Hoof Care - Useful Information
Hoof maintenance is a vital part of ensuring your horses health. It’s advisable to inspect your horses hooves every day, and minimum two times each week. You will be able to become very familiar with what is usual and what is not, and be able to to spot any issues that might be starting.
Using this simple guide will hopefully aid you in your grooming routiene.
1. Approaching your horse be sure the symmetry is releatively close, they don’t have to be perfectly equal, but very similar to the same size and form.
2. Look carefully for defects in the hoof wall and coronary band. Raise up the hoof, run your palm along the outside of the wall to notice any impairments. Apply the exact procedure for the coronary band and then press it softly. Using these two procedures will also highlight soft areas and water holding areas.
3. Inspect the sole. Check the colour of every hoof. They should be similar in colour. A clearly defined dark spot indicates bruising or damage.
4. Look at and compare the frogs. The hooves at the front should be similar in size and shape and the same with the rear hooves. Try to lightly press each frog using your hoof pick, in the majority of areas, excluding the desert areas, they should be a little spongy.
5. If shod, grasp the shoe and see if it wiggles. Look for missing clinches, if the shoe is loose you may opt to remove it in case your horse loses it on its own and risks taking a section of hoof with it.
If you continuously check your horses hooves, you will be able to avoid a great deal of issues by noticing the issue before it’s too late.
I would recommend you work into your daily hoof cleaning some simple steps. Use a pick from heel to toe. If packed solid you might need to loosen it up somewhat before it is removed. Once all the debris is taken out, examine all the areas of the hoof and be sure that there isn’t a smelly odour as this is usually a clear indicator of thrush. also make sure there are no pebbles or stones embedded anywhere, particularly beneath the shoe.
Your horses hooves should display a natural shine on the hoof wall.
If you find a smooth uniform surface free of cracks, circles, depressions, flares and a concave sole that touches the horseshoe, then you should be confident that your horses hooves are in good condition.
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