SoVa Hoof Care

06/12/2025

Wow! Just 2 weeks into this sweet gelding’s rehab and we are seeing so many wonderful changes in his body.

05/31/2025

I had a lot of interest, private messages, and comments on the “high/low” post and podcast episode from last week.

Enough that I’ve been thinking about it, and wanted to make another post about it.

I think a lot of people see high/low cases and have something that worked for them and assume they have an answer. And they do- they do have AN answer. High/low hooves in horses can come from so many things, from something like an injury or issue higher up in the body, to a foot that foundered in the past (or currently) more than another, to a saddle fit issue causing a handedness on one side, to a grazing stance while developing, to birth trauma or even limb length disparity. It could even be as “benign” as deep central sulcus thrush in the high foot that’s causing the horse to subtly offweight that foot so it becomes higher- and yes, I’ve seen horses end up with more balanced feet over time once that is treated and resolved!

If you comment on this post to tell me why horses have one foot higher than another, I won’t disagree with you! There are infinite reasons. But the big takeaway for whenever we see high/low hooves is, for me, to investigate WHICH reason may be the cause for THAT specific horse.

My goal when I come to high/low hooves is never to FORCE them to match. I don’t want to stress soft tissue or CAUSE a soft tissue injury by making the feet simply LOOK the same. That being said, my goal is that over time, as we get the horse more comfortable and as the owner works on balance through bodywork, or in riding or groundwork, or figure out issues in the body that could be leading to compensation, that the high/low diminishes over time.

That being said, the hoof and white line follows the shape of the coffin bone, and if a horse has been high/low much of its life, often the “high”/upright foot may have a smaller or more compact coffin bone - sometimes with ossified collateral cartilages that may be more contracted, depending on the severity of the high foot- and the low foot often has a larger or even more “flared” coffin bone.
If we have coffin bones that are two different shapes or sizes, we won’t ever have matching feet- or if we do force them to match, we often end up with a lame horse. So while some of these cases may never look perfect, I still want to see some improvement and more symmetrical movement over time.

This post is basically how I wanted to respond to comments that had the “one singularly reason” for high/low or the “one singular fix” for high/low in my last post. To me, that disparity between hooves is a symptom, and the root cause won’t be the same for every horse.

This fall we are hosting a Podiatry Clinic, and one of our clinicians is Pat Reilly. He specifically asked us to have demo horses with high/low hooves, so we can put some biomechanic sensors on them and see how what we do to their hooves affects their soundness. Should we try to get their feet to match? What happens if we elasitcon a shoe or boot on that makes the low foot higher, or make the high foot taller? I’m excited to see the results with something we can then remove and compare!

I also wanted to take the time to thank Wendy Murdoch and SURE FOOT Equine for making their Sure Foot pads (and for sponsoring our SOLD OUT Podiatry Clinic this October with Celeste Lazaris, Dr. Jenny Hagen, Ula Krzanowska, and Pat Reilly!). I use Sure Foot pads often, and find that it can really help to see what gets these high/low cases more comfortable, or what their preferred angles and stance/posture may be in that moment in time. The clinic is sold out, but you can message or comment if you’d like to be added to the wait list. We do also have a livestream/video recording option as well here!:

https://thehumblehoof.com/product/october-25-26-2025-livestream/

05/29/2025

05/28/2025

Disconnecting from Your Horse, probally better described as compassion fatigue (and Why It Needs to Be Talked About)

I want to talk about something I think needs to be normalised: disconnecting from your horse to protect your own mental health. It’s something I’ve been experiencing, and I know I’m not alone.

Since around 2010, I’ve been working with horses who have come with issues—some physical, some emotional, many a result of what humans have asked of them. Over the years, it’s felt like one thing after another. In the beginning, I was full of fire. I had this burning passion to help, to fix, to make things better for these animals.

But now? After nearly 25 years of owning horses, something in me feels broken. Empathy burnout is very real.

Iv owned 12 horses up to now, some of them had man made issues, most of them broken in some way whether that be how they were trained or a result genetics.

I lost my mare a few years ago after trying everything to bring her back from injury and the complications that followed. I spent five years trying. In the end, we couldn’t make her comfortable—couldn’t even give her a peaceful retirement. Letting her go nearly broke me.

And now, I feel like I’m heading down the same path with Finn.

He’s got a long list of issues. I try not to sugarcoat it anymore. Each time we solve one thing, something else appears. Most recently, we finished rehabbing bone fragments. Before that, it was osteoarthritis in both stifles. He came back sound, started work again—not for my pleasure, not to compete, but because he needs the work. He needs muscle to support his body, and to manage his PSSM and metabolic challenges. He simply can’t just be turned out to eat and relax—his body won’t allow that.

