When it comes to taking care of your horse, every little bit counts and that includes looking after the hooves of your horse as well. They are perhaps the most important parts of the animal, which is why for the overall health of the horse, it’s crucial that the hooves must be strong and healthy. Following are some tips on how to provide care to the most important part of your prized horse.
Inspect Your Horse's Hooves
Although pretty basic, this is the single most important thing that can be done for the health of your horse’s hooves. Many owners don’t pay enough attention to this job, even though many of the most common hoof problems can be averted if caught early which is only possible if this job is carried out thoroughly and diligently. Carefully follow the below, down to the letter.
- Make it a habit to remove any stones or other small objects before each ride. Also, check out in what condition the horse’s shoes are in.
- Check out the condition of the shoes after the horse is un-tacked in case something got stuck during the ride.
- Check the feet and hooves of the horse, for objects stuck in the feet and/or turnout injuries after bringing the animal in every night.
- Be sure to check the pulse and heat of the horse, remove the manure from the floor and keep a lookout for thrush before turnout the next morning.
Invest in a good quality and stiff brush by which you can follow a daily and thorough grooming regimen of the horse, as well as other equally useful equipment.
Learn How to Remove Your Horse’s Shoe
This is a skill that can be learned very easily, under the supervision of a professional farrier or caretaker of your horse. Learning little things such as this or learning to remove a shifted or sprung shoe etc. can help you, when it comes to saving your horse from experiencing unnecessary pain and hoof damage. This will also make the veterinarian’s job much easier.
Help Your Horse Get Healthy and Beautiful Hooves
When it comes to hooves, some horses have naturally better and more beautiful looking ones as compared to others as is the case with human feet. You can make sure that your horse is growing the best hooves, in terms of health and beautiful to look at by following these tips.
- Pay special attention to your horse’s diet. In addition, consult your veterinarian regarding any feeding program that should be followed according to the animal’s nutritional needs.
- You can also add a supplement to the feed of your horse and stick to it for about 6 months to a year. If there isn’t any change by then, don’t give the supplement anymore.
- The horse should be given consistent exercise. Focus on walking and trotting on good and even surfaces as that will help increase blood circulation to the hooves which in turn will promote healthy growth.
