Healthy hooves make a happy horse

by Kate Romanenko

Horse lovers everywhere would agree that the horse is a performing animal so hoof condition is extremely important. As caretakers it is our responsibility to keep their hooves healthy and comfortable.

Our equine friends are flight animals, born to roam, with feet able to withstand weight and travel only hours after birth. However, the statistics on the number of domestic hooves living with some type of lameness, or being put down because of it are staggering.

Besides receiving a well balanced trim (which allows the foot to move as it should) on a regular basis, the cost of healthy hoof care can be virtually free. To achieve good hoof condition there are 3 simple requirements.

1. Movement. Constant movement provides blood flow to nourish the foot and allows for natural exfoliation of dead hoof horn.

2. Water. In any form, whether it's mud, snow or morning dew, this provides moisture for flexibility. Hoof dressings actually rot the hoof capsule so I do not recommend using them.

3. Healthy Diet. This will aid in sufficient regrowth of hoof that is being exfoliated.

If these requirements are met, your horse will have strong comfortable good looking hooves. Signs of unhealthy hooves are cracks, splits, thrush, hoof rot, contraction, flares and bruising, just to mention a few. Cuases of these conditions are too lengthy to mention in this article, however these conditions may be helped and in most cases eliminated. Many times we try to remedy the problem rather than eliminate the causes of it. THe horses in nature wander 15-20 miles per day, go down to the river or pond to drink and play (as well as soak their feet) and forage on all sorts of vegetation, yet never require a farrier. Many of us are not able to provide the ideal wild living environment, but we can provide natural conditions that will give the horse the opportunity for a long healthy life and the freedom it deserves. So next tiem you lift your horse's feet, just spend a minute and take a closer look -- you might see something you've missed before.