A lot of EPs found their interest in hoofcare when a horse of their own ran into hoof related complications whilst shod. My background in caring for, riding, and competing a barefoot horse is quite unique in that this has been the norm for me from early teens onwards, due to my Mum having completed the EPT course back then. So rather than searching for an alternative solution for a poorly hooved horse, the idea of successfully working/riding/competing a barefoot horse was already completely normal to me having done just that (PC/RC/BE level) through my teens.

After having some time away from horses altogether through my late teens/early twenties, I decided to have a complete career change from a very boring desk job in finance. Since retraining and becoming self employed, I’ve found Equine Podiatry to be a far more rewarding and fulfilling career path. Whilst I relate to my competitive clients, and seeing their success is really exciting to follow, I’ve surprised myself in finding that the cases that I find rewarding in a really profound way are the ones that are maybe older, or less comfortable, and are beginning to fade, and find a second wind once they transition to being barefoot. Those cases make me feel all warm and fuzzy, and without knowing it at the time, they are the reason I left the confines of the desk job.

Our training really highlights how it is the whole horse that will impact the success or failure of keeping a horse barefoot, and the more real-world experience I get, the more I feel the gravity of that statement. For this reason I’d love to gain further qualifications in other areas of horse health. I’ve looked into a few options, but haven’t yet settled on one – watch this space!