Taking Care Of Your Horse's Hooves

We want our horse's hooves to be as healthy as the rest of the horse, actually more so. So, lets get started!

First and foremost:

Pick out your horse's feet every day.

This very simple task will help you ensure that your horse has healthy, disease free hooves for most of his life. It may be a simple thing and you may not think it will not make a big difference, but it may be the single most important thing you can do for the well being of your horse.

First we will do an initial check of the overall appearance of the outer hoof. If you would like to see some pictures of healthy horse hooves go to: http://images.google.com and do a search for "healthy horse hooves" and you will be able to get a good idea of what you are looking for in healthy hooves.

--You will want to check for cracks, abscesses and punctures.

--Remove any stones or small objects that may become lodged in the horse's feet. Don't forget to check the condition of the horse's frog and soles, are they too hard or feel mushy?

-- If they are too hard they will need more moisture or a good conditioner

-- If they are mushy your horse may have thrush.

If you shoe your horse make sure you check for loose shoes, sprung shoes, missing nails and pebbles or debris between the shoe and the hoof.

**Note: We will address all of these issues further as we dig deeper into this report.**

Here is a quick overview of the best times to check your horse's hooves.

---Morning Check----

Each morning, remove manure, and check for signs of thrush, don't forget to check for signs of heat and pulse. If you do this every day, twice a day and after riding or exercise, you will have come a long way to improving your horses condition and overall health.

---Evening Check---

When you bring your horse in at night it is important to pick your horses feet again! I know it may sound like an unnecessary task, but it is important. Check again for lodged stones, injuries or bruising that may have happened during the day.

---Before and After Riding or Exercise Check---

Yes, I know you already did this today, but it never hurts to check again. You don't want to run the risk of causing soreness or injury to your horse because they have a piece of debris lodged in their hoof. Plus your horse will be more comfortable and compliant if they are not in pain. Which means that you will both have a more enjoyable experience.

2.) Nutrition and Healthy Hooves. --- The simple way. --- Horses that don't have free range. --- Horses that work hard. --- Consistent exercise.

Proper nutrition helps your horse grow the best possible hooves. Just like people, some horses naturally have better hooves than others. Your horse may have great feet but if he doesn't the following information may help:

Grass and hay is the simple way.

Free choice grass-hay diet is as simple as it gets but the most beneficial for the horse. Horses that are moderately worked and exercised can get all their energy needs from free choice pasture or a good quality hay.

Many nutrients are found in the 'free range' choice, such as zinc, sulphur, copper, phosphorus, calcium and more. If your horse has free range access the horse will get all the nutrients it needs to grow healthy strong hooves.

Many horses do not have free range access and if this is the case with your horse, you may want to supplement the horses' feed with biotin. It contains all the nutrients your horse needs to grow strong healthy hooves. Most horses will benefit from this supplement. It is important to use this supplement for at least six months to a year. Because that is how long it will take for you to be able to see any of the benefits in new hoof growth.

Horses that work hard, such as endurance racing, sports, etc. may need a higher level of energy. You may want to fine tune his diet with more protein and fiber. With any change in feed rations, it should be gradual, the rule of thumb is a 10% exchange over 4-7 weeks. Ask your veterinarian what the best feeding program for your horse's nutritional needs.

Give your horse consistent exercise. Work on good surfaces, especially at walk and trot, which increases circulation to your horse's hooves and promotes health and growth.

3.) Check for Signs of Cracks. --- Superficial or hairline cracks. --- More serious crack. --- What damage can it do? --- Treatment and prevention.

Hoof cracks are a common problem in horse's hooves. Less severe are hairline cracks which extend from the ground up toward the horse's coronet band and are usually caused by irregular or no trimming also excessive dryness of the hoof.

More serious cracks. What to look for.

More serous are cracks starting at the coronary band and continuing downward. They may be due to an injury of the hoof forming tissue of the coronary band itself. If you notice a crack in your horse's hoof, call your farrier and describe it's location and size so he can decide whether it needs attention now or if it can wait until the next regular visit.

What damage can it do?

If cracks that are large enough for bacteria to enter are left untreated, they can cause infection to the sensitive tissues of the hoof and do damage to it's structure which can ultimately lead severe lameness or worse.

Treatment and prevention.

For superficial cracks using a good Biotin supplement and practicing good daily maintenance will help.

For more severe cracks your farrier may advise shoeing or the application of fiberglass or plastic to the hoof wall until the crack grows out.

Hoof cracks can be prevented by regular hoof trimming. Keep your horse's feet from becoming excessively dry and hard. There are many hoof dressings on the market today that will help to keep your horses feet soft and moist. A periodic hoof soaking in mud will do wonders for your horses dry feet. If your horses do not have access to mud you can try letting their water tub overflow a little, just enough for a small muddy puddle.

