subject: Five Steps To Achieve Healthy Hooves For Healthy Horses [print this page] While maintaining your horse's hooves, you need to know how their feet work, clean the hooves regularly (with a pick), trim the hooves, keep the correct horseshoes on the horse, and make regular visits to the farrier.
It is very important to look after the hooves of your horse as the saying goes, "No foot, no horse." Improper hoof care can cause an animal to experience pain and discomfort and even become lame. Hooves can become infected or diseased, without proper care. Invest in horse hoof supplements that are meant to promote the health of your horse's hooves and follow hoof care routines that you can follow to keep your horse healthy.
Know about your horse's feet
If you lack familiarity with the characteristics and anatomy of a horse's foot, you may want to do some research on the topic. Learn a bit about how a horse's feet usually look in order to tell whether your horse's feet are healthy and normal. The part of the foot known as the "frog" should have the feel of a new rubber eraser. The frog normally looks dry whilst the shedding period lasts. Close attention should be given to the care of the horse's hooves.
Check the feet of your horse regularly
You can pick your horse's feet if you notice any stones and debris wedged in them. Regular picking will maintain the cleanliness of the hooves, keep them free from foreign objects and allow you to conduct a thorough inspection for signs of injuries and damage. By following these steps you can prevent serious consequences to your horse's health in the future. Debris should be removed from the hooves both before and after exercising the horse to prevent injury and soreness. Any stones, mud and other debris that might have accumulated must gently be taken out with the help of a hoof pick. Ensure to closely check the frog for any other signs of bacterial infection that you can detect from a foul smell and secretions.
You should be able limit hooves of a horse
Whether your horse is wearing horseshoes or is allowed to walk barefoot, you must make sure that you trim and level hooves regularly.
Ensure the horseshoes are the right size. You should choose a horse shoe for your horse which fits well since a loose one can give discomfort and even cause lameness. Ensure that the nails fasten the shoes securely in place and such that no stones or other debris are wedged between the horseshoes and the rim.
Take regular visits to the farrier
Farriers are experts on horse hooves and will be able to answer your questions. Be sure to schedule routine visits. The farrier should be regularly visited at four to six week intervals during the summer months and a slightly longer period over the winter months. If your horse is wearing corrective shoes you are likely to have to visit the farrier more frequently.
A horse's hooves have an impact on its physical well-being as a whole. To improve the health of its hooves, you must learn to give your time and invest in the right products.
