ABOUT ME

I am a qualified Equine Podiatrist based in the north of Scotland. I have had horses since I was a child but my interest in barefoot performance developed when I bought a 5yo Thoroughbred. She had terribly thin walls and soles and underrun heels. Shoes hardly stayed on for a week. Repeated nailing didn’t help the poor quality of her hooves and she made it plain that she found the whole process painful. It was quite clear to me that she wanted rid of the shoes – so I had to look for another approach. My reading and research opened up a whole new world to me. The more I read about hooves the more I realised the importance of whole-horse health, so as I investigated one thing it led me to investigate others: anatomy, physiology, nutrition, environment, exercise, stress, medical issues and so much more! Eventually I took the plunge and enrolled on the Equine Podiatry Training programme which led me to study these areas more deeply. In addition to the two years of classes, homework exercises and exams, the EPT course provides a lot of practical training, observation and shadowing. Students also complete numerous case studies involving equines with non-pathological and pathological conditions. I qualified in Nov’18 and am working with clients in the north of Scotland. I am based in the Invergordon area and work locally and further afield. Most of my clients are within about 50 miles but my area is expanding as people hear about me and demand increases. I am one of only three qualified Equine Podiatrists (members of the EPAUK) in Scotland – the other two are based in Argyll and Central Scotland (the other of the Scottish team is currently based overseas). As a member of the EPAUK, I undertake Continuing Professional Development training on an ongoing basis to keep my skills and knowledge up-to-date.