4.) Puncture Wounds What Can They Hurt? --- What damage they can do? --- What not to do if something is stuck. --- Signs of an abscess. --- When to call your vet.

Looking for signs of a puncture:

Puncture wounds are fairly common among horses. Some puncture wounds if not detected early enough may cause severe lameness or a permanent disability. Death due to tetanus may also occur if wounds are not properly treated.

An untreated puncture wound will allows for bacteria to enter the horses system resulting in mild to severe infection. Abscesses can develop in as little as two days or as long as month after the initial injury.

Picking your horses feet on a daily basis will catch this potential problem before severe damage results. Sometimes a nail, wire or other object may pierce your horse's sole. It may fall out and the entry wound will probably be invisible by the time you pick his feet and you will not be aware of it until is shows up as an abscess.

In some cases the object remains in place, to be discovered when you brush the last bits of dirt from the sole.

***DON'T PULL IT OUT***

Put your horse in his stall. Protect the punctured foot, and help the foreign object stay put either by wrapping or with a slip-on medication boot. Then call your veterinarian right away!

An x-ray of the foot can show how far the object has penetrated and which structures are involved. If you pick your horse's feet out regularly, you'll find the problem within a few hours of its occurrence. Then your veterinarian can remove the object and advise a course of treatment.

If your horses digital pulse feels stronger than usual or its foot is warmer than normal to the touch, this is a sign of a possible abscess inside the hoof. An abscess may result from an over looked sole puncture, badly placed shoeing nail or from a bruise or injury.

*Important*

If you find heat and a stronger than usual pulse in BOTH front feet, and your horse is shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, call your veterinarian immediately! These are signs of Laminitis, an inflammatory condition that can cause severe hoof damage and if not treated promptly it can be fatal.

5.) Horses With Shoes. --- When to check their shoes. --- How often will they need shod? --- What to look for? --- Extra things you should know.

If your horse is shod, check his shoes each time you pick out his feet.

As a general rule a horse will need shod every 4-6 weeks. A healthy hoof grows approximately ¾ - ½ inch a month. If you leave shoes on too long the hoof will grow out of proportion which may result in lameness. If you do not shoe your horses' feet they still need periodic trimming every 6-8 weeks. If your horse is shod you will want to look for:

What to look for?

-- A sprung shoe: A shoe that is lifted away from the hoof and is not sitting flat.

-- A missing shoe or shoes: If your horse is missing a shoe do not ride or exercise him. Call your blacksmith right away and keep your horse stalled or in an enclosure until the blacksmith arrives.

-- A bent or slightly shifted shoe: If the shoe has moved to one side or the other, it has shifted. This can cause damage to the sensitive hoof structure of the horses' foot when weight is applied.

-- A loose shoe or risen clinches. If you see the ends of the nails your blacksmith trimmed and clinched are sticking out from the hoof this is a sign that the shoe is loosening. This may cause an injury. Call your blacksmith and schedule an appointment.

-- Look for debris and small pebbles between the shoe and sole of the hoof.

-- Signs of puncture wounds, bruising, abscess or thrush.

A couple of other things you should know.

Mud is extremely hard on your horses' shoes. If at all possible keep your horses out of deep mud. The suction of deep mud or water can easily drag off a shoe it is already loosened.

Ask your farrier to teach you how to remove shoes. I hear your gasp! But it is important that you know how to do this incase there comes a time that your farrier can't get to you and the shoes need to come off. If you can remove a sprung or loose shoe, you may save your horse unnecessary pain and hoof damage.

6.) Brief Overview of Diseases of the Hoof. --- Thrush. --- Laminitis. --- Founder. --- White Line Disease. --- Navicular Syndrome. --- Equine Scratches

I feel it is important to add this section of the report so that you can become familiar with the different disease that can affect the hoof areas of the horse. This is by no means a complete list. It is only an overview of the more common diseases. To find out more about the individual diseases and their treatment please consult your veterinarian or farrier.

-- Thrush

Thrush is bacterial condition. It is an invasion of bacteria and moisture into the sole of the horses foot. The front and back feet may be affected. Horses that are confined to a stall or small area are more prone to thrush than other horses.

Some horses, especially those with upright, narrow feet and deep clefts tend to trap more dirt, debris, and manure than other horses therefore they are more predisposed to thrush even when well cared for.

What are the signs of thrush?

Most often there will be a foul smell and dark black ooze coming from the cleft of the frog. Keep in mind that in early stages there may be very little or no smell at all. Check for any tenderness. If the horses feet are tender it may be a possible sign. Thrush also causes the bottom of the hoof to become soft and crumbly. If left untreated for long the frog will become cheesy in texture and rot off. In extreme cases the heel begins to split and to bleed.

