Best Hoof care

A horse’s hooves are designed to cushion jumps and fast movements. Hooves stabilize the movements and protect the remaining leg joints. Neglected hoof care can lead to serious damage, which in the worst case can even be irreversible. You must not only make sure that dry hooves do not become fragile, but also prevent possible hoof rot. The best way to do this is to ensure that the running environment and stable are cleaned regularly. Since the hooves are no longer exposed to abrasion in today’s use as in freedom, the hooves must be protected from excessive abrasion. You can do this with a horseshoe or hoof shoe, which is specially adapted by the farrier to the shape and size of your horse’s hooves. If exactly the opposite should be, so that not enough abrasion takes place, then one must work against it by trimming. Healthy hooves require a lot of attention. Scratching out is part of daily hoof care and should be done at least once a day. If you ride the horse regularly, it is very pleasant for the horse if you manage the hoof care as far as possible before and after the ride. Thorough scraping removes not only stones, but also manure and litter extremely effectively. The scraping off of the hooves is important to avoid the so-called “thrush”, which is spread by bacteria. If it is not detected in time, this disease can become extremely dangerous for the animal and even lead to blood poisoning. In order to allow the horse a high degree of mobility, it is of great importance that the elasticity of the hooves is maintained. You can achieve this by first washing the hooves thoroughly and then greasing them. Special hoof grease is available for this purpose, which is carefully applied to the hoof wall.

Many horses are shod. Therefore, there are a few other aspects that you need to take into account when caring for and cleaning your home on a daily basis. Check at regular intervals whether the iron around the hooves still has a perfect fit or whether it is already a little loose. You should always visit a farrier about every seven to eight weeks to tighten the iron or replace it if necessary. However, before you visit a blacksmith, you should first moisten the hooves. This makes the horny layer more supple, which makes it easier to mist up with nails in particular. Of course an extensive care with the appropriate equipment is substantially facilitated. In addition to a brush and a hoof scraper, you should also have high-quality hoof grease at hand.