An illustration of the anatomy of a horses hoof, showing the bones and skeletal anatomy of the hoof - HQ Magazine

UNDERSTANDING EVENT LINES

The bad and the ugly Text By: Christine Pinna If there is one thing that has been a complete game-changer for me in the last fifteen years of barefoot trimming, it would have to be learning to read the horse's hoof wall in order to understand what has happened in the horse's life in the…

BylizzieNovember 16, 20250Comments

Horse Health

LEG AND HOOF CARE

An overview Text: By Shari Michaelis We've all heard the saying "no hoof, no horse," and I would go as far as to say, "no legs, no horse". Whether you do showjumping, dressage, eventing, endurance, or anything in between, your horse's future depends mainly on how his legs and hooves stand up to whatever task…

BylizzieOctober 24, 20250Comments

Horse Health

HANDLING HOOVES IN THE WET SEASON

Text: Christine Pinna With the large amounts of summer rain recently arriving, many horse owners will be looking at their horse's hooves while biting their nails and praying for dry weather. But is there something that we, as horse owners, can do to help prevent the inevitable thrush, cracks and chipping that tends to occur in these…

BylizzieMarch 7, 20250Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: THRUSH

Q: What is the best way to deal with thrush? A: Thrush is a bacterial/fungal issue, and the main cause is poor hoof hygiene. Contributing factors include poor stable management, especially dirty and wet beds, and not regularly picking the horse’s feet out. Other factors can include poor hoof conformation, such as more upright, boxy…

BylizzieFebruary 17, 20250Comments

Horse Health

UNDERSTANDING EVENT LINES

[Text] Christine Pinna If there is one thing that has been a complete game-changer for me in the last fifteen years of barefoot trimming, it would have to be learning to read the horse's hoof wall in order to understand what has happened in the horse's life in the last few months. This often shows me…

BylizzieFebruary 3, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

ARE HORSES EVER TOO OLD FOR SUPPLEMENTS?

Nutritional supplements are not just for young equine athletes or even just horses in competition. Many older horses - even those living in retirement - can benefit from the boost a supplement can provide. Here’s a look at some of the supplements that can serve older horses well: Joint health A product designed to support joint health…

BylizzieJanuary 14, 20240Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT – IS YOUR HORSE DUE FOR A TRIM?

Has your farrier or barefoot trimmer ever commented that your horse's feet were awfully long, but they simply didn't look that long to you? Or, if you're not sticking to a specific trimming schedule, are you unsure as to when you need to have your horse's feet trimmed? Or are you the person uttering the…

BylizzieMay 18, 20230Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

ASKHQ: BARS

Q: What are the bars? A: It is easiest to think of the bars as the parts of the hoof that, rather than finishing the circle formed by the hoof wall, have turned inwards towards the centre of the foot at the angles of the heel. By doing this the bars are still able to take…

BylizzieFebruary 16, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel

ASKHQ: CONCAVITY OF THE SOLE

Q: Why is a concave sole desirable? A: Concavity of the sole is a far better sign than a 'flat foot'. Part of the foot's shock-absorbing mechanism is the ability of the sole to drop when weight is put on the foot, allowing the hoof wall to flex, and in some situations to improve traction (grip)…

BylizzieAugust 22, 20190Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel

ASKHQ: WHITE LINE DISEASE

Q: What is white line disease? A: The white line is the area on the ground surface of the foot that appears as a narrow ring at the outside of the sole but inside the rim of the hoof. Infection occurs here when this area is weakens and a cavity develops, which separates the outer hoof…

BylizzieAugust 21, 20190Comments

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