Proper Basic Hoof Care

Reviewed March 2010 Proper Basic Hoof Care Scott McKendrick, American Farriers Association Certified Farrier and USU Extension Coordinator of Equine and Small Acreage Programs Dr. Patricia Evans, Assistant Professor in ADVS at USU and Extension Equine Specialist Dr. Clell Bagley, Extension Veterinarian Equine hoof care is too often “out of sight, continue with the pointed out of mind.” However, horse owners must realize front hooves (Figure 1) that for maximum horse health and longevity, will deviate themselves through hoof and leg soundness, regular hoof care over time as they learn to is a must. This publication addresses the needs walk either toed out or toed and procedures for proper hoof care and shoeing. in, rather than being able to All horses need regular hoof care, but not all break straight over the horses require shoeing. This information will front of the toe. benefit horse owners by indicating what to look for in both proper trimming and shoeing. Figure 1. A quick trim squaring the toe and First Trimming removing the pointed nature of the front hooves Foals should be trimmed for the first time and hind hooves, as necessary, will aid the foal at one or two weeks of age. Not all foals are born with correct leg perfect in their hoof and leg structure, and even conformation for those that are, hoof care needs to start at an (Figure 2). A early age to maintain correctness. Trying to square toe will correct leg and hoof deviation after a horse is help the hoof older than one year will usually cause more long- break over the term damage than it will help. center and Some foals are either toed out or toed in, establish or and without the early trim, will eventually become maintain a more permanently crooked and/or even more deviated correct “way of from the ideal. Foals are born with pointed front going.” hooves to aid in delivery positioning and tearing Early trimming has Figure 2. the placenta at birth. Foals that are allowed to the greatest impact on correcting deviations and maintaining correct hoof and leg structure. A Point to Remember: “All hoof and leg deviations from the ideal, get worse with neglect of hooves and excess growth; and can even become more deviated in their form and function.” …Scott S. McKendrick Corrective trimming can help correct trimmed and shod horse. A balanced hoof will and/or minimize leg and hoof deviations if have equal medial/lateral size and shape (Figure applied within the first year of age. 3), along with anterior/posterior balance (approximately one-half hoof forward and rear of Trimming the widest part of the hoof) (Figure 4). The Balance, balance, and balance are the balance of the lower leg can be determined by primary concerns and objectives when trimming drawing an imaginary line that bisects equally the and shoeing a horse. A balanced hoof and lower cannon bone, long pastern, short pastern and leg are the primary desired results of a properly coffin bone or hoof from a frontal view (Figure 5). BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE Figure 3 Figure 4 ½ ½ Medial/lateral Anterior/posterior Figure 3. Figure 4. Figure 5. Mature horses also need trimming to The key to proper trimming is maintaining maintain soundness. Different horses and different those angles by correct toe and heel length. Most breeds have varied shoulder/pastern/hoof angles. horses require trimming more toe than heel; Owners and farriers should trim to keep those however, some horses will grow more heel and angles consistent, whether sloping, ideal, or will need to have their heel shortened to set the stumpy (Figure 6). hoof down to maintain the proper hoof/pastern axis (Figure 7). Figure 6. Figure 7. A general rule for frequency of trimming weeks or as needed between visits from their non-use or light use, unshod horses is every 10-12 regular farrier. Owners must realize that the weeks. Horses adapted to performing with following factors could affect this schedule: trimming only will require more frequent 1. AGE OF HORSES Younger horses trimming with less hoof removed each time. In tend to grow hoof faster than older horses. many cases, hooves are ready to be trimmed again 2. