoof Balance - Where and When?
Farriery, until recently, has been based on tradition, anecdotal evidence and personal experience, but with the introduction of objective...
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theequinedocumentalist
11 min read
The Hoof-Horse Connection
To understand the hoof – horse connection there are certain principles of hoof biomechanics we must first appreciate. How the hoof...
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theequinedocumentalist
13 min read
Can we Locate the Centre of Rotation from a Lateral Photo?
Pilot study into the accuracy of an external template for the assessment of dorso - palmar hoof balance according to internal...
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theequinedocumentalist
1 min read
Quantifying the Subclinical
we, both owners and professionals, are failing to recognise pain and lameness in our horses, but there is technology available now that...
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theequinedocumentalist
17 min read
Evidence Based Podiatry
Farriery has, up till recently, been largely based on anecdotal evidence and experiential opinion. We are entering a new era of...
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theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
Palmar Angles
There is much debate about the ideal angle for the pedal bone to sit at in relation to the ground. Some sects suggest a palmar angle of 0...
22,042
theequinedocumentalist
6 min read
Wet-Dry Cycles - Effect on the Hoof
Winter is coming and with it comes the rain and mud and boggy fields. The reality is in the wild horses would never choose to stand in...
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theequinedocumentalist
12 min read
Horse Shoes - Back to the Future
For thousands of years horses roamed the grasslands, surviving, thriving and all without the need for something applied to the bottom of...
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theequinedocumentalist
12 min read
The Hoof - It Is What You Make It
Nature has an inherent ability to improve, to adapt, to survive and to overcome. The miracle of the evolutionary complexities that it...
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theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
Hoof Pastern Axis - Influential Factors
Hoof pastern axis (HPA) is a term for the relationship between the hoof and the pastern. There are three categories for HPA; broken back,...
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theequinedocumentalist
4 min read
Bio-Tensegrity and Farriery - The Foreword
Tensegrity, a combination of the words “tension” and “integrity”, is a principle that has been used in structural engineering for...
11,256
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Bio-Tensegrity and Farriery
Every biological entity is made up of systems upon systems, existing in symbiosis for the collective good. Even our own evolutionary...
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theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
The Unacceptable Norms of Equine Management and the Inevitable Paradigm Shifts
Social norms are a collective representation of acceptable group conduct and an individual’s perception of their particular groups...
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theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
Barefoot vs Shod
This debate is often fiercely contested and remains controversial with two schools of thought, traditionally diametrically opposed. As...
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theequinedocumentalist
5 min read
Supporting Limb Laminitis
Most horses will suffer with a severe unilateral lameness at one time in their life, when this is for prolonged periods of time, such as...
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theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
Haemodynamic Mechanism - The Key to Hoof Health
The ability to withstand concussive and load forces is vitally important in musculoskeletal health and the hoof is on the front line. At...
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theequinedocumentalist
13 min read
The Truth about Hoof Pastern Axis
There is conflicting rhetoric traversing the social universe about the importance and ideals of phalangeal alignment and stance angles,...
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theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
The Influences on Shoeing Cycle
Shoeing cycle length is a vitally important factor in hoof health and controlling the morphological changes associated with hoof growth...
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theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
Myofascial trains, Kinetic chains and Antalgic Posture - Their Farriery Relevance
The relationship between conformation and hoof morphology has been studied, Curtis (2002) outlined the effect of limb deformities on hoof...
9,674
theequinedocumentalist
11 min read
The Beginning of the N - Navicular
Navicular syndrome (NS) is all too common a pathology, one paper expressed it as appertaining to a third of all forelimb lameness’ and...
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theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
The Hoof - The Beginning and End of the Kinetic Chain
Often horses and their teams of professionals struggle with perpetuating cycles. Vets, and physios in particular struggle with...
17,239
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Ex-Racehorse feet
Why do so many ex-racehorses have bad feet? This very interesting question was asked to me recently and the answer is complexed. There is...
9,281
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Horse Shoeing - How Much Length?
There is a long list of factors that influence the amount of length a farrier shoes a horse with, many are environmental; type of work,...
