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The proposed reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act could reshape how equine hoof care is defined and regulated across the UK. While Defra’s White Paper identifies farriers and barefoot trimmers, it does not clearly recognise equine podiatrists who use non-metal additive orthoses such as therapeutic boots, pads and composite applications. This article explores how the proposed activity-based regulatory framework could address that gap.

When you pay £180 for a mobile hoof-care or mentorship service, it can be easy to think that £180 is what the practitioner earns. The reality is very different. A mobile professional business has costs that exist before the practitioner earns anything personally. There is the cost of travelling to the horse, accommodation on longer trips, equipment and consumables, insurance, professional software, accounting, communications, administration and the many hours of work that hap

Join me, Beccy Smith, in our new Q and A series where we explore transitioning your horse to barefoot successfully through a welfare and evidence-based lens and answer your hoof care questions live.

Red flags to avoid, welfare-first standards to look for, and how Holistic Equine supports informed horse owners Choosing a hoof care provider is an important welfare decision. Your horse’s feet influence comfort, movement, posture, performance, and quality of life, so it is reasonable to expect more than a quick trim or a confident opinion. This is where social licence to operate matters. In equine hoof care, it means earning and retaining the confidence of horse owners and t

For a limited time, I’m offering 50% off all Holistic Equine services for clients whose horses are kept within a 30-mile drive of our CA22 2PJ base. If you’ve been meaning to ask for support, explore an ongoing concern or gain a clearer understanding of your horse’s hooves, this is a great time to get in touch. Simply apply online, select the service you want, and I’ll check the driving distance, confirm your eligibility and arrange an appointment!

Hoof boots can be an extremely useful tool for horses transitioning from shoes to barefoot, those undergoing rehabilitation, or horses that simply need additional protection on certain surfaces. They can help improve comfort, protect sensitive structures and allow owners to manage exercise while the hoof adapts and changes. However, hoof boots are not always as straightforward as choosing a size and putting them on. A boot can appear suitable while still twisting, rubbing, co

When a horse becomes sore after trimming, the most constructive response is not to defend the method or blame the horse. It is to observe carefully, communicate openly and ask: What is this horse telling us—and what needs to change?

Live Interactive Webinar Successful Barefoot Transitions Join Beccy Smith for an evidence-based exploration into transitioning your horse to barefoot. In this second installment of our Integrative Hoof Care Q&A series, we dive deep into welfare-first methodologies and practical solutions for common challenges. Event Details Integrative Hoof Care Q & A #2 DATE & TIME 27 July 2026 19:00 – 20:30 BST LOCATION Live Online Event (Recording Included) Tickets are limited to 500 parti

To help as many people and horses as possible, we decided to make our videos as accessible as possible, with all videos publicly available for FREE or a maximum fee of £5 - that's less than the cost of a Costa cappuchino! Here is a short video recording showing you how to select, preview, learn about and purchase any of our videos in our video library About our video library Who are our videos for? ALL our videos are suitable for anyone interested in hoof education OR horse c

Join me, Beccy Smith, in this recording of a live webinar plus Q & A session where I ask "should we trim to the hard sole plane?" and share objective evidence in an attempt to bring clarity to trimming techniques currently under scrutiny.

Join Beccy Smith, and fellow compassionate equestrian and educator Dr Emma-louise Emerson from The Equican Academy during our 1 hour 47 minute interview with a presentation on our favourite topic - welfare-focused, evidence-based approach to hoof care!

Join Beccy Smith, and compassionate owner Vika in this detailed 2 part online equine podiatry consult recording featuring Vika's 10 year old Zangersheide warmblood gelding Cosmos, who experiences 2 weeks of lameness after every trim, following a natural barefoot trim method.

Here you will learn via objective evidence, the assessment, impact of the implementation of a reductive and additive intervention and hoof care recommendations aimed at improving posture, development, hoof balance, comfort and welfare.

Here you will learn via objective evidence, the assessment, impact of the implementation of a reductive intervention and hoof care recommendations aimed at improving Alfie's posture, development, hoof balance, comfort and welfare.

In the video, you will learn how I assess, sole map, trim and carefully address dorso-palmar and medial lateral distortion and contracted heels while maintaining optimum comfort, and trim in neutral posture to facilitate the release of fascial tension while trimming.

Watch Beccy Smith trim from her perspective during this equine podiatry consult, recorded by fellow professional Mandy McConechy from The SHIIFT Method (formerly Painless Equestrian Therapy).

Join Beccy Smith in #2 in our hoof trimming webinar series where I share with you 2-part webinar video recordings with fundamental info on objective assessment, documentation, identifying hoof types using Daisy Bicking's system taught at the International School of Integrative Hoof Care, and assess post trim documentation, plus watch trimming videos featuring Daffy, a horse with metabolic disease and chronic caudal hoof collapse (Type 3 - long toe, low heel).

Watch Beccy Smith create a custom pad using special 2-part DIM (dental impression material) and bandage a hoof to assist with 24/7 hoof boot fit in a horse which previously had laminitis. This was recorded during a session with a client using a GoPro head cam!

Watch Beccy Smith trim from her perspective during this equine podiatry consult; recorded using a GoPro head cam!

VIP Membership content Join Beccy Smith, and compassionate owner Ally in this detailed 2 part online equine podiatry consult recording featuring Allys 7 year old Fell pony mare Flora, who has suspected proximal suspensory desmopathy (PSD) and a history of stifle issues which often accompany low or negative hind hoof P3 angles (NPLA) and associated hind limb lameness and pathology. Online Consult case study #7 featuring Ally and Flora Ally describes Flora as "not happy to be