Georgina Ridal - Comprehensive Equine Podiatry and Equitation

10/05/2026

It’s your last chance to get your early bird booking discount if you’re planning on coming along to the next clinic on the 28-31st May.

As you know I have had a lovely opportunity to start my young horse within this system and I am thrilled with the journey we’re on.

It makes so much sense to them, and they’re beautifully balanced and strengthened before you even think about sitting on them.

There will be a few young horses, some retrained competition horses and some more established horses within the system taking part.

So well worth coming along to learn the solid foundations and see the progress you can make ☺️

Due to technical problems we have extended the early bird discount for the Foundation Course.

Get your tickets here, and remember to use the discount code earlybirdmay26 at the checkout for £10 off your spectator tickets.

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/product/book-a-spectator-place-foundation/

07/05/2026

Small pony makeover number 1.

He’s a dude. And has taken to life here nicely.

He’s been practising his leading. Learning to follow the rope without bracing. Learning to go when I go. And stop when I stop.

He’s also been learning his words. He’ll be doing a stint on the lead rein in due course so he needs to be uber reliable at that.

We’ve started going for toddler led walks (might as well start as we mean to go on), so the highlights have included watching ducklings. Being introduced to tadpoles. And having to stand quietly and patiently whilst the toddler takes her time investigating the above. I have outlawed snacking from the beginning - we’ve all been hoiked over the head of a pony in our time. It’s a problem I’d quite like to avoid creating 🤣

He’s been getting used to being brushed and faffed with. Largely whilst we’re surrounded by chaos. No point getting him used to doing everything in a very controlled environment when that isn’t going to be his reality. And thanks to his bold and curious nature. He really doesn’t seem to care.

We’ve also been working on firstly touching his legs, and eventually picking them up. And finally holding them. And today he’s had his first trim. Good as gold. Tied up. No fidgeting. Very clever pony.

And because I got carried away he’s also had a good tidy up and is quite a lot of fluff down.

He’s had his teeth done and started his vaccinations this afternoon as well so makeover and MOT completed.

So here’s one not so feral pony.

Next job is working on the headcollaring 😅

30/04/2026

Meet the latest member of the gang.

For some reason I have bought a feral pony. I am not entirely sure why - but he had a face that said buy me. And a good brain.

So meet Blaze. He’s a Welsh hill pony. He came off the mountain 4 weeks ago.

The family I bought him from did a lovely job of installing the early basics, to the point that he walked straight onto the horsebox and travelled the four hours home without so much as sweating up.

He’s a very sweet little guy. He’s bold and curious. And has a nice brain. He thinks. He doesn’t panic.

And so we’ve started the journey of feral hill pony to children’s riding pony.

21/04/2026

One of my favourite things with a young horse is helping them to find their strut.

Give them that feeling that they could take on the world with you. It makes for an excellent partner and friend to go on adventures with.

I like mine to find their strut in the real world. Know that they can meet a question with a whole hearted “let’s do this”.

It doesn’t just happen, it needs to be curated. They need to be balanced, both vertically and horizontally. If you add the strut too soon it comes in an unbalanced running kind of a way. Not helpful.

And some are born a bit closer to having it than others. And some require a bit more moral boosting and therapy sessions than others.

This little log was at the end of a short line of even littler logs. Perfect to build their confidence.

And build it did. He went from “I’m not sure mum” to “let’s do that one too!”.

And then off he strutted to make sure his mate Popcorn saw how clever he was.

Super pleased with the little horse. He really makes me smile. Even with him completely new to it, and me having not left the ground for over a year.

He fills you with confidence. Some do. I just need to keep doing the same in return.

28/03/2026

It might look just like any other behind the ears happy hacking shot. Or maybe even a bit less exciting because we’re only walking on a loose rein.

But today was a test of our training to date. And it was marvellously dull 💙

We boxed out on our own for his first proper lone hack. Had to stand still to be tacked up in a busy car park. Dealt with clanky bridges, electric bikes and angry German shepherds without breaking stride.

