Emma Baker; Equine Podiatry DEP MEPA

09/11/2025

Back in July, I became a little concerned about the lovely Indie’s weight.

As an Equine Podiatrist, I take a whole horse approach to hoof care and I like to view my work as ‘preventative maintenance’ and not a ‘breakdown service’.

As Indie approaches her teens, metabolic disturbances may start to catch up with her so we decided to take action.

In an ideal world, we would use a grass free track system, and whilst their popularity has me filled with hope for the future of horse care, they are not available to everyone.

So - pick your compromise.

For Indie, we have used a combination of the following over the last few months to achieve this fantastic 60kg loss.

Stabling
Small holed haynets
Soaked hay
Feeding straw
Muzzle
Bib clip
Increased ridden work

Find what works for you and your horse & pick your compromise.

Indie is fed a good balancer and also various nuts, herbs and seeds to promote good hind gut function and mitigate the compromise of reduced forage in take.

Well done team.

08/11/2025

Heel bulb appreciation post….

Your horses heels bulbs give us a good indication of the hooves functional ability.

Which hooves do you think will be best equipped at providing comfort, absorbing concussion & protecting the internal structures?

What do your horses heels bulbs look like?

29/10/2025

Another of our recent students to gain their level 5 diploma in Equine Podiatry is Gower Equine Podiatry - Gabby Wilcox
If you are looking for great barefoot hoofcare in South Wales, get in touch before her books fill up!
Gabby’s contact details can also be found at The Equine Podiatry Association website. Here is what she says:

"I’m a newly qualified EP and member of the Equine Podiatry Association covering Swansea and the surrounding South Wales area. I’m fully insured, and focused on achieving comfort, balance, and long-term hoof health for your horse— from everyday maintenance to rehab cases."

Congratulations Gabby - another fabulous EP!

25/10/2025

Well done Finer Forage - Naturally Better Horsefood

🐴Dietary and other Influences on Laminitis: A Scientific Overview 👩‍🔬

🐎Laminitis is a complex and painful condition affecting the laminae of the hoof, often triggered by systemic disturbances. One of the most significant contributors is diet - how and what a horse consumes.

🐴Starch Overload and Hindgut Dysfunction
🐎Small Intestinal Overload
Horses are physiologically adapted to digest starch primarily in the small intestine. However, when large quantities of starch are ingested—such as from grain-rich meals or lush pasture—the digestive capacity of the small intestine can be exceeded.

🐴Hindgut Fermentation and Acidosis
🐎Undigested starch passes into the hindgut (caecum and colon), where it undergoes rapid fermentation by lactic acid-producing bacteria. This leads to a sharp increase in lactic acid levels and a significant drop in pH, resulting in hindgut acidosis.

🐴Microbial Disruption and Endotoxin Release
🐎The acidic environment disrupts the normal microbial balance, killing beneficial fiber-digesting microbes. As these microbes die, they release endotoxins into the gut.

🐴Compromised Gut Barrier and Systemic Inflammation
🐎Acidosis can damage the gut lining, allowing endotoxins and vasoactive substances to enter the bloodstream. This systemic inflammatory response can impair blood flow to the hoof and damage the laminae, initiating laminitis.

🐴Impact of Sudden Dietary Changes
🐎Abrupt transitions from a high-fibre to a high-starch diet can destabilise the gut microbiome. The rapid microbial turnover results in the release of microbial toxins into the bloodstream, mimicking the cascade seen in starch overload and potentially triggering laminitis.

🐴Toxin-Induced Laminitis
🐎Internal Toxins (Endotoxemia/Sepsis)
Laminitis may develop secondary to systemic illness where inflammatory mediators or toxins enter circulation. Common triggers include:
Colitis (intestinal inflammation and diarrhea)
Retained placenta post-foaling
Severe infections such as pleuropneumonia

🐴External Toxins
🐎Exposure to certain toxic substances or plants can also induce laminitis. A notable example is black walnut shavings, which can cause laminitis through skin contact alone. Ingested plant toxins may directly disrupt vascular or inflammatory pathways, depending on the specific compound involved.

🐴Post-Colic Laminitis
🐎Colic, which involves gastrointestinal inflammation and dysfunction, can predispose horses to laminitis due to the systemic inflammatory response and potential endotoxin release.

