Ginge's owner was concerned about his poor hoof quality. Equine Podiatrist Emma Baker documents how changes to his hoof care, diet and environment helped improve his comfort over several years.

After years of remedial shoeing for navicular disease, Tom transitioned to barefoot hoof care. Discover his progress and how he is enjoying an active life at 20.

Cookie, a five-year-old Shetland pony, was struggling with foot soreness and suspected laminitis. Discover how changes to his grazing and hoof care helped him become comfortable again.

Meet Joe, an 11-year-old cob whose owner tackled his weight through restricted grazing and increased exercise, helping him return to soundness and compete in endurance riding.

Harley's quarter cracks and underrun heels improved over six months with regular trimming and careful hoof management, allowing him to return to light work.

A Thoroughbred gelding returns to ridden work following rehabilitation of a severe quarter crack caused by a coronary band injury.

Bird’s case study follows her recovery from a severe hoof abscess, bone loss and suspected keratoma, with ongoing care from Equine Podiatrist Emma Baker.

A pony with laminitis and Equine Metabolic Syndrome shows significant improvement in hoof balance and comfort following nine months of careful, regular podiatric care.

Improving the breakover on a horse with very long toes through regular trims on a short cycle and using boots & pads

The case study is about an overgrown and lamintic foot, which was able by trimming and addressing the metabolic issues of the horse

The case study is about helping a horse to lose weight, so their feet and body can be more comfortable.

The case study is about trimming to address a caudo-medial overload and shunted medial heel problem. The case is a pretty extreme scenario and shows how targetted trim strategy can improve the loading of the hooves.

The shoes were removed from this gelding in December 2017, at that point – this lovely chap had hock issues causing lumbar / sacro-illiac problems, so at this point he was really struggling with his ridden work. Not all of his problems were due to his feet, but their discomfort certainly wasn’t helping.

This handsome boy has had historical issues with central sulcus infections in his heels. He came back from a spell on loan with a serious recurrence of the problem. His central sulcus had deep slits and the digital cushion and frog part of his heels was collapsing down through the centre of the foot.

This hoof developed a major quarter crack that went from ground to coronet band and appeared to penetrate much of the way through the wall. The mare had been lame for some time and had abscessed at least once on this foot.

The owner was particularly concerned by hoof wall defects – “seedy toe” in the toes of the left hind and right fore feet that weren’t improving.

After a few months of on/off lameness in May 2024 the decision was made to send River for a full lameness workup in an Equine Veterinary hospital. Following radiographs and a CT scan it was discovered that she had osteitis (inflammation and infection) in the medial side of her right fore pedal bone and a loose fragment of bone.

She began to improve from the moment her shoes came off. Her daily conditioning programme took less than half an hour daily and just became a normal part of our daily routine. My EP clearly explained everything so I knew not only how to do things, but why I was doing it and it has been very rewarding watching her change from a horse who was hurting to a horse who’s now enjoying life again.

Rehabilitation was carried out on a budget, although metabolic testing and radiographs would have been useful, this lovely pony has recovered despite the absence of these – showing just how significant appropriate management can be in improving quality of life.

A shining example of a rare barefoot racehorse and proud to say a barefoot ‘winning’ racehorse.