You might say that horses are a semi-DIY venture: Some care you must perform yourself, and some requires expertise that most horse owners simply don’t have. But the care you perform—and the pros you choose—will mesh to provide your horse with optimum hoof (and overall) health. As the daily, hands-on human in your horse’s life, you provide the first line of defense for any health problems. It’s imperative that you know how to perform daily checks and procedures so you can detect potential problems early and enlist the help of your hoof care professional when needed.
What should I be doing daily for my horse's feet?
1. Pick it out: Clean out your horse's hoof with a hoof pick removing debris (dirt, mud, rocks, etc.)
2. Brush it off: Brush the sole with a wire brush or stiff brush (included with some hoof picks) to check for bruises other concerns that may need to be addressed by your veterinarian or farrier.
3. Hoof Supplements : While not every horse needs supplements all the time, daily hoof supplements can improve the kertanization of the hoof wall improving strength and growth.
When should my horse see the farrier?
- Every horse is different, by typically a horse should have its hooves trimmed every 5-6 weeks. Some horses may grow faster and require trims every 4 weeks. A good way to gauge how often a hoof needs to be trimmed is not only looking at length, but also noticing if cracks or chips are starting to occur. These could be signs your horse needs to be trimmed more regularly.
For more information or to address your hoof concerns, call us today to schedule a podiatry consult!
- Justin Miller CF
What should I be doing daily for my horse's feet?
1. Pick it out: Clean out your horse's hoof with a hoof pick removing debris (dirt, mud, rocks, etc.)
2. Brush it off: Brush the sole with a wire brush or stiff brush (included with some hoof picks) to check for bruises other concerns that may need to be addressed by your veterinarian or farrier.
3. Hoof Supplements : While not every horse needs supplements all the time, daily hoof supplements can improve the kertanization of the hoof wall improving strength and growth.
When should my horse see the farrier?
- Every horse is different, by typically a horse should have its hooves trimmed every 5-6 weeks. Some horses may grow faster and require trims every 4 weeks. A good way to gauge how often a hoof needs to be trimmed is not only looking at length, but also noticing if cracks or chips are starting to occur. These could be signs your horse needs to be trimmed more regularly.
For more information or to address your hoof concerns, call us today to schedule a podiatry consult!
- Justin Miller CF