🐴Corticosteroid-Induced Laminitis
🐎The prevailing hypothesis is that corticosteroids exacerbate pre-existing metabolic dysfunctions:
• They impair insulin sensitivity, increasing insulin resistance.
• In horses with Insulin Dysregulation (ID) or Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), corticosteroids can provoke a temporary spike in insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia), which is believed to be a direct trigger for laminitis.

🐴Endocrinopathic Laminitis
🐎This is the most prevalent form of laminitis, resulting from hormonal imbalances that lead to Insulin Dysregulation (ID). It is distinct from sepsis-associated laminitis.
Key underlying conditions include:
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
Characterized by obesity, regional adiposity (e.g. cresty neck), and insulin resistance.
• Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID)
A progressive disorder of the pituitary gland, which coexists with or contributes to insulin dysregulation by disrupting normal hormonal function, including cortisol.

Finer Forage was founded with a clear purpose: to offer feeding solutions that align with the natural dietary patterns horses have evolved to follow.
Our products are grounded in scientific, evidence-based nutrition, formulated to deliver species-appropriate feeds and supplements for optimum health.
🌱🌸🌼🌹🌻🌺🏵🌿

www.finerforage.co.uk

25/10/2025

Another EP qualified after successfully completing a L5 Diploma with the EPT; backed by good science.

I’ve asked our four newly qualified EPS to provide some info and a photo about themselves - they’ll be taking on new clients, so if they cover your area do contact them before their books are full! First up is Adam Heyhoe:
‘I provide equine podiatry and hoof boot fitting services across Norfolk and the surrounding areas for multi-horse or yard bookings. I’m a full member of The Equine Podiatry Association (EPA) - where you can find my contact details - and fully insured, offering professional and reliable hoof care to horses and owners throughout the region’

24/10/2025

I felt this was worth a re share also….

24/10/2025

There was a time when I felt information found on Facebook was helpful. I now feel it is becoming dangerous.

Laminitis, by definition, means inflammation of the laminae. One sign of this is a digital pulse. This is something you can check for yourself.

Please note (as not discussed in the video) that pastern damage and scaring from mites or CPL can make checking for digital pulses difficult. You can also check for a digital pulse above the pastern joint.

If this affects your horse, please discuss this with your vet or HCP. They will be best placed to advise you how to check for signs of inflammation in your horses feet.

22/10/2025

📐📐Degrees of P3 rotation measured from the dorsal wall - is this the best measure of successful laminitis recovery? 📐📐

In a horse with good laminae connection, the dorsal aspect of P3 will run parallel to the dorsal hoof wall (Pic A1)

During some cases of laminitis, P3 rotates away from the dorsal wall. The distance of this movement is measured in degrees (Pic A2)

If P3 stays in this rotated state, the horse will likely experience continued pain, loss of bone density, damage and death of solar corium (pressure necrosis) and much more.

The long term goal should be to re-achieve a parallel dorsal wall to P3. However, this measure being used too soon during recovery could very likely lead you to believe improvements aren’t being made when they are. Or even more concerning, that improvements are being made when they are not.

Here are my thoughts why….

Rotation of P3 causes extensive damage to the vascular structures within the hoof. In the hours, days and weeks that follow, the horse will start to turn these vascular structures into something commonly referred to as ‘repair horn’ or ‘laminae wedge’. This repair horn is vital for the healing process as it turns soft & vulnerable vascular structures into a hard and waxy horn, providing some stability and protection to the compromised hoof and ‘filling the gap’ where the P3 used to sit.

After rotation, you CAN NOT push that bone back up to its original position - that ship has sailed. The objective now is to create & grow a hoof that will put the P3 back into the most optimal position.

As previously stated, a bone that stays in a rotated state will continue to cause pain and damage, particularly to the solar corium at the tip of P3. Further pressure & damage to the sole could eventually lead to P3 penetrating through the sole entirely.

This dangerous P3 angle is NOT risky due to its relativity to the dorsal wall BUT to its relativity to the ground.

With this in mind, your first objective should be to lessen the pressure at the tip of P3 in order to limit the effects of pressure necrosis and (hopefully) improve sole thickness. This is your best ‘safety margin’ during the first stages of recovery.

