Emily Whelan - Equine Podiatrist

27/04/2026

A huge thank you to Fit For A Queenie for organising a wonderful CPD day. It was so lovely to catch up with some new and some familiar faces.

18/04/2026

Set up trim for this beautiful boy.
Looking forward to seeing this lovely chaps hoofcare journey 💕.

12/03/2026

Set up trim for this beautiful boy.

When meeting new horses and considering the best approach to their hoof care, it’s really important to take into account their history and any previous lameness or pathologies they may have experienced prior to your involvement. Knowing this information may significantly alter how I approach the initial trim.

His owner informed me that this lovely chap has had a history of lameness in his left fore following trims in the past. Upon my initial assessment, it was evident that he has some high–low disparity between his right fore hoof capsule and the left. The left fore is more upright, with a steeper dorsal wall angle and higher heels, while the right shows the opposite: lower dorsal wall angles and lower heel height.

Before I even touch his feet with a rasp, I ask myself: given his history, what’s driving this? Is it discomfort in the left fore (given the history), how would lowering the heels impact this? Is he placing more weight through the right fore to compensate and relieve the left? What’s his preferred stance when grazing or eating? Is this a natural preference, or is it influenced by something else within the body and if so, what’s driving that? How are the tendons and ligaments on his left side? Are they tight? Could he have an old injury that has contributed to this pattern of movement?

So many questions and considerations.

We don’t always have the answers right away, and sometimes we never get to the bottom of them. But as HCPs, what we can do is work sympathetically and methodically over time to help restore and improve balance within the feet and potentially the body.

It would have been very easy for me to come in and lower the heels right off the bat on his left fore, but knowing his history and how this has impacted him in the past, I was not about to risk that.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and our horses’ feet are no different.

Sometimes we feel pressure to improve everything in a single trim, but depending on the horse, the feet, and the pathology, this just isn’t possible. Instead, aiming for small incremental improvements on what we had before, small changes that the horse can cope with and that will hopefully allow them to feel better is far more beneficial.

This is why shorter trim cycles, in my opinion, are much more preferable, particularly when working with pathological feet or horses with a history of lameness.

So for this chap, we’re taking things very slowly: short trim intervals and small adjustments, particularly on his left fore. After every little adjustment, I wait to see if I get any feedback from him about how it's made him feel.

Very excited to see how he progresses.

10/03/2026

🌱 Spring is on its way, and all us equine owners are so happy for some longer days & lighter evenings 🙏🌞.

While we often think about the richer grass at this time of year, there are a few other important changes happening for our horses too.

As daylight hours begin to increase, you may have already started to notice your horse’s coat beginning to change. This seasonal coat shift is triggered by hormonal changes influenced by increasing daylight, which affect the endocrine system. When this natural transition is combined with rising sugar levels in spring grass, it can place additional metabolic stress on the body, particularly for good doers or horses who may be more metabolically sensitive.

This is a great time of year to keep an eye out for small changes such as a firmer crest, puffiness above the eyes, stronger digital pulses, heat in the feet, or sudden footiness on hard ground. Often these subtle signs appear before bigger problems develop.

Introducing grass gradually, managing grazing carefully, keeping horses moving where appropriate, and regularly monitoring body condition can all really help support them through this seasonal transition.

A little awareness now can go a long way in keeping our horses happy, comfortable and healthy heading into spring 🌱.

10/03/2026

ALL HORSE OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS.

🐴Did you know there are...Proposed Changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act - and your Voice as a horse owner matters.

This could really affect your choice of equine care professionals outside the area of your Equine Vet.

My association has done a wonderful job of outlining how these proposed changes may affect your Equine Podiatrist and other Allied Veterinary Professionals (AVPs) and have outlined some possible responses you may wish to include.

I would be incredibly grateful if you could spare a few minutes to have your say 🙏 and as we all love a good hoof image, I’ve included some of the key points within the images.

Link below to consultantation 👇

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/reform-of-the-veterinary-surgeons-act/consultation/

The Veterinary Surgeons Act is currently in the process of being amended and updated. The proposals will change the way Allied Veterinary Professionals (AVPs) are recognised and regulated in future. Your regular equine care providers, including Farriers, Equine Podiatry Association Members and Equine Dental Technicians and Musculo-skeletal practitioners all fall within the allied professionals definition.

