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Derek's notes from the forge, the clinic and the racetrack. Technique, wet weather, negative angles and why donkeys are not small horses.

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Featured
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Donkey Care
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6 min read

Why Donkey Hooves Are Not Small Horse Hooves

Donkey hooves are fundamentally different in anatomy, growth pattern, and moisture response. Understanding these differences is the first step to correct hoof care for your donkey.

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All articles14

Donkey Care
Max Poupard
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October 27, 2026

Why Donkey Hooves Are Not Small Horse Hooves

Donkey hooves are fundamentally different in anatomy, growth pattern, and moisture response. Understanding these differences is the first step to correct hoof care for your donkey.

Farriery
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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October 20, 2026

Keeping Impression Material Where You Put It

Losing impression material halfway through the cycle is one of the most common complaints we hear. Here is why it happens, what it costs you when it does, and the packing technique that fixes most cases.

Farriery
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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October 13, 2026

Negative Palmar and Plantar Angles: The Problem Behind the Problem

A horse that stumbles behind, drags its toes, struggles with canter leads and is sore through the back is often described as difficult. Frequently it is a hoof angle problem, and it is visible from the ground.

Farriery
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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October 7, 2026

Six Mistakes That Shorten a Shoeing Cycle

Most glue-on applications that come off early come off for one of six reasons, and none of them is the glue. Prep, moisture, temperature, overfilling, long toes and stretched intervals.

Product Spotlight
Max Poupard
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October 6, 2026

The Squish Pad: Rehabilitation Shoe, Not a Pad

The Squish Pad is frequently misclassified as a traditional pad. It isn't. It's a glue-on cuff rehabilitation system designed for horses that cannot be nailed. Here's what that distinction means in practice.

Behind the Brand
Max Poupard
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September 30, 2026

Made to Order: What Happens After You Click Buy

Standard black pads ship same day. Colored pads and inserts are printed to order in Sarasota within a day or two. Here is the whole process, and what to do if the size is wrong.

Education
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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September 29, 2026

Transitioning to Barefoot Without Making Your Horse Sore

Going barefoot works for a great many horses and fails badly for some. The difference is usually the foot you start with and how much protection you are willing to use along the way.

Behind the Brand
Max Poupard
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September 23, 2026

What a Fit Film Shows You That a Photo Does Not

Every product on this site has a fit film and a set of exploded renders. Here is why we make them, how to read them, and what to look for before you buy.

Hoof Health
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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September 22, 2026

Thin Soles: How to Read Sole Depth and Build It Back

Thin soles are behind a huge proportion of the vague, hard-to-place lameness we see. Here is what the numbers on a radiograph mean, why the foot gets stuck in a cycle, and how protection lets depth rebuild.

Hoof Health
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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September 15, 2026

Wet Weather Hoof Care: Why Applications Fail in Mud and Rain

Wet ground causes more failed applications than any product fault. Here is what water does to horn, why casts and glue struggle through a wet season, and what you can realistically change.

Education
Max Poupard
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September 8, 2026

How to Measure a Hoof for Pads and Glue-On Shoes

Sizing is the single most common thing people get wrong before they ever open a package. Here is how to measure a hoof properly, what the two numbers actually mean, and why the pad that looks too big is often the right one.

Hoof Health
Derek Poupard CJF DipWCF
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September 1, 2026

Laminitis: What Is Happening Inside the Hoof, and Why Support Helps

Laminitis is a failure of the suspension holding the coffin bone inside the hoof capsule. Understanding that one idea explains why mechanical support matters so much, and why the first 72 hours change everything.

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