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Pick out your horse’s feet as often as you can. Remove
any soil or loose debris. Also make sure to brush dirt
out from the crevices surrounding the frog. This will
keep your horse’s feet in good condition and reduce
the likelihood of developing conditions such as thrush.
Regular foot trimming is so important in keeping your
horse’s feet in tiptop condition. Normally the farrier
should tend to your horse’s feet every 6-8 weeks,
although some horse’s may need much more
frequent farriery.
Avoid turning your horse out onto wet muddy fields,
this will affect the quality of your horse’s hooves as
well as increasing susceptibility to mud fever. Try to
fence off the worst affected areas in the field.
Always monitor your horse’s feet for any changes
such as heat over the hoof wall or a bounding digital
pulse. The digital pulses can be felt at the back of the
fetlock. Noticing these changes may help you in
detecting a problem in your horse’s foot.
Monitoring your horse’s hoof quality is very important.
Keep an eye out for cracks that may develop, most
cracks are superficial but some can be deeper and
may require the attention of your farrier or vet. Some
horses may have poorer quality hooves, certain
supplements can help, particularly those which
contain biotin.
Keep your horse as fit and healthy as possible with
regular exercise, this will keep his weight down, assist
in normal blood flow in the foot and prevent the extra
pressure being put through the structures of the foot.
Top tips
for great
foot care
09 Foot care
Regular farriery
is vital to achieving healthy
hooves for your horse.
Equine
foot care
Picking out a hoof.