Horse Care For Beginners

Find a farrier you can rely on to help you with your horse hoof care program.

You’ll need to have your horse shod, or his feet trimmed, every four to six weeks.  Having your horse’s feet attended to is expensive, but don’t, for example, leave your horse’s shoes on for an extended period in an effort to save money. Shoes that are badly fitting due to hoof growth is painful for your horse and can cause permanent damage. 

Horses that are not worked regularly on hard ground may not need shoes. In fact, here in Australia there’s quite a move away from shoeing. But bear in mind that horse’s hooves cannot take wear and tear which is why iron shoes are used to protect them.  Should you be considering working your horse barefooted, talk to your farrier and get expert advice. I’ll mention here that with my horse, a percheron/thoroughbred cross with large and near perfect foot structure, I rarely resorted to shoeing over many years.

Now back to the subject of a farrier. Never be tempted to do shoeing yourself, even replacing a nail. Shoeing is a skilled craft which, for your horse’s sake, should be left to your farrier.  Having said that, it’s important for you to understand the basics of horse hoof care and the following should give you some pointers to observe.

Inspect your horse’s feet regularly as part of your horse hoof care schedule.

Hoof care is a vital part of maintaining your horses overall health.  Ideally you should check your horse’s hooves daily, and at the very least, two to three times per week.  You should become very familiar with what is, and what is not, normal and be on the lookout for any problems that may be starting.  The following checklist may assist you in doing this.

No. 1:   As you approach your horse make sure the symmetry of the feet is similar.  They do not have to be exactly equal, but very close to the same size and shape. 

No. 2:  Examine the feet carefully for defects in the wall and coronary band.  Pick up the hoof, run your hand over the outside of the wall and feel for defects.  Then use the same procedure for the coronary band, and squeeze it gently. These two procedures will show tender spots and moisture bearing areas.

No: 3. Carefully inspect the sole and  check the coloring in each hoof.  They should be the same in color.  A clearly delineated dark spot will indicate a bruise or puncture wound.

No: 4. Look at and compare the frogs.  The two front hooves should be similar in size and shape and the same with the rear hooves.  You should lightly press each frog with your hoof pick, in most areas, with the exception of desert areas, they should be slightly spongy.

No: 5. Should your horse be shod, grasp the shoe and see if it has any movement.  Check for missing clinches. If the shoe is loose you may wish to remove the shoe before your horse loses it on his own - and possibly taking a chunk of his hoof with it.!

If you keep a good close eye on your horse’s hooves, you can avoid a lot of issues by catching what could be a severe problem before it develops.

Your horse hoof care program. 

I’d recommend you work the following simple steps into your regular hoof cleaning routine.  Use your hoof pick working from heel to toe.  Should it be tightly packed you may need to loosen it up a bit before it is removed.  Once all the debris is removed, check all the areas of the hoof and make sure there is not a bad odor. If there is,  this is an indication of thrush which will need immediate attention.  Ensure there are no pebbles or stones lodged anywhere, even under the shoe.Your horse’s hooves should exhibit a natural glossy luster on the hoof wall. If you find a smooth uniform surface free of cracks, rings, dishes and flares; a concave sole that touches the shoe, then you can be pretty sure that your horse’s hooves are in good health.

Related posts:

1. Grooming Tips For Horses ~ A Major Part of Easy Horse Care.

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