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS Hooves between 5 to 7 weeks. The educated horse owners grow slower in cold winter months. can help themselves by carefully rasping any 3. NUTRITION Horses that are flares, or “taming back” any flares, every two borderline on intake of adequate nutrition will grow less hoof than horses receiving individual needs. Horses adequate to excess nutrition. maintained to the 4. ENVIRONMENT Although horse “barefoot trim” ideal hooves generally grow at a constant rate will need minimal while temperatures are above freezing, amounts of hoof horses kept in soft pastures will appear to trimmed off each time, grow more hoof than horses kept in a but at more frequent rocky or harder terrain because of less intervals. natural wear. A properly 5. EXERCISE Well fed and well trimmed hoof should exercised horses will tend to have have a hairline or healthier hooves than those that are kept in coronary band level with a stall with little or no exercise. the ground (Figure 8). Any flaring of the hoof wall should be trimmed to show equal and straight Although 10-12 weeks is a general slopes on both the medial and lateral sides of the guideline for frequency of hoof trimming for non- hoof (Figure 8). The heel angle and use or light use, unshod horses, owners need to toe/pastern/shoulder angle should also be very manage each horse’s hoof care based on its close to the same angle (Figure 9). Front view – Lateral view – check coronary alignment of hoof and wall lines. and pastern. Figure 8. Figure 9. Shoeing usually nailed on with the proper size of nail, but The same general hoof growth factors may also be glued on. affect shod and trimmed horses with the exception Before shoeing, the hoof must have a of environmental wear. A general guideline for balanced trim. A correct size of shoe must then be frequency of shoeing (trimming and resetting) a shaped for proper fit and attached. Correctly sized horse is every 6-8 weeks, with the age of the horse shoes should extend around the circumference of causing the major differences in schedule. the shaped hoof wall long enough to cover the Proper shoeing is basically proper heels, but not so long as to provide an opportunity trimming (hoof wall and sole preparation) with for the heel of the shoe to be stepped on or pulled the addition of a shoe of some type, applied for off. The shoe should be adequate in width and added hoof protection. Proper shoe application length for the size of horse and the horses primary includes fitting a shoe to a properly trimmed and use (Figures 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e). shaped hoof, not fitting the hoof to a generically The regular shoe is held in place by short shaped shoe pattern right out of the box. nail clinches about ¾" up the hoof wall. Clinches Shoes may be steel, aluminum, plastic (the cut off and bent over portion of the nail) and/or various components of these. Shoes are should be square, not too coarse, about the width of the nail, and should be in a straight line indicating the professional skills of the farrier. Figure 10a. Figure 10b. Figure 10c. Balance and proper shoe application. Proper shoeing includes neat clinches in a straight row, proper balance and angles of pastern and hoof, and adequate shoe lengths to properly cover heel. Shoe too short, lacks Shoe too long, heel coverage and easily stepped on support and pulled off. Figure 10d. Figure 10e. For maximum hoof health and heel hoof around to the heel (Figure 11). Depending on expansion, nails should not be placed posterior to the size of hoof and the use of the horse, the heel the widest part of the hoof. In some cases, this expansion of the shoe may be 1/16"-1/8" wider may support the use of only the front three nail than the hoof (Figure 12). Proper utilization of holes, per side, on a pre-manufactured shoe. heel expansion in the shoeing process will Another key, and sometimes overlooked, maintain the hoof up and on the shoe (not expectation of a proper shod hoof includes spreading out over the shoe as the hoof grows and adequate heel expansion or widening of the shoe expands) and will increase the life of the shoeing beyond the hoof width from the widest part of the job. Heel expansion A nickel standing on starts at the the shoe demon- widest part of the strates proper hoof and follows expansion width of all the way around the shoe at the heel. the heel.(from arrow to arrow on each side) Figure 11. Figure 12. There are many more specific hoof heel syndrome, Navicular disease/syndrome, club trimming and shoeing treatments for such hoof and more. There are also diseases of the problems as founder or laminitis, long toe/low hoof, including thrush, white line disease, abscesses, and more, that also require appropriate treatment. For additional horse hoof trimming and Remember: shoeing information, contact your local Utah State University Extension office, your local BALANCE ** BALANCE ** BALANCE professional farrier, or the USU Equine Team Web site at http://extension.usu.edu/equine/. Owners and Farriers Working Together For the Betterment of the Horse and Hoof WHAT CAN OWNERS DO? WHAT CAN FARRIERS DO? • Select horses with good hooves. • Provide prompt and professional service.

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