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theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
Hoof Balance - Shoeing Around the COR in 3 Dimensions
A question that is asked very often whenever people are looking for advice on farriery related issues is “what shoe would you put on for...
16,576
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Farriery Related Conformation-Macro, Micro, Dynamic
A horses conformation is the way it is made up, its structure, how its body parts relate to each other and how it is proportioned....
3,820
theequinedocumentalist
8 min read
Recognising pain in the horse
Many, many horses are in unrecognised pain. As their owners and caring professionals the responsibility lies with us to get better at...
12,437
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Frog Pressure - Historic vs Modern Applications
Frog function is a vitally important factor in hoof health. A cliché has emerged amongst some farriery circles “use it or lose it.” when...
9,856
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Wedges - A Necessary Evil?
Wedges are widely debated in the farriery world, do they help to create better geometric hoof proportions in a broken back hoof pastern...
13,728
theequinedocumentalist
10 min read
What About The Hinds? - Shoeing the Powerhouse
Farriery care can often be guilty of being fore limb focused, most of the research on horses’ feet has been fore limb dominant, there are...
14,785
theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
High-Low Hoof Conformation - Farriery and Whole Horse Relevance
There is a complexed relationship between the hoof, its conformation and the forces applied to it which affects the entire...
16,257
theequinedocumentalist
12 min read
Disordered Physiology and Hoof Morphology - The Chicken and the Egg
The physiological effect of poor conformation and hoof morphology on the wider skeletal system of the horse is a highly complexed...
16,448
theequinedocumentalist
11 min read
Equine Thermography - Hot or not?
The potential uses for thermography in equestrian care have been outlined historically, as far back as Von Schweinitz (1999) its...
4,536
theequinedocumentalist
11 min read
Ligaments- Their Farriery Relevance
Ligaments are short fibrous connective tissues which connect bone to bone or cartilage, farriery can have huge potential influences on...
19,098
theequinedocumentalist
21 min read
Supplements- A Brief Review
Equine Powders and Potions- Fact or Fable? The list of supplements, herbal remedies, powders and potions is almost endless, tales of...
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theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
The Bearing Surface- Creating optimal basal support
The digit is on the end of the limb, the limb is attached to the body and all this weight is transferred through the hoof. Creating a...
1,751
theequinedocumentalist
7 min read
Laminitis-A Pictorial Review
Our understanding of laminitis is changing and developing but one thing is clear, it can be a debilitating disease and has long been...
13,270
theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
Evidence-Based Farriery
Introduction “No Foot, No Horse!” what does that mean? Originally it came from the cavalry, you needed the hoof of your deceased horse in...
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theequinedocumentalist
17 min read
Navicular-A Retrospective Study
Introduction The navicular apparatus is designed to dissipate force between the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon (DDFT) and the third phalanx...
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theequinedocumentalist
6 min read
Vibration Therapy-What's The buzz about?
The potential benefits of vibration therapy have been long studied, in 1867 Gustav Zander created a series of weights and pullies to...
1,149
theequinedocumentalist
9 min read
Brief Review of common Diagnostics
Introduction Lameness diagnosis is not a straightforward process, it requires both skill and experience, firstly recognising the lame...
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Holistic Equine
Feb 3, 20222 min read
Why evidence based podiatry should be the norm in modern hoof care
Evidence based podiatry is what we do - learn how we helped one horse recovery quickly from laminitis and demonstrate the improvements too
231 views0 comments
Holistic Equine
Jul 4, 20213 min read
Special Summer offer for Cumbrian Horse Owners!
We want to support local horse owners and are offering our flagship, top quality Equine Podiatry service for a reduced price!
165 views0 comments
Sam Fowler
Feb 24, 20211 min read
What does the horse's posture tell us?
The answer is A LOT! Simply put, a comfortable horse with comfortable body and balanced hooves will stand relaxed, without tension and...
268 views0 comments
Sam Fowler
Feb 12, 20212 min read
Trimming is an art...
Knowing how the hoof capsule relates to the inner foot, limb and horse at any point of the horse’s stride, the influence of the rider,...
119 views0 comments
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