He was a little anxious to start with, so we trotted our way through it, and by the end he felt like a rockstar 👌

He remembered what his friends had taught him, and trusted me when I told him it was fine.

Pleased. Onwards we go. Quietly and preparedly pushing the boundaries to empower him to be the horse that you know has got it.

18/03/2026

🚨 We’re in laminitis season 🚨

I’m already getting reports of laminitis cases. The grass is growing fast, and with sunny days ahead it will be especially high in sugar 🌱☀️

Laminitis is a truly horrible disease - please take early warning signs seriously:

• Raised digital pulses
• Heat in the feet
• Lethargy or “not quite right” behaviour
• Unwillingness to bear weight when feet are picked out
• Signs of “footiness” or pottery movement

If your horse or pony may be at risk, it is well worth taking preventative steps now - restricting grass intake, using track systems or muzzles, and monitoring closely can make all the difference.

16/03/2026

We’re 8 weeks into Solo’s return to work.

As I said before he’s rehabbing, and I am utterly thrilled that he’s so game and feeling so happy in his work.

I’ve been quietly working away on strengthening him. We don’t do that by working in his best trot.

We do it by elevating the shoulders, opening the neck and building strength in the hind leg by using targeted exercises.

He feels stronger each time I work him, I am thrilled, and enjoying every ride.

It’s not perfect, but he’s happy. And is telling me that what we’re doing is working… and so on we go.

09/03/2026

Helen sums this beautifully.

Please have a read, because our clients have a voice as well 😊

Proposed Changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act - Your Voice as a horse owner matters

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

Consultation Closes on 25 Mar 26

The Veterinary Surgeons Act is currently in the process of being amended and updated. The proposals include changing the way Allied Veterinary Professionals (AVPs) are recognised and regulated in future. This means much of your regular equine care providers, including Farriers, Equine Podiatry Association Members and Equine Dental Technicians fall within the allied professionals definition.

A 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 umbrella of the Royal College of Veterinary surgeons (potentially replacing the farriers registration council and the self-regulating professional bodies which already exist)

- 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.

I’m a member of the Equine Podiatry Association, and our current processes align well with the proposals in the reform for managing license and fitness to practise mechanisms, and we have an OFQUAL accredited qualification. The work we’ve done on this over many years means that our Association is well placed meet the requirements which are likely to result from the proposed changes.

However, we, and many of the other allied professions affected by these changes, share concerns over the governance options outlined in the consultation and whether they will ultimately represent the same level of freedom to choose who we use to provide our horse's non veterinary healthcare. If all the vets and allied professions are under the one Veterinary regulator, will that regulation understand the differences and concerns of the Allied Veterinary Professions, and will the regulation be proportionate to the size scale and risk of our businesses?

The reforms impacts both my profession and my hobby because I also value the support of the wonderful Allied Professionals that I use to support my horse’s health and wellbeing.

So I’d 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

- That a Regulated Equine Healthcare Industry which recognises different professionals with different qualifications who meet high 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

- 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

- 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

Thankyou!

01/03/2026

We did a thing

We went Dressaging.

It was a life experience outing. I really like the young horses to get out into the world and see stuff.

Today we ticked off:

🐴 Warm up Arena - it was a pretty civilised one but still a life skill

🐴 Music on the speakers

🐴 White boards

🐴 Flowers 🌺 all the flowers. The most I’ve ever seen and certainly more than I was expecting 😆

🐴 Chilling in the car park

🐴 Standing on the horsebox - very much a work in progress. But no dramas.

We were just doing a couple of Intro’s today. Their training always goes backwards a few months when they go in the ring, and our canter isn’t proofed enough yet to want to ask for it in white boards and on a marker.

He took it all in his stride and kept his chill. He was a bit 😳👀 at being asked to leave all of his new mates and trot towards two wisteria bushes. But I didn’t need mum, who we had primed and ready to spring into action and give us a lead. He went with some jovial encouragement and got braver as the test progressed.

Test one was wibbly wibbly but really sweet, everything happened in the right place and I was thrilled with his attitude.

