Horses’ hooves: Maintenance Required

Most horse owners leave the hard work of trimming or shodding their horse to their horse’s shoer, or in the trade known as a farrier. The need to keep your horse’s hooves picked out and trimmed regularly will save the horse and its owner much undo trouble. I have been doing farrier work since 1974. When it comes to hoof maintanace, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By using a hoof pick regularly to remove stones and any other debris that may get lodged in your horse’s hoof, you may avoid undue stone bruises and possibly worse consequences, as foreign objects can get lodged between the horny wall and the lamina (the sensitive vascular tissue in the hoof of a horse). Eventually working its way up the hoof over time, the object will eventually exit the hoof above the Coronary Band causing the hoof great distress and possibly causing the horse complete lameness or the loss of the entire wall of the hoof.

Along with your veterinarian, a knowledgeable farrier is essential to the care of your horse. See the short video on horse hoof maintenance BELOW.