Here are what I feel are more appropriate measurements post rotation.

Palmer Angle. This is where the bottom of P3 is measured in relation to the ground. In order to reduce pressure at the tip of P3 & improve blood flow to the area, the palmer angle needs to be reduced.

Sole thickness under the tip of P3 particularly must also be measured to establish your safety margin.

Please see picture AN1.

Here you can see a reduction of palmer angle and improvement of sole thickness.

At this stage, dorsal wall angle is irrelevant.

Improvement in comfort levels were also seen with this horse. Please see previous case of ‘Anoushka’.

Another example can be seen with picture E1.

Here you can see a reduction in palmer angle, improvement in sole thickness with no improvement of dorsal wall to P3 angle. With all the above in mind, I see this P3 positioning as improved, regardless of dorsal wall to P3 angle.

Improvement in comfort levels were also seen and Eric has gone to make a full recovery.

Please see previous posts for Eric.

Next we have picture J1.

Note improvement of palmer angle

Picture J2

Note improvement of sole thickness.

Yes, the dorsal wall is shocking. But at this stage, irrelevant.

Please see previous post for ‘Jilly’ giving full details on this case.

Eventually, what you should see, is a new dorsal wall angle growing in. Please see that exciting development with Jilly in picture J3.

Within the hoof care world, I often find there is an eagerness to create this parallel/straight dorsal wall as quickly as possible. This can be achieved by ‘top dressing’ the dorsal wall and bringing it down to meet P3. Doing this alone, does not change the position of P3 but if you are measuring recovery success via the P3 to dorsal wall angle, you may think you are winning when you are not.

I am not suggesting that toes should or should not be trimmed. Most horses who have experienced rotation, will need to have their toes trimmed to one extent or another eventually but I believe that each case needs to be looked at individually.

My message here is not to allow dorsal wall to P3 angle motivate a trimming technique or be purely used as a measure of success until the horse has had chance to grow an entirely new hoof (6-9 months).

19/10/2025

As the EP providing hoof care to the pony, I am sharing her case with some trepidation but with a hope to offer comfort, inspiration & potential education to others.

Please read this case in full before making assumptions on the pictures. There is no rule book for these cases.

This is Jilly. Full name Jewell.

Jilly is a much loved 30 year old pony. In October 2024, Jilly presented with sore feet. Her feet were x-rayed and she was diagnosed with laminitis, pedal bone rotation & sinker, EMS, PPID & a thyroid tumour.

Valiant efforts were made to stabilise her over the following months. Medication was provided to manage underlying health challenges and regular hoof care was given. However by April 2025, it was felt improvements weren’t being made and she was re x-rayed. At this point, Jilly was diagnosed with 40° rotation in her left fore. The prognosis was bleak.

It was at this point, Jillys owner contacted me as a ‘last hope’.

On my first visit, Jilly was non weight bearing on her left fore. She was however incredibly bright. She is a light and lean pony with a bright and inquisitive nature. She was up, eager to move & able to tug her mum over to the closest patch of grass. I felt that from an Equine Podiatry approach, I had some ‘low hanging fruit’ so it was agreed that a new approach was well worth a go.

During my first visit, I was able to set her up with a new boot and pad formation aimed to alleviate any pressure under the tip of P3, where we had exposed corium. By my second visit just a few days later, with some slight adjustments to her foot, we managed to get the foot on the floor during stance.
This gave me some hope.

We also made some dietary changes. Concerns had been expressed over the last few months with regards to her body weight and EMS; as a result, restrictions had been made. I felt that Jilly was looking a little poor and needed more dietary support. We carefully selected and increased her hay allowance with late cut Timothy hay; providing nutrition whilst minimising insulin spikes. We included a good balancer, healthy fats (micronised linseed), soaked grass nuts and a herbal chaff.

I continued to visit Jilly weekly and we slowly & consistently saw improvements. By week 6, she was sound in boots.

These journeys are rarely linear. Jilly was no different.

The next few weeks that followed presented us with a frustrating cycle of abscesses. This was an unsurprising complication. With such damage to the sole, exposed vascular structures and only limited repair horn formed, the risk of infection was high, despite best hygiene efforts made.

