ACEHP 20th Anniversary Conference

Jen Clingly • 22 August 2025
horse foot


The Alchemy of Hoof Trimmers

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence in Equine Hoof Care


Join us for a milestone event as the Australian Certified Equine Hoof Care Practitioners (ACEHP)  celebrates 20 years of dedication, training , and transformation in equine hoof care.


Conference name: The Alchemy of Hoof Trimmers 

Date: May 2026 29th – 31st 

Location: Kenilworth Showgrounds, Queensland


The three day, two night event comprising inspirational speakers, educative field based horsemanship experiences with Queensland’s coastal brumbies and of course, plenty of networking opportunities and reunions with fellow hoof care practitioners nationally and internationally. 


Inclusions: Three days of hoof immersion

International Guest lecturers including NZ’s Lindsey Field of The Study of the Equine Hoof, America’s Ashley Wingate of Renegade Hoof Boots and German hoof practitioner, Jasmin Pekrul

Australian Guest speakers, including our very own Professor Chris Pollitt, Brian Hampson on his findings of the feral horse hoof, Brumby researcher, Dave Berman, Lisa Gilbert of the Glorious Hoof, Equine Nutritionist, Carol Layton, Annette Kaitinis – Director Scoot Boots

ACEHP trainers & the ACEHP leadership team

Round table discussions with ACEHP allumi

Evening Entertainment and enlightenment

Hands on trimming demos

Networking with hoof care pros and enthusiasts

Breakout observation sessions: wild horse handling with The Brumby Project


Meals included: 

Morning tea daily

Lunch daily

Dinner 2 nights 


What’s not included: 

Camping fees ($30 per night – 2 person -powered sites)

Or alternative accommodation in Kenilworth or surrounds

Alcohal – it's a BYO event


Tickets & Info (insert link)

ACEHP VIP rate early bird booking $1250 by September 30th

Acehp special rate $1550 by Christmas 2025

ACEHP 2026 rate and Non ACEHP $1850


Details about Kenilworth: https://www.kenilworthshowgrounds.org.au/camping-grounds


Kenilworth is a small rural community around 40 minutes from Noosa, 45 minutes from Maroochydore Airport and one and a half hours from Brisbane. The town is on the Mary River which offers opportunities to swim, kayak and fish all year round. A few minutes drive and you can be in some of the prettiest national parks in Queensland which offer great walks and camping.


The Kenilworth Hall, Recreation Grounds , Swimming Pool and Oval are owned by the community. The facilities include powered camp sites for campers , ample toilet and shower facilities price per night $30 - 2 person, 

Extra person per night $6, Children under 14 FREE


DON'T MISS THIS MILESTONE EVENT – mark your calenders now

Day three : Sunday 31ST of May


8am The hall opens for networking


8.30am MC 


845am – 9.45am Craig Jones, Farrier Instructor at QLD TAFE


9.45am – 10.45am – Annette Kaitinis – Director Scoot Boots


Morning tea break


11.15am – 12.15pm Lisa Gilbert – Director of The Glorious Hoof “The Business of Hoof Care”


12.15pm – 1.15pm – Ashly Wingate, American – Endurance Rider and the Renegade Hoof Boots


Lunch 


2pm break out sessions – QLD coastal Brumby - horse handling/starting with the Australian Brumby Project


Day two – Saturday 30th May 


8am The hall opens for networking 


845am – 9.45am Carol Layton, Equine Nutritionist, Balanced Equine – gut health


9.45am – 10.45am Jasmin Pekrul, Germany Hoof Care Practitioner – German trimming practices since Dr Hildrud Strasser


Morning tea break


11.15am – 12.15pm Lindsey Field, Scientist of the Study of the Equine Hoof 

“Her journey into the study of the equine hoof and the dangers of social media


12.15pm – 1.15pm Professor Chris Pollitt – Debunking the myths

The essential structures of the hoof


Lunch


2pm break out sessions – QLD coastal Brumby - horse handling/starting with the Australian Brumby Project


6pm Dinner Room opens 

ACEHP luminaries – “Hoof-steria” Roving mic sessions with our MC


Film night with Professor Chris Pollitt


Day one – Friday 29th of May 


8am The hall opens for registrations 


8.30am Conference kicks off – MC – ACEHP’s, Pauline Williams of HorseFX


8.45am – 9.45am Dr Brian Hampson – his study of the feral horse hoof


9.45am – 10.45am Professor Chris Pollitt – Australia’s Desert Brumbies


Morning tea break


11.15am – 12.15pm – Dave Berman – managing Australia’s feral horses -Brumby conservation


12.15pm – 1.15pm – Anna Uhrig – Founder & CEO of The Brumby Project


Lunch 


2pm break out sessions – QLD coastal brumbies – feral horse handling with The Brumby Project https://www.thebrumbyproject.com/


Dinner & Networking



Our guest speakers: 


Anna Uhrig Founder & CEO of The Brumby Project


Lindsey Field - The study of the Equine Hoof


Dave Berman – Ecologist 


Since 2006 I have also conducted science-based feral horse management consultancies in south east Queensland. I am a keen equestrian competitor and have successfully competed at the highest level in Australian Showjumping on two former feral horses. I promote capture and domestication of feral horses to assist with feral population reduction however in many parts of Australia lethal options are required to reduce feral horse populations to acceptable levels. This requires extensive consultation and collaboration with the diverse range of community interest groups. Using science as a tool to determine facts and reduce conflict I facilitate the progress of feral horse management. I have seen first hand the devastating consequences of allowing feral horse populations to increase unchecked. These consequences include damage to native plants and animals and during drought many feral horses die of starvation or thirst. 


