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Hoof Care and Your Horse

Good hoof care will help keep your horse sound and happy. There are many things that affect the quality of your horse’s hooves. The integrity of your horse’s hooves is affected by a wide range of contributing factors.  Here are some things you can do to make a difference:

1. Environment:  Keeping your horse’s living area secured, clean and free of debris is a good start.  Fencing should always be kept in good repair.  Anything else that could possibly cause injury to your horse should be removed.  Well drained, even footing, free of things like sharp rocks and mud, will keep your horse more comfortable and sound.  Your horse’s hooves are affected by what they are standing on. Dirty living areas promote unhealthy hooves. A wet environment will cause your horse to have a soft hoof wall, sole and frog. A dry environment will cause your horse to have a hard hoof wall, sole and frog. For the most part a drier environment is better, but extremes should be avoided.  
2. What your horse eats: The health of your horse’s hooves can be affected by nutrition. Often underlying health issues are detected in the hooves. A good balanced diet will help to maintain healthy hoof growth. There are also many effective feed supplements that promote hoof growth. The application of hoof dressings do not seem to do much, but the extra attention to your horse’s feet will not hurt.

3.     Safe horse handling: The quality of trimming and shoeing is very dependent on the ability of your horse to stand quietly.  Mature horses need to be accustomed to having their hooves handled.  Teaching your horse to stand patiently for the farrier will help to keep both the farrier and horse safe.  Foals need to have their feet handled soon after they are born so that they are not worried or uneasy with their feet being worked on.

Hoof Trimming

Trimming is done to remove excess hoof wall. The objective is to trim your horse to be comfortable and to suit for your horse’s natural way of going. Trimming too much hoof wall may cause your horse to be sore or tender-footed.  Leaving excess hoof wall on can cause your horse to become unbalanced and sore due to the stress put on the legs and hooves by poor angulations. Trimming a horse’s hooves takes thought and experience so that your horse can stay happy and comfortable.  

How often your horse needs to be trimmed depends on the following:

1. Environment:  If your horse is in a gravel paddock his hooves may wear down more quickly. If he is in soft footing, he will not wear his hooves down as quickly.
2. Use:  How much you are riding your horse and the type of terrain you are riding on will affect the amount of excess hoof. 
3. Hoof Growth: The rate your horse’s hooves grow is determined by the climate, season, his age, diet and overall health.
4. Shape & Quality of Hooves:  Some horses have naturally harder hooves that do not wear down so quickly.  Also the natural shape of a horse’s hoof can make a difference in how often a horse needs to be trimmed.

For most horses, a visit from a farrier every six to eight weeks will keep unshod hooves as close to ideal as possible.

Shoeing Your Horse

Not all horses need to be shod.  However, if you choose to shoe your horse, the average time frame between shoeing is around six to eight weeks. The rate your horse’s hooves grow is determined by the climate, season, his age, diet and his overall health. For example – your horse most likely grows much more hoof in the long warm summer days in comparison to short cold winter days. It is also common for a young horse to annually grow more hoof than an older horse.

There are many different types of shoes, pads and traction devices used when shoeing horses.  Your farrier or veterinarian will have the knowledge to explain what is best suited for your horse. Often a shoeing job that consists of good basics, such as a balanced trim and properly fitted shoes will be all your horse needs.

 Why you choose to shoe your horse can be determined by the following:

1. Protection:  Due to riding conditions and environment it may be more comfortable for your horse to have shoes.
2. Traction:  Performance horses often need shoes for safety reasons or to enhance performance.
3. Therapeutic:  Founder, hoof disease, and/or trauma are conditions which may require shoeing.  Congenital deformities in foals may also require a shoeing prescription from your veterinarian. 

Common Foot Diseases

The following are a few of the diseases and ailments often found in a horse’s hoof.  Some are due to the horse’s environment and poor stabling conditions.  Other diseases of the hoof can be associated with genetics. 

Abscesses:   An abscess is an infected area of the sensitive foot within the hoof. The body responds to the infection by producing “pus” (a mixture of liquid and gas). Since the hoof cannot swell the horse will feel an increase in pressure within the hoof.  This leads to pain and lameness. If left untreated, the “pus” will be forced out of the hoof through the site of infection, at the heel bulbs, or at the coronary band. Other signs to look for are difference of heat between pairs of hooves, swelling of the lower leg, and a strong pulse at the fetlock. The most common cause of a foot abscess is an invasion of the sensitive tissue of the horse’s foot by foreign matter, which will include fungus and bacteria. This can be caused by a puncture from a sharp object.  For example – weak, wet hooves on sharp gravel paddocks could easily lead to an abscess.  Hooves that are too long may develop separations of the hoof wall and white line leading to an abscess.  Hooves that are too short will not provide the horse with enough protection on abrasive footing which can also cause an abscess.  On occasion, a poorly driven nail driven into the foot while shoeing could cause the horse to be sore and eventually abscess.      

     Fortunately abscesses are usually easy to treat. Your farrier or veterinarian may be able to locate the troubled spot on the foot and carefully open and drain the abscess, giving the horse immediate relief! Sometimes an abscess can take a while to find. Soaking a horse’s foot in warm water and Epsom salts will reduce the amount of fluid in the hoof and will reduce the pressure and pain the horse experiences.