A public consultation is currently accepting responses from members of the public, and your views as a horse owner could help to shape the way our professions are defined, and how the services we provide are overseen and organised.

The proposed changes in summary:
-
A broadening of the scope of the Act, placing those who own or work in veterinary practices within the scope of the act, even if they are not veterinarians themselves.
-
Regulation of Allied Veterinary Professionals, potentially under the umbrellaof the Royal College of Veterinary surgeons (potentially replacing the farriers registration council and the self-regulating professional bodies which already exist)
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A new requirement for Allied Veterinary Professionals to meet certain criteria (such a qualifications and insurance requirements), which we feel represents a positive change which has the potential to improve equine welfare

We are confident that our qualified, insured and self-regulated Equine Podiatry Members will meet the new competency criteria and are well placed to meet the requirements which are likely to result from the proposed changes.

However, we, and other allied professionals affected by these changes, share some concerns over possible approaches to governance outlined in the consultation and whether they will ultimately represent the same level of freedom to choose
who you use to provide your horse's non veterinary healthcare.

As a horse owner who benefits from the services provided by allied professionals, we would encourage you to take the time to respond to the consultation with your views.

Particularly helpful to your Equine Podiatrist will be responses which include the following points:
-
That you value having a Qualified Equine Podiatrist to help you to care for your equine's welfare, and why
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That a Regulated Equine Healthcare Industry which recognises different professionals with different qualifications who meet similar standards will improve equine welfare, provided that regulation is fair, independently overseen by an appropriate independent body, and allows for incorporation of the existing qualified professionals who you trust and rely upon
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That you recognise that your Equine Podiatry Association Equine Podiatrist holds a recognised and comprehensive qualification and is a member of a professional body with membership requirements which have been benchmarked against the government's existing requirements for self-regulating professional bodies
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That you value your ability to choose between a range of allied professionals so can you utilise the services of the most appropriate professional for your horse's individual needs
This consultation may provoke strong responses, but we would ask you to try and keep your responses as unemotional and factual as possible, in order that the systems used to scan the picks them up and counts your views. The words and phrases which are in bold above are those which we feel are most likely to
be considered relevant by the intelligence systems which review public consultation responses.

We love being able to provide your regular hoofcare services, and we value your ability to choose who you use to assist you with your horse's care. Any move towards a more regulated industry is positive, provided that the individual obligations on different providers represent fairness and clear standards.

Thank you for supporting your Equine Podiatrist to continue our work, understanding, and contribution to improving the standards of hoofcare in the UK.


Consultation closes on Weds 25 March 2026

08/03/2026

I’m so delighted with the subtle changes that have slowly taken place in this horse’s feet over the last 11 months.

When I first observed this mare and assessed her feet and gait, her feet felt like a reflection of what was happening in the rest of her body. Everything felt contracted and jammed up. When I looked at her feet, it felt as though they simply needed to let go, breathe, and relax a little.

The structures within the foot felt restricted to me — there was distortion in the coronet band, contracted heels and tall upright conical hoof capsule.

Given her history we took things slowly. My main focus was on restoring balance and function, paying close attention on creating more comfort in the back of the foot. The aim was to gradually encourage the heels to decontract and allow the back of the foot to become more supportive, this i hoped would reduce excess load on the toe and help to eliminate the seedy toe which was present as the time.

As this mare has been diagnosed with ringbone, it was really important to go gently and I carefully assessed her response after each trim and adjustment.

Over the last couple of trim cycles we’ve started to see some really positive changes. As her feet have improved, her movement through the rest of her body has changed also, again perhaps a reflection on what has been happening within the feet.

Her movement in front is now much more forward and free. She looks softer, less stiff, and carries far less tension.

🙏✨🙏

06/03/2026

✨ 20% Discount for Clients & Friends in Cornwall ✨

Sophia from .j.p.equestrian will be in and around Cornwall on Friday 3rd April offering ETT (Equine Transeva Technique) bodywork, and has kindly offered 20% off for all clients and friends in Cornwall.

🐎To receive the discount simply quote EWDEP20 when booking.

What is ETT?
ETT is a unique approach used to assess and correct musculoskeletal issues in horses. Using a specialised Transeva device, controlled rhythmic pulses are delivered through a handheld electrode to identify areas of incorrect muscle function and help restore them to normal movement and efficiency.

