What is proper hoof care in the 21st century?
To shoe or not to shoe is a choice every horse owner has to make for his horse. As an equine hoof care professional my concern is not only for the horse’s hoofs, but for his entire well being.
To shoe or not to shoe is a choice every horse owner has to make for his horse. As an equine hoof care professional my concern is not only for the horse’s hoofs, but for his entire well being.
- Horses are herd animals. They do best when outside all the time together with their equine friends. This improves circulation in the hoof and prevents the ammonia in the urine and feces in the stall to destroy the hoof.
- Supplying the horse with a diet that offers a variety of food that's low in sugar and starch, and free of toxic chemicals is the best you can do.
- A hoof naturally tends to grow towards the inside and needs to expand with every step, a barefoot hoof makes this possible.
- Continuous grazing or ingesting forages from ground level keeps the horse healthy as this is his normal body position.
- Horses with access to a pond or stream have the opportunity to get their hoofs into water, which helps the elasticity of the horn. Grease and oil on hoofs will dry them out.
- Give a horse 24/7-access to forage as their stomach produces acids the whole day. Grazing about 16 hours a day is therefore normal and understandable.
- The healthy horse has a perfect thermoregulatory system itself. It can go to minus 20 degrees Celsius without a blanket. Also putting clothing and protective wear on is not necessary as the horse has his own “jacket” and protection system. The horse does, however, need an open shelter, not a stall.
- The right trimming is also very important and key to a good and healthy hoof. Most horses’ hoofs need to be trimmed every 4 to 5 weeks.