Horse hooves require preventative care.Horse hooves need more extensive maintenance performed every few weeks.Learning how to care for your horse's hooves can help keep it healthy.
Step 1: Put your horse in a secured area.
Someone may be able to hold your horse in place.If you don't have anyone to hold your horse, you may want to tie it up.This could cause injury to your horse and to you if she tries to move away while you're lifting her feet.When tying up your horse for hoof maintenance, be sure to use a quick-release knot or mechanism.
Step 2: Stand in the correct place.
It's important where you stand when you're doing hoof maintenance.If you're standing behind your horse's foot, she can easily kick you, which can cause serious injury or even death.Stand in line with your horse's front leg, facing her rear.The hand closest to the horse's body is the best place to stroke her neck.To get the cannon bone, use your other hand to run down the back of your horse's leg.Stand with your shoulders in line with the horse's hip bone as you lift the hind legs.The hand should be in place on the horse's hip.Use your other hand to stroke her rear and then run your hand down to the cannon bone.
Step 3: Pressure should be applied to the cannon bone.
Press against the horse's shoulder to stroke her neck on the front legs.Press against the horse's hip with your hand to stroke her rear.The weight of your horse should be shifted to the other leg if you don't apply pressure on the cannon bone.
Step 4: Cup the horse's hoof.
If you want to help your horse shift her weight to the other foot, you need to move your hand from the horse's shoulder to her ankle.Put the hoof in your hand.Praise your horse, and then give her a treat.
Step 5: The whole process should be repeated.
If you want your horse to be no longer startled, you should do this several times in a row.Be careful not to get kicked and make sure that your horse knows where you are at all times.
Step 6: Lift the hoof.
If your horse is used to having her cannon squeezed and lifting her leg on command, grasp the hoof and hold it in place.
Step 7: Large debris should be removed.
While holding your horse's hoof in place, use a hoof pick to pry away any large debris.The hoof pick can be used to gently pry debris out of the horse's frog.Be careful not to poke the frog itself while working it from foot to toe.The hoof's sole and outer edges should be cleaned with the side of a pick.
Step 8: Finer debris should be removed.
Once you've picked away large objects with the hoof pick, use a stiff bristle brush to scrub away mud, dirt, and sand.You should be able to see the sole of your horse's hoof once you've picked and brushed the hooves.Don't be concerned if your horse's frog is old or tattered.The hooves of horses are shed one to two times a year.
Step 9: For each hoof, repeat.
After riding or performing field work with your horse, it's important that you thoroughly clean each hoof every day.
Step 10: If you see it, check for it.
Standing for long periods on dirty or wet ground can cause tetanus.The stall should be thoroughly cleaned and dried to prevent future occurrences of thrush.There are foul smells in the frog of the hoof, a dark ooze, and a "cheesy" texture on the Frog.
Step 11: Check for puncture wounds.
Take a close look at the sole of the hoof.If your horse stepped on something that fell out, you may not notice the wound until an abscess forms.It's important that you don't pull the object out if you find it stuck in the hoof.The vet should examine your horse's puncture wound as soon as possible.You will most likely see an abscess during the inspection.Your horse's hoof will probably feel warmer to the touch and her digital pulse will most likely throb stronger than usual.As soon as possible, have your vet inspect the abscess.If your horse's front hooves are warm to the touch and throbbing with a strong pulse, you should call your vet.If left unattended, laminitis can be fatal.
Step 12: Look for cracks.
There are superficial cracks in horse hooves that do not cause any harm.Some cracks can become bigger, deeper, and more painful.If you notice a crack, it's a good idea to let your farrier or vet know where the crack is and how big it is.Either your farrier or your vet should be able to tell you if the crack needs to be fixed or not.It is possible to prevent cracks and abscesses from forming by keeping your horse's hooves shoed.
Step 13: Flares should be thrown off.
Flares should be rasped off every two weeks or so.There should be no flares on any sides of the hoof.When all quarters are flush with the ground, use a rasp in a side-to-side motion across the quarter section of the hoof walls.
Step 14: The hooves should be trimmed.
Balance of the hoof is an important concern when trimming hooves.The hoof wall's size and shape should be the same.It's best to have a vet or farrier show you how to trim hooves if you've never done it before.To make sure you don't hurt the horse, you could have the farrier trim it.
Step 15: You can learn how often to trim hooves.
Light-use, unshod horses need to be trimmed every 12 weeks.Some horses need to have their hooves trimmed every five to seven weeks.On a case-by-case basis, each horse's needs will be different.Your vet or farrier can tell you how often your horse's hooves need to be trimmed.
Step 16: A balanced trim is required.
If you want to shoe a horse's hooves, you need to make sure they have a balanced trim.If a hoof is unbalanced, you will have to rasp the walls until they are straight and the quarters are flush with the ground.
Step 17: A proper shoe is what you choose.
Steel, aluminum, or plastic are some of the materials that horse shoes are made of.Measure the shoe to your horse's hoof once you've selected a material.The hoof wall should be covered by a good-fitting shoe that doesn't extend past the edge of the hoof.The horse may accidentally step on the rim of the shoe if a shoe sticks out past the edge.
Step 18: Put the hoof in place.
Horse shoes are usually fastened in place with short nails.Place the squares that are not too coarse on the wall of the hoof.If you don't know how to shoe a horse hoof, a vet or farrier can show you how.