Horse hoof care: daily checks, trimming and when to call the farrier

Pick out every hoof, every day

Extension specialists say cleaning out the hooves should be done daily. It can alert you to problems and helps prevent bruises, corns and abscesses.

Stand beside the horse facing the tail, run a hand down the leg and lift the foot. Work the pick from heel to toe and clear all the debris, checking for stones lodged in the foot. Set the foot down gently when you finish.

While the foot is up, look and smell. A hot hoof, a foul black discharge around the frog, a stone mark, a crack or a red spot on the sole is worth writing down. Doing the same check each day is what makes a change stand out.

How often to trim

An extension article from the University of Minnesota says horses should be trimmed or shod at least every six to eight weeks in summer, and as often as needed, with some performance horses needing it sooner. Hooves generally grow more slowly in winter, so every six to twelve weeks may be enough. The right interval depends on the horse and how much hoof it grows.

The University of Kentucky says the average hoof grows a quarter to three eighths of an inch a month, so a horse grows a new hoof in about a year. Growth is faster in young horses and slows with age, and it is affected by season, injury and nutrition.

Long gaps cost something. Prolonged trimming intervals can cause elongated toes, and the unsupported wall often cracks. Long toes can also collapse the heels and strain tendons and the navicular bone.

Thrush, cracks and bruises

Thrush is a foul-smelling black discharge, usually around the frog, associated with wet, soiled conditions. Extension sources say it is not contagious to other horses and that the best control is sanitation: clean the hooves daily and clean the stall daily, removing wet spots and manure. It can invade sensitive tissue and cause lameness, so ask the farrier or vet if it does not clear.

Hoof cracks are visible vertical cracks in the wall. Dry and brittle hooves crack more easily, and weather swings from wet to dry make it worse. Moisturizer on the wall during dry weather and regular trimming help. Some cracks reach the sensitive structures and can cause lameness. A deep crack needs the farrier or vet, and a hoof can take nine to 12 months to grow out a sand crack.

Sole bruises show as red spots or specks on the sole and frog. They are caused by sharp objects or by walking on rocky ground, and rarely cause lameness unless severe. Hooves trimmed too short bruise easily on any ground.

Heat, pulse and lameness

A hot hoof with an increased pulse is the sign extension specialists give for an abscess, an infection of the sensitive tissue of the foot that causes lameness of varying degree. A vet or farrier may find the spot with hoof testers and open it to drain. The lameness usually eases once drainage starts.

Laminitis is inflammation of the sensitive laminae of one or more hooves, with severe pain, and in serious cases the coffin bone can rotate or sink. The University of Kentucky says the outlook is guarded and depends on how far it has gone. If you suspect it, call a vet promptly.

Anything that goes into the foot is an emergency. A street nail is any foreign object that enters the foot, and the advice is to call a vet right away. A nail driven into the sensitive structures when shoeing, called a hot nail, usually causes lameness, and may need a tetanus booster.

Farrier or vet?

Both. Extension sources stress a good working relationship with a farrier and a veterinarian, because most horses have different hoof issues and growth.

• Farrier: regular trims or shoes, hoof balance, long toes, flares, minor cracks, shoes for winter footing.
• Vet: lameness, heat and a strong pulse, laminitis, abscess, a foreign object or nail in the foot, deep cracks, or thrush that does not clear.
• Ask the farrier to check balance and the sole. A good trim leaves the hoof level, the sole flexing under thumb pressure, and the horse sound afterward.

Winter, weather and feed

Snow can ball up under the sole and cause bruising or imbalance, and ice is slippery under normal shoes. If the horse is normally barefoot, extension advice is to leave the shoes off in winter, as horses usually slip less barefoot, and horses prone to sole bruising may need shoes.

Good hay, the right vitamins and trace minerals, and fresh water at all times support the hoof, and correcting poor nutrition improves it gradually. Our feeding guide covers rations. Our advice is to ask your vet before adding a hoof supplement.