-- Laminitis

Laminitis is an infection of the laminae which are the soft tissues that connect the coffin bone to the hoof wall. This results in swelling of the lamina. The condition may range severity from mild to acute and usually occurs in the horses front feet but can also affect the back feet.

-- Founder

Founder is an inflammatory condition of the laminae. Some consider founder and Laminitis to be one and the same while others firmly disagree, and believe that it is a direct result of repeated bouts with Laminitis. Either way it is very painful and destructive for the horses health.

There are different types of founder. Grain founder seems to be the most detrimental. Grass founder which in most cases is less severe. Both can be linked to carbohydrate overload or to much sugar in their diet. Road founder which happens when horses are ridden on hard surfaces over long periods of time. Foal founder happens when the mare doesn't deliver the placenta.

-- White Line Disease

It can be recognized on the sole of the hoof as a powdery white line that runs along the hoof wall. In the beginning stages of white line disease it may stay localized to one area, but as it progresses it can spread to other areas of the hoof wall.

As it advances it will cause the separation of the hoof wall from the sole and will allow bacteria and fungi to enter the hoof which will cause deterioration of the inner part of the hoof wall.

-- Navicular Syndrome

Navicular Syndrome occurs when the navicular bone becomes immobile and causes poor blood flow within the hoof due to improper care. Problems that arise as a result can be high heels, overlaid bar or long toes. It also affects the bone and tendons of the front feet.

-- Equine Scratches Although this is not a disease of the hoof I think it needs to be mentioned in this report because it is an infection of the lower leg that can affect your horse and eventually lead to lameness.

Scratches is a skin problem caused by fungi and bacteria. This is found mostly in the lower legs. It is most prevalent in horses that are wet often or in contact with mud. The skin will become crusted, scabby and thickened. In severe cases the skin may ooze and the lower leg may swell. If left untreated the horse will become lame.

7.) Tips to Help Ensure Healthy Hooves --- Preventing Laminitis --- Preventing Thrush --- For Hauling --- Supplements for Healthy Hooves.

Schedule regular visits, usually every 4-6 weeks. Horses that have free-choice pasture may only need their hooves trimmed every 6-10 weeks depending on hoof growth. Ask your blacksmith.

Pick your horses feet daily. Horses that are stalled constantly need to have the wet manure picked out, if not it can cause thrush or canker.

Practice good stable management and most of diseases of the hoof can be prevented.

Make changes to the horses routine and diet gradually and progressively. Rapid change can lead to stress and disease. Avoid feeding in excess and keep your horse at a reasonable weight. Overweight horses are more prone to hoof disease.

Avoid grass blooms on your pasture. They can cause founder. Pull your horses off the fields and onto dry lots if you have to. Feed them hay in the morning and only turn horses out after the lushness and dew is off the grass.

Keep grain in closed bins and the door to the feed room shut at all times.

Pay attention to breed and body types; some are more likely to get Laminitis than others. Be particularly careful with ponies and horses that have thick necks..

Give horses unlimited access to fresh, clean water, except immediately after exercise, when the amount should be regulated.

If at all possible keep your horses out of deep mud. Hours of standing in mud encourages 'thrush' or 'scratches' (a skin infection in the fetlock area that can cause lameness).

Keep your horses' stall clean and dry. A wet-moist stall can cause bacteria to grow and bacteria causes 'thrush' and promotes fungus and infection.

Don't shoe your horse unless necessary. There are many alternatives to shoeing. The horses' foot will adapt to whatever environmental surface the horse is standing on whether is be hard packed ground, small stones, gravel etc.

Use shipping boots or wraps with bell boots to protect your horses hooves during hauling. This is very important for maintaining healthy hooves and preventing injury. The rocking motion of the trailer combined with the horses constantly shifting feet can cause tremendous damage.

-- Supplements for Healthy Hooves.

DL-methionine is one of the most important amino acids for hoof growth.

Biotin is important for hoof growth and repair. It helps in the utilization of proteins. Which helps prevent eczema and dermatitis.

When deciding on a supplement for your horse look for one that is a good source of A,D,E to help grow healthy hooves.

Give your horse access a salt/mineral block that has a good mix of calcium and phosphorous to prevent them form becoming deficient.

8.) In Closing. --- Important Note.

I would just like to say that it is extremely important to maintain the health of your horse to ensure the growth of healthy hooves.

If you think your horse has an early case of thrush, Laminitis or another harmful disease, but you are unsure, be sure to ask your blacksmith or veterinarian to look at their feet right away before serious damage can occur. They should be able to easily diagnose and recommend proper treatment for you.