I have a keen interest in ensuring that my ecological research leads to improved management and I seek long-lasting solutions to the problems caused by overabundant vertebrate

hoof

THE FOUNDER FACTS

18 April 2023
Laminitis kills thousands of horses every year, and leaves thousands of others debilitated with lameness. It will and can affect any horse. And for you, the horse owner it can be devastating: you feel guilty and heartbroken at your horses suffering, confused with all the information as it is typically explained by professionals in scientific terms that can be difficult to understand, costly veterinary bills and you have the major task of nursing your horse back to recovery. . Unseasonal weather patterns around Australia with abundant rain and sunshine saw laminitis at a near epidemic last year. The reason being, that the environmental conditions can trigger increases in the sugar, starch and fructan. These collectively known as non-structural carbohydrates can cause laminitis in any horse or pony. Alarm bells ring this spring!! Be warned and be prepared, for prevention is better than cure.
Jen and her horse Imaj Zamir

ARE WE BECOMING FARRIERS?

by Jen Clingly - Wild About Hooves • 29 November 2020
The extraordinary relationship between humans and the horse has been running since before the birth of Christ. Indeed, there is evidence our domestication of horses goes as far back as 3500 BC. And ever since we recognised the utilitarian value of the horse, there has been the horseshoe. The use of horseshoes has become an almost unquestioned tradition. Humans have been nailing shoes onto horses’ hooves for well over a thousand years. Who can remember back to a time otherwise?
horses

CAN YOU LEARN A PRACTICAL SKILL ONLINE?

by Wild About Hooves • 19 November 2020
There is nothing quite like getting hands-on when you are learning the art of trimming horses hooves. Wild About Hooves popular weekend workshops allow their students plenty of opportunity to ‘have a go’ in a situation as close to real-life. Students start practicing by trimming horse’s cadaver legs, they also practice positioning themselves under a horse safely and ergonomically. Students retain more information when they physically practice, instead of just seeing or hearing it. However, when a worldwide pandemic puts a stop to everything, and public events banned, border restrictions in place, and other impacts make it impossible to travel and train in person, Jen Clingly and Jeremy Ford decided to adapt and reinvent their learn to trim courses. “We can still bring this “learn-by-doing principle” of adult learning into what we are teaching regardless of whether we teach online or off line.” Clingly highlights. “But it is challenging especially for us to articulate clearly and demonstrate without the constant interaction of questions and answers that face to face provides.” When it comes to traditional face-to-face training, the principle of maintenance hoof trimming is easy to grasp and execute. So how do the team at Wild About Hooves deliver their online hoof care course? How do students learn to do it themselves in an environment where they are not physically present to perform practical exercises? Online teaching requires very different approaches to teaching face-to-face for obvious reasons. Wild about Hooves shares 4 ways of teaching a practical skill via online training. 1. Get as Visual as Possible When it comes to practical training, or teaching learners new skills, we created loads of visual with power point lectures and ‘live demonstrations of trimming.’ People learn in many different ways – visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. By delivering information online, we want to make sure we enable all the different type of learners to engage with our hoof care principles. Providing visual diagrams, animations and dot-pointing our information all helps alongside a video showing a real life demonstration of the skill in a environment that is as close to what will happen out in the field. We try and get the camera in close to the hoof to show the trim process step by step. When the brain can ‘see’ how something is done before it is attempted independently, the chance of success are much higher than just reading or hearing about it. 2. Get on Camera Much out of our comfort zone, we got ourselves on camera. People like people, and it can significantly enhance the engagement, retention and completion rates of our course if our learners can see us talking to them. We don't have the budget for a professionally filmed training video, but we put together some good ‘how to’ trim footage and this also enables people to engage by watching, listening and following along as the training video plays. 3. Self Paced Learning Students can work at their own pace through the series of lessons. They can stop when they are tired or need a break and then get back to it when the time is right. Also they can go back and revisit any of the lessons to reinforce their learning. The lesson range is interesting and covers introducing the trainers and their backgrounds, the distal limb anatomy of the horse, how the hoof works, barefoot trimming, step by step hoof trimming, the relevance of the wild horse study, Australia’s desert brumbies, tools for trimming, what to look for when you trim horses hooves. All lessons are interwoven with film footage and powerpoint lectures and then access to further resources. It’s user friendly and feedback has been sensational. 4. Trainers Are Accessible and Can Be Contacted to Provide Advice and Feedback The team at Wild About Hooves is contactable to help students who need further information and guidance. Best of all with a team of over 150 hoof care practitioners in Australia with ACEHP: The Australian Certified Equine Hoof Care Practitioners there is usually someone who students can touch base with to learn more from or who they can book in to check on their trimming and horses hooves. Check out the link and join the team virtually! https://hooftrimmingonlinecourse.podia.com/
Show More