Thrush:  Thrush is a disease of the central cleft of the frog. While the most often stated reason for thrush is poor stable management, there are other factors that should be considered. The general conformation of the horse and the hooves in particular may make a horse more likely to suffer from thrush. Attention to frequency of trimming and shoeing, quality of trimming, style of shoeing, daily cleaning of the bottom of the hoof, clean dry bedding, a well drained turn out area, and regular exercise will all help to reduce the incidence of thrush. Thrush is found in a horse’s hoof most often when the hooves are exposed to a wet, dark and warm environment. Thrush is made up of anaerobic bacteria that thrive when a horse’s living area is not kept clean of manure. Keeping your horse’s stall and paddock clean and dry will help prevent thrush. Picking your horse’s hooves out regularly will also help to prevent thrush. An advanced case of thrush will cause the horse to be sensitive in the central cleft of the frog which can cause lameness. If you find your horse does have thrush, talk to your farrier and veterinarian about how best to treat it. 

Laminitis and Founder:  Laminitis is an acute condition.  It may have a sudden onset combined with some heat in the hooves, a strong pulse in the leg, and a change of gait or stance by the horse. A horse can suffer from laminitis and make a complete recovery. Laminitis does not always lead to founder.

Founder is a chronic condition that may follow laminitis. It develops over weeks, months, or even years. There will be changes to the hoof and to the bones within the hoof.  Horses that suffer from founder will never completely regain soundness.  Although there can be underlying health issues contributing to the causes of founder and laminitis, one of the main causes is poor horse management.  Horses that are left to overeat on pasture or are overfed grain and rich hay are often the ones that suffer. The overall systemic stresses that laminitic or foundering horses experience are complex and require immediate veterinarian attention.

Navicular Disease:  This is often referred to as navicular syndrome or simply heel pain.  Navicular “syndrome” can vary from mild to moderate. The comfort of the horse can improve with medication and shoeing, depending on the progression of the disease.  Good communication between veterinarian and farrier will help to achieve maximum comfort and an extended work career for some milder cases. Recently Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has proved useful as a diagnostic tool for this disease.

Conclusion to Hoof Care

    Good hoof care is an essential part of caring for your horse. A domesticated horse requires regular hoof care. Not all horses need shoes but they do need some type of regular hoof care. Horses are not happy when they are sore. The flight response is important to a horse and having neglected hooves will hinder their ability to move away from whatever they perceive as danger.

       Being a good horseperson also involves being aware when your horse’s hooves need attention. Long hooves, flares, cracks, loose shoes and overgrown hoof wall are all evidence that your horse needs to see a qualified farrier.

Choosing a Farrier

  Choosing a qualified farrier to trim and/or shoe your horse on a regular basis is essential for your horse. How you decide to choose a farrier is up to you.  Here are some criteria you may want to consider: 

1. Education:  Has your farrier had training at a reputable institute?  Farriers with a well-rounded education have generally attended a farrier school followed by an apprenticeship with a qualified farrier. A good farrier school will most often take about one to two years to complete and not only teach how to shoe a horse but also the study of anatomy, biomechanics, diseases and lameness and how to successfully run a business. Apprenticeships are crucial and are an excellent way to become a skilled and competent farrier. An apprenticeship usually involves two to four years depending on the skills offered throughout the duration of the apprenticeship.  A dedicated farrier will also make a point to be involved with upgrading his or her skills, through lectures, workshops, clinics and competitions. These are excellent ways to improve the art of farriering. 
2. Continued Education:  Not only is it important that the farrier you have chosen be conscience of maintaining an acceptable level of skill and knowledge, but good communication between peers is essential. A farrier that is open to attending seminars or conferences is generally open to developing a broader knowledge of horses and horseshoeing. Openness and willingness to learn from one another creates knowledge.  No one person has all the answers to becoming a better farrier.

Farrier Associations: These create an environment that encourages the sharing of information. Here in western Canada we have the Western Canadian Farriers Association (WCFA) and continuing education is a primary goal for its members. The Association of Farrier Trainers of Canada (AFTC) is a Canadian based Certification process. An organization that is dedicated to providing a comprehensive education system for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a farrier in Canada. With broad support across the country, their national endeavor focuses on teaching apprentices the theory, technical skills, and professional practices necessary to care for horses. While their syllabus is rooted in traditional farriery skills, they also pay attention to emerging trends in the horse industry to produce graduates who are well-equipped for the future. Upon completion of our program, successful graduates will be awarded the Approved Journeyman Farrier of Canada (AJFC) designation. More information can be found on the website https://www.farriertrainersofcanada.ca/our-program

We have a strong affiliation with the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) and in fact have adopted their certification program.  The AFA certification program examines the different skill levels of a farrier and grades them on their abilities.  The levels of AFA Certification include:

1. AFA Certified Farrier:  Farriers who have been shoeing for a minimum of one year may opt to take the test for AFA Certified Farrier.  In addition to the written and practical tests, the AFA Certified Farrier has completed a set of sample shoes with various modifications that show ability to do the basic work required of farriers.
2. AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier:  Farriers who have been shoeing a minimum of two years may take the test for the AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier.  There is a more comprehensive written test on anatomy, gaits and shoeing and a sample bar shoe.  A practical test requires the farrier to shoe a horse with handmade shoes to a set standard in two hours. Study, testing and certification leads to improved knowledge and skill. 

Ask your potential farrier if they are certified and by which professional body.

Responsibilities of the Horse Owner to Their Farrier

1. To have the horse ready and reasonably clean when the farrier arrives.
2. To have a safe, dry and well lit work space.
3. To not unexpectedly ask for additional work to be done, for example an extra horse to be shod or a complete shoeing rather than a trim.
4. To keep your farrier advised of any issues diagnosed by a veterinarian that may involve lameness and/or other hoof problems.
5. To pay promptly according to terms already established.