Test two was much more confident. He trotted straight in, and carried me around with a smile on his face. We just ran out of a bit of petrol by the end.

He’s got a lot of strength to build yet. But he’s such a game little horse and I do adore being sat on a bold little horse.

The building blocks are getting more solid. He stayed relaxed. His balance is improving all the time. The walk on the centre line was a challenge - it showed all the wobbles. I need to do more work off the wall 😉

And his response to the leg is so much better. Even though he got tired today, he kept going forwards - my legs still need to be quieter. They can sneak into “keep going” mode. And they need to be in “go” mode.

I think I can probably drop my stirrups down now for the Flatwork. I like a short stirrup for sitting light (and a bit defensively 👀 - shh) on the babies. But he keeps showing me that he’s turning into a trustworthy adult horse. Perhaps I should start believing him 🤣

24/02/2026

Hasn’t it been a long winter.

We’ve all been trudging on through the rain, the mud and the dark. Heads down, just getting on with it.

Now the horses are starting to feel it. A few hours of sunshine ☀️ the daffodils 🌼 bravely poking their heads up and suddenly everything feels a little more alive.

If we’re honest though, many of us have spent more time than we’d like inside four fences. Walls if you’re lucky.

I’m seeing a few school sour horses creeping in.

So here’s a gentle reminder. Mix it up. Ride out the gate. Go and explore.

A change of scenery does wonders for their minds as much as their bodies.

Spring is coming. Let them feel it 🌿

09/02/2026

Oh I adore this horse - he is the whole reason I do what I do 💙

I very nearly made three decision to retire him last year - he’d lost the love. And the work that usually kept him strong, he was telling me was making him sore.

But it appears he hasn’t finished his teachings just yet - and I learnt a long time ago that Solo does in fact know best.

He was diagnosed with proximal suspensory desmitis in his hind legs last year.

At his age and the fact that he owes me absolutely nothing, I wasn’t going to put him through surgery or the following box rest and decided to go after his hind feet instead, give him some prolonged rest and some bodywork sessions with the brilliant balancedbodyworkequinetherapy, to see if we could straighten him up.

His hind foot angles weren’t what I wanted them to be, but they were being crushed by what was going on posturally above. So I tried him in boots and pads with a three degree wedge and a wool pad initially. Followed by a 7llb EPS pad, which he made his own wedge in.

We were in no rush. He lived in the boots on the track for about 6 months and I asked very little of him. Then he went off to the field I rented for Pod for two months.

He’s done some gentle hacking sessions since he came home, but not a lot else - as I haven’t had the time.

But he looked fabulous. Time off hasn’t made him weaker like it has in the past. He looked really quite strong.

And his desire to do stuff was back 💯 .Ive never seen a horse like quite so pleased to be chosen.

And as I do Solo’s bidding (and I really really adore riding him) I have agreed to give it a final shot.

I know that with the suspensory weakness I need the muscles to be strong. So being in beneficial work suits him best. He’s not very good at ambling around. He gives everything 150%. And so we need him as strong as possible.

I’m doing a Solo led rehab. If at any point he says it’s too much we’ll slow it down or stop.

He’s more than happy to fly around with flying limbs in true Welsh cob fashion. But that certainly doesn’t do him any favours.

Thought I’d be brave and keep a bit of a record.

Today, was his second time in the school.
We mostly walked and played with some lateral work.

Conformationally, he is really quite croup high, with a long neck. And the suspensories mean he has lost a lot of his pushing power.

Previous rehabs with him have shown me that my time is much better spent helping him to fold the joints of his hind end. And ensuring the front end is light and lifting.

I know that if he is able to offer the work in a balanced, steady way, I can keep the relaxation. And then the work is beneficial.

Too quick, and I lose the balance and the relaxation very quickly follows.

Is it perfect? - absolutely not.

Would I like a longer neck. Yes I would. But a longer neck requires more strength. And we aren’t ready for that yet.

In the meantime I am going to enjoy every single ride. No pressure. No destination. Just because we enjoy dancing. 💙