Healthy Horse Hoof: 7 Ways to Maintain Your Horse’s Hoof Health

Besides being the month of love, February is International Hoof-Care Month. Any horse person is familiar with the phrase “No Foot, No Horse.” And how those words ring true! We spend a lot of money, time, study, and effort on what we can do to ensure that our horses have healthy horse hoofs – everything from buying hoof care supplements, topical concoctions, and protective boots to paying our farriers for regular care. I decided to ask an expert about the most important things we, as horse owners, can do to ensure hoof health.

I caught up with Certified Journeyman Farrier Tyler Davis and his assistant Albert Gregg.  Having worked closely for many years with veterinarian Dr. Charlie Boles, he has seen almost every possible problem a horse can have concerning their hooves, and here is what he had to say.

#1 – Pick up their feet to check if your horse has a healthy horse hoof.

Every day. Every ride.

“Owners that handle their horses daily get to know their horses’ hooves and what is normal or abnormal for them,” Davis said. “Catching a problem right away can be the difference between a little problem or a big problem.”

#2 – Assess your horse’s hoof health to develop a baseline.

One of the best ways to maintain your horse’s hoof health is to monitor heat in hooves and get to know what is normal for your horse. Learn to check for digital pulses, which can be a sign of laminitis, lameness, or abscess. A healthy horse hoof can be free from cracks, so you always have to check, as some are superficial, but others can be a problem. Inspect nails, clenches, and shoes, and check it is not sprung (lifted) or loose. Check for abnormalities in the sole and frog and be aware of any strong smell that could potentially mean thrush. If you suspect thrush, ask your vet or farrier right away and treat it with a product they recommend. Be aware of abscesses or soft spots on the soles or the outside of hooves as far up as the coronet band. One of the most practical ways to maintain a healthy horse’s hoof is to always check for rocks and any foreign objects that may have become embedded in the hoof, such as a nail or fence staple. If you suspect a puncture, contact your vet immediately so you may determine how deeply it is embedded and the best way to treat it.

#3 – Try to keep your horse’s hooves dry.

Constant rinsing, bathing, and drying of horses’ hooves can affect hoof quality. One of the most effective ways to maintain your horse’s hoof health is to allow it to dry in the sun before returning it to a dark or damp stall if you rinse your horse often. This type of expansion from moisture and contraction from drying is also a problem for horses living in muddy paddocks during the rainy season or in the summers, for horses turned out at night in damp grass pastures and brought in to stand in their dry, cool pens during the heat of the day.

#4 – Consider topical products for a healthy horse hoof.

It can help seal the horses’ hooves with a protective sealant such as Tuff Stuff or one of the many other products on the market, such as Hoof Alive or Rain Maker before you get them wet. Just don’t apply topical products to hooves before your farrier plans a visit, as it will make their job much harder. Also, constant or daily applications of hoof oils can actually be drying to hooves. To ensure a healthy horse hoof, always check with your farrier about a product they have had success with. This would be true of thrush and white line treatments as well as sole hardeners – every farrier has their own favorite products.

#5 – Feeding a good quality supplement and giving it adequate time to show results is one of the best ways to maintain your horse’s hoof health.

While you may see some difference within a few months of starting a horse hoof supplement, it really takes a year to see the full impact. Davis acknowledges that a large part of hoof quality is genetic but has seen results when customers have fed different products to sustain healthy horse hoofs.  Learn more about how supplements impact hoof health, and for further reading, check out Hoof Supplements: Feeding the Foot by Heather Smith Thomas.

#6 – Ground Manners:  Make sure your horse has them or has a plan for them to be enrolled in Charm School.

Farriers cannot do their best work when they are dodging hooves or teeth. To sustain a healthy horse hoof, you must work with your horse’s feet daily to get them used to being picked up and make sure they will hold and keep them up. If you have trouble, enlist the help of a trainer – seriously! Farriers, vets, and other professionals who work around horses do not appreciate hearing, “Oh, I forgot to tell you…” after your horse has taken a taste of their arm or love tapped them with their hoof. I cannot stress this enough. I can assure you our experts used more colorful language regarding this subject.

#7 – One of the best ways to maintain your horse’s hoof health is to find a farrier that you trust and stick with them.

To get a healthy horse hoof, you should give your farrier a chance to help shape and influence the health of your horse’s hooves, paying careful attention to angles, medial and lateral balance, break over, shape, etc. A good farrier, whether your horse is shod or barefoot, will keep your horse on a regular schedule in order to prevent hooves from becoming too long, out of balance, or developing cracks and chips. Ask for referrals; a good farrier will have no trouble providing you with the names of loyal clients.

We hope these healthy horse hoof tips helped you protect your horses’ hooves, especially with International Hoof-Care Month to raise awareness! Tell us in the comments if you have any special ways to maintain your horse’s hoof health that we didn’t cover!