There is an intellectual saying; “A chain is as strong as its weakest link”. This proverb can be used as a suitable analogy concerning the horse’s hooves. The strength of a horse is dependent on the strong hooves. If we are ignoring the hoof care and management, we can face a severe setback in horse performance and health goals.

Why hooves need so much attention? What to check for a healthy hoof? And how can I care my horse’s hooves? These are some frequently asked questions by the horse owners. Along with answering these questions, I will also discuss some common hoof problems and how we prevent them by just giving some attention and improving our horse management.

To understand the essentials of horse’s hoof care and its importance, better is to have a basic knowledge of hoof anatomy.

Anatomy of the hoof of a horse

The horse’s hoof is designed by the nature to combat with rough and tough conditions. It is facilitated with cartilages, bursa and a network of ligaments that work as shock absorbers by spreading out the pressure.

A horse hoof is composed of wall, frog and sole. We see the wall of the hoof while a horse is standing. Wall is made up of horny cartilage that grows continuously and needs to be trimmed after an interval. Wall housed the third phalanx (last bone of the horse’s limb) and connected with the internal parts of the hoof through sensitive tissues called “lamina”.

We can see the sole and frog when the hoof is lifted from the ground. The frog is a little protruded part and bears weight with a hoof wall. The area between the wall and frog is sole that does not touch the ground. When the hoof is placed on the ground, the frog bears the pressure and spread towards the walls. Blood supply is also pumped in and out of the hoof on getting pressed periodically.

How to care your horse’s hooves?

Continuous pressure bearing and contact with the mud and manure makes the hoof prone to micro-injuries. However, basic hoof care and timely flagging of an abnormal condition can prevent major damage. So how can you care for your horse’s hooves? Here are some preventive measures.

1 – Hoof of the horse basics: Pick out the hooves regularly

A basic hoof picking routine can help your horse to a greater extent. Don’t consider that hoof picking is your farrier job. You can purchase an inexpensive hoof picker from a tack shop and can pick out a hoof by yourself.

Pick out the hoof of your horse after a ride and when you are going for a ride. Look for a trapped stone or nail in the hoof. Remove the debris and clean the sole using a brush. If you have come from a snowy track, pick out the entrapped snow, it feels very frosty and painful to horse.

What to look for during picking out a hoof?

Picking out the hoof also provides an opportunity to observe the hoof keenly. Notice for the surface of the wall, wall cracks or bruises. Gently, press the different surfaces of the hoof to identify any painful sensation and difference of temperature; a normal hoof will be slightly warm.

 Feel the pulse by putting your index finger behind the pastern joint. A wounded hoof will be relatively warmer with increased pulse intensity. Track your horse’s feet condition in a horse journal.

 2 – Keep the hooves well-balanced

 A balanced hoof handles the pressure in a better way when placed on the ground. It reduces strain and cushions the bones, ligaments and tendons. A well-balanced hoof makes an approximately 45 ° angle with the ground. Toe is not too long and hoof walls are balanced from median to lateral.

Heel takes most of the impact while a hoof is placed on the ground. So, there should be enough heel support while placing a shoe. 

3 – Reduce the environmental influences

Environmental conditions can affect the hardiness of horse’s hooves. Especially, the humid months affects the most, because the horny structure of the hoof wall absorbs moisture and expands. When the hoof remains humid it becomes more fragile and prone to injuries.

The wet and dry hoof cycle appeared to be more damaging. When a hoof is getting wet and dry again and again, it becomes brittle gradually and can leads to cracks. Nail holes become loose due to the expanding hoof wall that causes a sprung or shifted shoe. Sole also become more flimsy and tends to get bruises easily.

Keeping the hoof dry should be the priority to maintain its strength. Provide mud and manure free barn space to the horse and avoid unnecessary bathing. You can also apply commercially available moisture absorbents on the lower hoof. 

3 – Hoof of the horse maintenance: Visit your farrier depending on the horse’s needs

Farrier visits depend on the individual needs of your horse. An earlier visit after confronting a hoof problem can avoid a possible injury.

Horse’s hooves grow at a faster rate in summer as compared to winter. So, the hoof trimming interval can be 4 to 5 weeks in summer that normally takes 6 to 8 weeks in winter. Similarly, if your farrier is correcting hoof conformations like flat soles, overgrown hooves or club foot, you may need to visit him more frequently.

4 – Help the hooves with nutrition

Balanced nutrition can benefit the hooves of your horse in many ways. To find out the importance of a balanced diet for hoof health, let’s see what an imbalanced diet can do.

• A grain-rich diet causes more acid production on digestion and leads to the production of inflammatory mediators which cause laminitis.
• Over-feeding a horse is common in horse owners. Overfeeding means an overweight horse putting more strain on the hoof tissues.
• Poor quality hay or pastures are deficient in minerals like zinc and copper. These minerals are very important for maintaining hoof health.

Good quality hay or pastures provide a sufficient amount of vitamin and minerals for hooves. However, the availability of good pastures is not possible for every horse owner round the year. So, vitamin and mineral supplements can be used on the recommendation of professional.  

What are some common hoof problems?

Thrush: A foul-smelling infection of the frog. If the condition is not treated in the early stage, it leads to pus formation due to bacterial or fungal infection. In an aggravated condition, pus oozes out from the sulcus of the frog.

Navicular Disease: It is the inflammation of the navicular bone causing severe heel pain. It affects the associated bursa and tendons and characterized by chronic lameness.

Laminitis: Lamiae holds the horny wall of the hoof to the internal hoof structures. Inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the hoof is called laminitis. It is a major cause of lameness in a horse. Severe conditions can lead to the detachment of the hoof wall.

Abscess: Flat soles are more inclined towards injuries due to greater contact with the ground. Bacterial infestation to these injuries leads to abscess formation. Continuous exposure with the mud and manure catalyse the situation.

Hot Nail: It is characterized by a misplaced nail in the sensitive part of the hoof. Despite its variety of causes, a hot nail is painful for the horse and converts into a bruise when not removed earlier.

Conclusion

Lastly, hoof care is a crucial segment of equine management, keeping an eye on the hooves of your horse should always be considered as a part of your barn routine. Observing the hoof and picking them out regularly keep us aware of the upcoming challenge. In case of a problem consult with your equine vet or farrier as early as possible to keep your horse continuously healthy and functional.