Whilst the sole was damaged, as easy as it was for the infection to get it, it could also drain well, offering her relief. But as the sole started to recover, the infections concerned me more. A cruel catch 22.

We continued to give her Epsom salts soaked and carefully used wet poultices with as limited use as possible.

Throughout all this, Jilly remained bright and infections became less frequent.

It was a joy to have messages from Jillys mum telling me how she had trotted over to her after an hour out in her little paddock, or how one day she wasn’t able to catch her! Or even that she had taken a few steps without her boot on, being too keen and not giving her mum enough time to get the boot back on! All this gave me hope.

There are no demands or expectations on Jillys recovery. All we want is for her to be able to enjoy her life. And that, she was.

Now what about that toe. At first glance, many would think I have made that foot worse and should not have allowed the toe to curl up.

I don’t sit in an Equine Podiatry world of ‘always’ & ‘never’. I work with ‘it depends’. And on this occasion, I decided to leave that toe alone. And here’s why….

I believe that Jilly’s pedal bone moved so drastically and acutely that the bone had left all her vascular structures behind. If I had trimmed into that toe, I would have hit blood, despite it being so far away from the bone. Obviously this would have caused pain & also further increased her chance of infection. Further to this, mechanically, it would have left me with very little dorsal (front of hoof) hoof wall, completely destabilising the hoof.

So instead, I watched. Watched whilst her vascular structures reorganised. I have seen huge amounts of soft corium turn to hard waxy repair horn and the apex of the frog has migrated back almost in inch to fit in line with the new position of P3. In the latest solar view picture you can see (what I believe to be) evidence of where the circumflex artery lay; the artery that runs the circumference of P3. We don’t know if this artery has recovered but this shows the extent this hoof has had to reorganise itself.

Witnessing this has been a fascinating privilege.

Jilly has (very sensibly) avoided loading the toe and has been excessively loading her heels. We know excessive load/stimulation promotes excessive growth. As you can see from her most recent picture, the excessive heel growth and lack of toe growth has caused this curl.

But what can you also see…..that new growth! Despite the enormous damage her coronet band sustained during the sinker (the coronet band had fallen behind the hoof capsule), it has recovered enough to grow new hoof. Again, astonishing.

Jilly is still experiencing some sensitivity to thumb pressure at the apex of the frog, but now we have some good solid repair horn (AKA laminar wedge) in that toe, I will now slowly start to bring it back. Ensuring I am leaving enough dorsal wall for stability and listening to how Jilly responds.

Another obvious concern throughout this journey has been Jillys supporting limb. I have been able to provide trims to the supporting hoof and she has been well supported with boots and pads to try to alleviate as much pressure of her solar corium as possible. But that foot and limb coping with the additional strain has been her saving grace. We are seeing some effects in the hoof of the excessive load (under running & collapsed heels) but (maybe due to luck or maybe her light structure) it has coped.

One thing that has not wavered during this process has been the love and support from Jillys mum and Jillys own will to live. I have spent many a time wishing and willing horses to live, to heal, to keep going and fight for life. Not for one moment have I had to do that for Jilly. Yes, she is 30 years old, but she has an incredible will to live and ability to heal. Something I have admired throughout the last 6 months.

We don’t know what Jillys future holds and I don’t know how that hoof will respond going forward but I am thrilled to see her comfortable and enjoying a good quality of life. If she can enjoy each day as it comes, then we will enjoy them with her.

Note to add - I have had to include a video of her increased comfort levels in comments.

17/10/2025

Another wonderful EP has been created!!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Zoe has also achieved her diploma and is a fully fledged EP!

Zoe is based in Brynmawr, another driving force changing the face of hoof care.

Well done Zoe!!

16/10/2025

Absolutely thrilled to announce that Gabby is now a fully fledged EP and has been released into the wild!

Gabby is based in Swansea and is providing a truly science based and holistic hoof care service.

Congratulations matey - enjoy!

30/08/2025

Out of office is on until Wednesday 10th Sept!🏝️

And what an interesting few days to finish on.

Who wants to have a guess at what we are looking at in these pictures? 🤔🤔

2 different horses…..both like to keep my on my toes!!