Alba Equine Podiatry

06/04/2026

Sometimes it’s not just about the distance covered… it’s about the journey it took to get there. One of the horses I trimmed today was just back to the yard after a 31km ride. This ride may have been 31km, but what a journey it's been and an incredible milestone it represents 💛 When I first met this lovely pair, things looked very different. Benny was suffering with laminitis and was extremely lame. Fast forward to now, and seeing them out enjoying rides like this is nothing short of amazing. The dedication, patience, and commitment Jessica has shown to her horse’s recovery and wellbeing has truly paid off. It’s a privilege to be part of that journey 💛 Huge congratulations Jessica Smith – you should both be incredibly proud 👏 🥳
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1324660789526928
Unfortunately facebook isn't letting me share the original post...

01/02/2026

This webinar by Bonny Mealand should be well worth signing up for! 🐴😊
If you don't already follow her Learning Wild page it's definitely worth following 👍

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16aK8v8XRb/

Do you have the feeling that horses are communicating more than many of us realise?

Are you ready to start understanding and responding to that communication?

Join me for a LIVE webinar, with time for reflection and Q&A when I will share what I have learned about how to meet horses, rather than ask them to meet us.

Tuesday 3rd February at 7pm, sign up at https://touching-wild-academy.circle.so/c/public-webinars/ethology-horse-in-context

06/01/2026

I've had to reschedule some of my routes due to the snowy roads and icy working spaces at some fields/yards ☃️ I'll be in touch with appointment dates asap for everyone who doesn't already have a date ❄️ Stay safe ☃️🦄

30/12/2025

I was busy outdoors today and contemplating on the past year. I look back on a lot of good things, great people and great horses. Many blessings and a lot to be thankful for. I love my job and I have the BEST clients 😇
I'm really excited to be part of the EP training journey for two students. Em and José are both trimming their own horses as well as working on case studies. They're both going to be brilliant EPs and 2026 will be an exciting year for both of them. The EP team in Scotland is growing 💪 and we have fab colleagues throughout the UK 🤩
Outside of my EP work, 2025 was a very difficult and challenging year. I spent a huge amount of time and effort trying to hold together a lot of people and pick up a lot of broken pieces. The additional workload and stress certainly took its toll on me 🤯 I want to say a huge thank you to all my clients for your patience this year 🙏 I am so very grateful to each of you for having me as part of your horse-care team. Thank you to anyone who fitted in appointments at short notice, or who had to rearrange appointments when I was caught up in other responsibilities. 2026 should be much more 'normal' 🤞
As far as my own horses go, I lost my beautiful mare Breagh 🐴💔🌈 in May and the lovely Willow is now away living her best life as a wee riding pony🦄 Flicka arrived in the summer to be Jack's new fieldmate. She's a BashkirX and I'm loving seeing her curly coat coping with the winter weather.
Thanks again for your support 🙏 I'm blessed to have the best clients anyone could wish for. See you in 2026 😊🐴 xx

24/12/2025

Wishing all my clients and horsey friends a very happy Christmas 🎅🎄xx

30/11/2025

Hoof geekery 🤩🐎 I had the wonderful privilege of spending the weekend with other hoof geeks 🤩 All the Scottish EPs got together with some of the EP students as well as three vets to study hooves, discuss cases, dissect cadavers and talk... and talk and talk.... Dissections are always fascinating and it was especially valuable that we had radiographs available too. To be able to assess what's visible and palpable on the outside, compare with what can be seen on radiographs, then actually open the specimens and see what's going on internally is a phenomenal learning experience. In their lifetime horses teach us so much, and when we can learn so much from them after their lifetime too that's especially humbling 🌈🐴

12/08/2025

Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL) in horses isn't something that can be ignored. Clipping the legs is a really important part of managing the condition. The CPL page shares lots of helpful advice - well worth following 🐴

29/07/2025

Thanks for highlighting this Lindsay 😊🐴

**Veterinary surgeons, farriers and paraprofessionals**

I wanted to take a moment to think about how we as horse owners can help keep us vets, farriers and fellow para-professionals (physiotherapists, chiropractors, foot trimmers) safe when we visit.

It’s really important to let us all know if your horse is likely to bite or kick, or if you even just think it might on that particular day.

We all have challenging jobs and it can be made really dangerous, really quickly.

I have experienced numerous situations recently whereby I have found myself in a potentially dangerous situation. I've simply been lucky not to be seriously injured. And I've spoke to numerous farriers who have experienced similar situations. If any of us get kicked, we could potentially be laid up and unable to attend to your horse, and out of work, for a considerable period of time.

We are already seeing a shortage of farriers, so we must ensure we are looking after them!

I think it’s important to understand “why” your horse might be behaving like this. It’s highly likely that your horse is in pain, or is fearful, or perhaps both. If this resonates with you just speak to us.

Lets try to protect our wonderful veterinary paraprofessionals.
And let’s listen to our horses.

13/05/2025

Well worth reading 👌 By using the term 'lami' we downplay the severity of such an excruciating condition.
And I'm delighted that Dani has acknowledged the important role of Equine Podiatrists 🐴

27/04/2025

Last week I had a wee accident - not horse related! Stupidly, I managed to get my finger jammed in the van door. It wasn't just "ouch", it was gut-clenching, pain shooting up the arm kind of "OUCH!!!!!" 😫
Why am I putting this on my work page? Because the pain in my finger has made me think about horses with hoof pain even more than I already do.

Moral of the story -
Don't jam your fingers in the van door🚗
But if you do...
Arnica is brilliant for bruising ✅
Gently wrapping the wound improves comfort but if the 'support' is even slightly tighter it increases the pain and throbbing 😵
If my nail catches on anything it really HURTS so shortening the nail helps a lot (photo=too long so needing trimmed again!)💅
Thankfully I've been able to work, but not using that finger - that one is off duty until it heals a bit more 🤛

Take home messages -
Prevention is better than cure 😉
Appropriate treatment early on really helps 🧑‍⚕️
Constriction of the sore area increases pain 🥴
Leverage on the nail HURTS, correct regular trimming helps ✂️
Return to full activity has to be appropriate to stage of healing 👉

Horsey people, if you know you know.... 😉 (especially if you've ever had to deal with laminitics) 🐎

16/04/2025

We've been enjoying some beautiful weather recently and I hope you've been able to spend some time out with your horses 🐎 but rain is forecast so expect the grass to come shooting up 🌱 Please manage your horses carefully and restrict grazing if necessary. Be extra vigilant for laminitis warning signs!! How is the horse standing? ..moving? how are the digital pulses? Even 'mild' laminitis can do damage to the feet which can take time to grow out. Prevention is better than cure! If you're concerned contact your vet 🐴

05/06/2024

Calling all my horsey contacts! Can you please complete this survey re hoofcare? It’s relevant to anyone with horses, ponies, donkeys, mules (even zebras!) Thanks 😁🐴🦓
PS, if you're one of my clients I'm in the 45-55 category (admit it, you thought I was much older😂)

❓ Do you have five minutes to help The British Horse Society?

📝 We all know how vital regular hoof care is to our horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. To futureproof this care, The BHS needs your help to assess the availability of qualified farriers in the UK and the Republic of Ireland via this quick survey 🔗 forms.office.com/e/QjLDuMJqk3

🐴 If you’re over 18, they’d love to hear about your routine hoof care and your experiences when accessing farriery and hoof care provider services for the animals in your care.

🤝 Your insight will allow the BHS to work in partnership with other equine welfare charities, and the industry, to make access to the farriery profession easier so that, together, we can futureproof horse care in the UK.