You’ve heard the saying, “No Hoof, No Horse”, right? 

Without a healthy and strong hoof, you have a horse prone to pain, discomfort, and career-altering issues. Humans play a huge role in how healthy a hoof develops when the horse is young- proper exercise, environment, and nutrition are all factors in how a hoof can develop at a young age. But sometimes, poor hoof health is just in the genetics of the horse and all we can do is respond and adapt management methods to help keep the hoof as healthy as possible. The best thing we can do is maintain routine care of the hoof. This involves establishing a relationship with a qualified farrier.

The hoof can grow at a rate of approximately ¼ - ½ inch per month, depending on a variety of factors, such as age of the horse, environment, the seasons, nutrition, and genetics.

Due to this growth rate, and the fact that our domestic horses don’t freely roam for miles everyday like their wild counterparts, the hooves need to be trimmed by a farrier about every 6-8 weeks. 

Without routine and proper trimming, the hoof can become overgrown and cause changes and damage to the tendons and ligaments of the leg which can lead to major discomfort and pain issues. 

The importance of a good farrier 

Having a solid working relationship with an educated and skilled farrier will allow you to maintain good hoof care and shorten the length of any issues associated with the hoof, such as an abscess, sole bruising, laminitis, and lameness. It’s important to be able to talk with your farrier about any changes noticed when you’re working with your horse, like changes in gait, adversity to walking on certain types of terrain, or physical changes in the hoof wall. The farrier should be able to discuss those with you and see how it might be connected to what’s going on with the hoof; these conversations can help you catch and address issues before they turn into huge dilemmas. 

Your responsibility as the horse owner 

Your responsibility between farrier visits is to do your routine daily care of the hoof. This includes picking the hooves out before and after rides or turnout. If your horse is in a muddy environment due to weather, allow them to get out of the mud for a while at least once a day so the hoof has time to dry out. Thrush can be a major problem when left untreated, so picking out the muck from the hooves and letting the hooves dry is a good way to keep thrush at bay. There are products that you can use to help stop the spread of thrush- but discuss those options with your farrier, trainer, or vet as overuse can lead to other issues.

Daily cleaning 

Daily cleaning of the hooves can help prevent bruising of the hoof sole as well. Horses are pretty good at getting rocks, pebbles, or sticks stuck in the collateral grooves. If those items are left there too long, it can cause bruising and even puncture wounds. And as careful as we are, sometimes major issues like a horse stepping on a nail can happen- if you ever see a nail in your horse’s hoof, DO NOT REMOVE IT. You need to call your vet and farrier right away. This is considered an emergency and x-rays need to be taken before the nail is removed in order to ensure internal structures, like the coffin bone or joint, aren’t affected. 

Standing with the farrier 

Ensuring that your horse can stand politely for the farrier is also your responsibility. Farriers put their bodies and careers at risk every time they work on a horse, so keep them safe by having a safe horse for them to work on. If your horse shows anxiety or unwillingness to stand for a farrier, there is a hole in their training and it should be worked on. Training a horse to stand in hobbles can help with a horse learning to stand politely for the farrier. But solid groundwork is your best bet with developing a safe horse with good manners.

If a horse that usually stands politely for the farrier is suddenly not, it could be a sign that there is discomfort in the horse’s body somewhere- usually in joints or muscles and that should definitely be taken into consideration. A good farrier is able to recognize those changes and adapt their methods accordingly. This might even change how they trim or shoe the horse. Either way, this is a good indicator to check in with your vet to determine the root cause of discomfort for the horse.

Final thoughts 

Managing hoof care is crucial for horse health. Understanding basic hoof anatomy and how to properly care for the hooves can make the difference between a horse that is uncomfortable and a horse that is healthy and happy. Establishing open and respectful communication with a qualified farrier is part of the requirements for horse ownership. Don’t take hoof care lightly- make sure your horse is having their hooves trimmed at appropriate intervals and the daily care isn’t being skipped.