As natural hoof care has risen from obscurity to a well respected method of equine hoof care, there has also arisen a huge need for "specialists" in the field of rehabilitative natural hoof care.
In the last few years amazing breakthroughs have been made in this field and new insights into the way the hoof and its internal components work together to create a strong unit for life have lead to a better understanding of why our domestic horses have suffered such a huge amount of lameness over our time with them.
An Equine Podiotherapist is someone who has gained a deep understanding of the hoof and how it morphs into unnatural and unhealthy forms. Their skills go deeper than just surface barefoot maintenance trimming and they can offer specialist rehabilitation based on natural hoof care practices to restore a physiologically correct hoof form.
Plus they have a wide understanding of equine biomechanics and know how hoof issues influence the entire horse and create secondary musculo-skeletal issues and gait problems from the equine living a life on sore feet. In fact a "hoof therapist" in every sense of the word.
Daroyn Butler Dial said at the very beginning of the barefoot revolution "in ten years I predict every large animal veterinary hospital will have a specialist barefoot trimmer on staff to deal with cases of founder and navicular syndrome". The ten years has passed and the Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy is providing the horse community with just such a person.
Podiotherapy graduates work from a paradigm based in anatomy & science, not assumptions, which enables them to work successfully as part of a professional equine health care team, or alone in their own practices.
The Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy - Equine Podiotherapy Diploma
Course Background:
Who developed the course?
Due to the huge demand for specialist training in this new career path, and the lack of professional training available, the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy was developed by leaders in this new field. A private college dedicated to educating professional hoof care providers, farriers, and veterinarians. Its aims are to promote natural hoof care as a form of rehabilitation for seroius hoof issues and to help horse owners make better choices that enhance soundness for the entire life of the equine.
Lecturers for each subject are Veterinarians, Equine Myofunctional Therapists, Biologists, Natural Horse Educators, Master Farriers & Equine Biomechanical specialists, plus professionals from the corporate world who share a love of the equine.
The Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy course content is based on years of "in the field" experience by those professionals and the lastest research findings.
How was the curriculum designed?
The curriculum was developed over several years and focuses on giving students all the skills that they need to meet this challenging new career. It is unlike any course in professional hoof care offered in Australia in its depth of content and even though it is delivered through a private college it has been compiled by a professional course writer so that it meets the educational requirements for a Diploma level course.
What will you learn? Much much more than you expect!!
Every method of natural hoof care advocated to date by all the "name" trimmers world wide was trialled in "real world" situations right here in Australia on horses working in all disciplines. From those experiences your lecturers really do know what works and what does not, and more importantly why, and can guide you through the maize of misinformation which surrounds barefoot trimming. Your decisions on what type of trimming you apply will be based on a sound knowledge of the condition of the internal components of the hoof at that time, not gadgets, guides or measurements.
Andrew Bowe, Master Farrier & Equine Podiotherapist is Australias only specialist in founder rehabilitaiton and offers students insights into this complex condition. For more on his work see www.barehoofcare.com
The College's connection with Professor Robert Bowker of Michigan State University's Equine Hoof Laboratory research team, a friend and mentor, allows us to offer cutting edge research and hoof care information. Professor Robert Bowker heads up one of the leading research teams in the US studying the micro anatomy of the hoof http://pathobiology.msu.edu/people/bowker.html
The course developers have also added the subjects that make this course unlike any other. Orthopaedic trimming strategies which re-establish a physiologically correct hoof form and restore normal biomechanics. Hoof rehabilitation strategies for serious hoof problems such as laminitis, founder, navicular syndrome etc. are covered so graduates are able to deal with the difficult and complicated cases that professional trimmers will encounter.
The course curriculum requires the completion of assignments, assessment tasks and finally a portfolio of case histories. These standards that must be met to achieve your Diploma. An additional 12 months is available for students to finish a portfolio of case studies should they need this extra time to achieve graduation. The accreditation is a Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy from the
What other subjects are included besides trimming?
The Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy course also contains biomechanical insights provided by a Veterinary Chiropractor, an expert in the equine musculo-skeletal system and its dysfunctions and an Equine Myofunctional Therapist so that the student gains insights into the impact of hoof deformation on on gait & posture and the secondary musculo-skeletal problems that arise from poor hoof form.
Add to this nutrition studies based on the unique dietary requirements of insulin resistant & laminitic horses advocated by specialists in this field like Dr. Ellanor Kellon..
Also to help students learn how to perform their work and gain the compliant co-operation of the horse, which also makes your work a lot safer, there are classes in natural horse handling methods presented by a professional natural trainer who was also a Master Farrier prior to following his passion for horse training and becoming a natural horse educator.
Then to make well rounded business professionals, additional subjects such as with OH&S issues, business insights for small businesses & practice management skills are included too.
Why should you consider a Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy?
There is a huge need for a specialist Podiotherapist at present. Horse owners are searching far and wide for qualified hoof care professionals. Veterinarians are also looking to incorporate these techniques into their work. Some unable to find such a professional near them are attending this course themselves.
Rehabilitation through hoof trimming is much more than just removing hoof material and hoping to end up with something akin to a wild horse style hoof form. Your choices as to the type of trimming you apply to each individual horse may make the difference between a successful rehabilitation or not!
To understand how to reverse unhealthy changes successfully, it is vital to have a deep undestanding of the requirements of the hoof to sustain healthy internal hoof structures, and to know how they have been impacted by years of hoof deformation.
Studying a Diploma of Equine Podiotherapy will set you at the top of your profession from day one. Confident that you can leave the course able to handle anything that comes your way.
Natural trainer Wayne Anderson previoulsy a Master Farrier now a professional trimmer shows students stress free foal handling techniques.