Then came colic. I had him scoped for ulcers. And we all know the treatment: a stress-free life, turnout, forage, friendship. I do everything I can to give him that. He goes out with Moomin. He has routine, freedom, movement. But it consumes me. I give everything I have—and it’s worn me down to the bone. I’m exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, physically.

Now, with him on ulcer treatment, we face a new challenge. He’s gaining weight from even the smallest amount of grass. But keeping him off the grass stresses him out as its part of his routine now.. If I bring him in, he’s away from his friend. It’s like walking a tightrope: one step to the left and I risk laminitis because he currently cant do any fast work to keep him trim, one step to the right and we can’t heal the ulcers or risk them coming back.

And the hardest part? I feel myself disconnecting. Not because I don’t care. Because I care so much. But I can feel the end coming, even if I don’t know when. This is our eighth rehab. I keep hoping, but I’m also starting to emotionally brace myself. I’m tired. I’m grieving already.

There’s a lot of conversation online about what’s wrong in the competition world, about abuse and neglect. But there are also so many of us out here doing everything we can to help our horses live comfortable, happy lives. We pour ourselves into their care, and often, we pay the price with our own health.

And when we speak up—when we talk about rest, about rehabilitation, about choosing not to ride—we’re often dismissed as “pony patters,” as if kindness is weakness and im sure many of us would like to do " more " but we cant because it makes our horses uncomfortable.

The truth is, some horses can’t be fixed. Some can’t be ridden. Some can only be micromanaged—and that’s not failure. It’s reality. And it’s time we talked about that more openly. Because there are thousands of us carrying the weight of compassion, and we need to know we’re not alone.

However draining it all is i still keep trying, if there's a chance of buying us more time I take it for those times of when he is happy and sound it makes it worth it.

To be honest at this moment in life I am not enjoying horse ownership, I have been this way many times but I always pull my self back together because this is a lifestyle for me and i couldn't imagine doing anything else. I do however get joy from helping others and seeing them enjoy it, those moments make it all worth it - that what i have learnt on this journey brings purpose.

Im not a jealous person i want everyone to win whatever their goal but i often find myself thinking when will it be my turn ? Which brings such high hopes for Moomin , my youngster. Hopfully our future together can be more positive.

If your reading this and going through similar feelings, go easy on your self. Im rubbish at taking my own advice but really.. Its ok to take a break, because if we fall apart how can we care for them and if you have been on this road for a long time like me be at peace with the fact you did all you could.

Now, something i have been asking myself alot lately.. there comes a point where you must ask yourself " are you doing it for them or you " It's all very head and heart. As horse lovers we always make the right choice.

05/26/2025

It’s horses like this who remind us just how incredibly generous they are. After 14 years on the road working as an Amish buggy horse, this incredibly sweet, cooperative and gentle soul found a very soft landing with a new family. I feel it is worth mentioning that his Amish family cared about where he ended up and didn’t want him going to auction. Yes, his body and hooves are in a pitiful state of neglect, but there is something about this horse’s warm demeanor that tells me he was loved, and his prior family probably did the best they could with the knowledge they had.
His camped under aka “goat on a rock” posture gives us a glimpse of how the body is compensating for the state of his hooves beneath him. This visit took some extra time and no photos were taken today after his trim. However, his posture improved, and he yawned and yawned after finishing his trim, telling me how much he welcomed the changes.
It can be incredibly rewarding to work on horses like this and I can’t wait to see his body and hooves unwind and become healthier over time. I look forward to posting his update in the future.
Better days ahead!

05/24/2025

This sweet OTTB gelding with an arthritic fetlock always appreciates a fresh trim. He has very little ROM in this fetlock and is able to navigate the earth a bit easier with a trim that reduces leverage around his joints.

05/22/2025

It’s not too often you see a nearly perfectly round hoof! This one belongs to a Gypsy Vanner yearling.

05/20/2025

Laminitis has been accurately described as “insidious” because it is very easy to miss or mistake in the early stages, often seemingly coming out of nowhere. But there were early warnings before the obvious ones showed up. I would like fellow horse owners to read up on what laminitis looks like in its various stages, especially early on. Please be vigilant and take precautions.https://www.safergrass.org/s/Signs-of-Laminitis.pdf

04/10/2025

Lovely Connemara hooves 🐴

04/09/2025

Another reason to screen your horses for PPID early. Early treatment and intervention will reduce the chances and/or prevent developing more advanced disease symptoms later on.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25641552/

Additionally, PPID horses with suspensory problems have significantly more corticosteroid receptors in their suspensories and in their skin, which was also thinner than young horses. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29359976/