ETT can help to:
• Improve muscle efficiency and movement patterns
• Increase range of motion
• Enhance performance
• Reduce risk of injury
• Restore function in restricted or compromised tissue

It may benefit horses showing signs such as:
• Stiffness on one rein
• Uneven trot diagonals
• Reluctance to strike off on the correct canter lead
• Tripping or struggling downhill
• Girthiness or cold-backed behaviour
• Loss of performance or uneven muscle development.

If you’d like to book your horse in while Sophia is in the area, or would like more information, please get in touch with her:

📞 Sophia Pugh – 07742 601354
📧 [email protected]

16/02/2026

What a fantastic line up 🐴😍.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for…

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

The Equine Podiatry Association is excited to announce our 2026 CONFERENCE!

29th - 30th October 2026

Celebrating 20 years since the founding of the EPA, this year’s line up of speakers is set to be the best yet!

With a diverse and varied collection of presentations from some of the best Equine professionals around, this conference is suitable for anyone interested in a holistic approach to Equine health and wellbeing.

⭐️Equine Podiatrists
⭐️Farriers
⭐️Vets
⭐️Equine Dentists
⭐️Physios & body workers
⭐️Trainers
⭐️Horse Owners
⭐️EVERYONE

We will also by joined by a fabulous selection of Equine Traders (more details to follow, so stayed tuned).

And to celebrate 20 years of the Equine Podiatry Association we will be hosting a dinner and a party, featuring live entertainment!

⭐️Tickets available via the link below⭐️

https://buytickets.at/theequinepodiatryassociationuk/2057627

🎬📽️🎞️ Each presentation will be available for purchase online after the event 🎞️📽️🎬

05/02/2026

Is your horse shod or barefoot?

In our March issue, experts Elliot Scales and Olivia Cresswell explore the options for your horse's foot care.

Find out more via the link in the comments.

04/02/2026

I had to share this incredible change from today ✨.

I was genuinely blown away by the postural change that occurred mid-trim today after addressing the balance in this gorgeous chap’s front feet. Just to mention, neither myself nor the client positioned him in any way — he was completely free to stand how he felt most comfortable.

Looking at the whole horse alongside the feet is always key. Posture, movement, wear patterns and asymmetries can all provide valuable clues when piecing together the bigger picture.

The aim was to encourage more comfortable loading through the back of the foot, offloading the toe and allowing weight to distribute more evenly through his feet. By encouraging this I hope we can create the right conditions to see some really positive changes happen in his feet.

Looking forward to seeing how he progresses. ✨

22/12/2025

Winter Hoof Growth

Here in Massachusetts, winter came earlier than usual this year. Inevitably with it come the questions about winter hoofcare cycles -
“how long do you think they can go between trims now that their growth has slowed?”

“They don’t really need another trim in 5 weeks do they?”

Now I’ll try to make this short and sweet. As a hoofcare provider, I am fighting for my life to get horses’ hooves in a better spot all spring, summer, and fall- often fighting against metabolic concerns, grass intake, excessive growth, distortion even on a regular schedule, etc.

But for all the horsekeeping issues we deal with in winter, at least for many horses winter gives us a little reprieve in their excessive growth and potential distortion. This is the time we can get ahead of hoof issues- when we can address the flare before it starts, when we can work on correcting angles without doing too much all at once, when we can get heels to come back under the limb and get breakover in a good spot, and we can get the entire horse moving and feeling better.

Although it’s tempting to want to stretch out a horse‘s hoofcare cycle in winter, and while for some that may be an okay option, I am most excited when l can stick to the same cycle year round and make even better progress all winter and set the feet up to be healthier when the spring growth hits.

Our job as hoofcare providers isn’t just removing excess. It’s addressing hoof balance, supporting the feet for proper movement and comfort, and addressing issues before they become pathological or chronic.

If your hoofcare provider is asking to stay on the same cycle this winter, trust that they’re trying to make sure the feet don’t get into a spot you have to rehab from next summer.

21/12/2025

Building healthier caudal structures and increasing hoof capsule depth—bit by bit 💪🐴

I’ve really loved seeing the improvements in this lovely mare’s feet. Our focus has been on supporting and strengthening the internal structures within the hoof capsule.

As these structures have improved, we’ve seen positive changes in distal limb alignment and increased capsule depth—allowing the limb to align and load more efficiently. Healthier caudal structures also support better circulation within the foot, which is essential for tissue health.