5 Basic Tips For Hoof Care to Ensure the Health of Your Horse

     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." Neglected hooves can prove to be dangerous. They can cause discomfort, pain, disfigurement and even lameness. Diseases and infections can also the effects of hooves that are not properly cared. 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.

Understand your horse's feet

If you are unfamiliar with the characteristics and anatomy of a horse's foot, then you might want to do a bit of research. General knowledge and background information will help you understand how your horse's feet should look and will help you determine whether the feet are healthy and normal or if they have abnormal characteristics. The frog portion of your horse's foot should normally feel like a brand new rubber eraser. However, during your horse's shedding period, it is quite normal for the frog to look dry. Close attention should be given to the care of the horse's hooves.

Pick your horse's feet regularly

If any stones and debris are wedged in your horse's feet, you must pick them as soon as possible. Keeping the hooves free of foreign objects by regular cleaning or picking will enable you to keep an eye on any signs of injuries. This will help prevent more serious health problems in the future. You need to pick your horse's feet before riding or walking your horse to remove any debris which can cause soreness after the activity. Use a hoof pick to gently take off any stones, mud and other debris that might have accumulated on the frog. You can tell if the frog has a bacterial infection by checking for odd secretions or a bad smell.

Trim your horse's hooves

All horses need to have their hooves trimmed regularly, whether they wear horse shoes or not.

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. Typically, you should visit the farrier in 4-6 week intervals during the summer and a bit longer during winter. There might also be a need for more frequent visits if your horse is wearing corrective shoes.

Your horse's overall health and well-being will depend on the condition of its hooves. Hence, you should learn to give time and invest in the right products that can improve the health of its hooves.