Why Caring for your Horse’s Feet is Important
Hoof care is an extremely important aspect of horse ownership but is also an area that can get overlooked in a busy day-to-day schedule. The old saying 'No foot, No horse’ still holds true today and whilst as an owner you cannot do much mechanically to the hooves, daily care and observation are vital to avoiding potentially serious and life threatening problems. Getting to know what is normal for your horse will help you to spot anything out of the ordinary, therefore enabling you to take direct action to prevent potential problems in the future.
It is really important that an appropriately qualified farrier attends your horse regularly to undertake trimming and if necessary, shoeing. Regardless of whether your horse is shod or unshod you should have an understanding of his feet and become familiar with his individual hoof conformation. At the practice we are happy to work with your farrier to ensure that you can keep your horse’s feet in the best possible condition. We can offer advice on routine hoof care and are happy to answer any questions or issues you may have.
Picking out the hooves on at least a daily basis is important in many ways and provides a vital opportunity to closely inspect all aspects of the hoof. The frog should be regularly inspected for damage and cuts and for conditions like thrush. In turn, the sole should be examined for puncture wound, cuts and stones wedged beside the frog. The wall needs to be inspected for excessive growth or excessive wear and the white line should be checked to ensure it is free from trapped grit which may cause an opportunity for an infection if not discovered in time.
Feeling you horse’s digital pulses is a very useful way of assessing conditions that may be occurring within the hooves, however they are of little help if you do not know what they feel like when everything is normal. It does take a little practice and we can show you how to do this when we are next visiting your horse. One of the best places to find them is over the inside and outside of the fetlock joint, slightly towards the back. Use your thumb and forefinger and with gentle pressure keep your fingers still, and wait. A horse’s pulse is slow at rest and often the fingers are moved away too quickly.
Speak to us here at the practice for further information on hoof care and how we can work with you and your farrier to ensure your horses hooves are in the best condition possible. You can also download your FREE Responsible Horse Owner booklet on this subject via our website http://www.midshirevets.co.uk or from www.healthyhorses.co.uk.