Hoof Help - Care of Your Horse's Feet

Trimming Maintains Foot Balance:

Trimming of feet is important, although not needed as frequently as cleaning.  Trimming should be done at about four-week intervals on horses kept in stalls or paddocks, or about six-week intervals for horses used heavily or running in pastures.  The main goal in trimming is to retain the proper shape and length of the foot.

Founder Brings Feet Problems:

Fat horses tend to have problems with laminitis (founder).  This is especially common among horses with some Shetland pony breeding.  Grass founder in the spring produc3es more laminitis than any other single cause.  If you horse is fat, grazes abundant grass and is not exercised, there is great risk of laminitis.

Laminitis commonly causes lameness.  Horses with laminitis have extreme pain and soreness, especially in their front feet.  They try to bear weight on their back legs and lighten the front end as much as possible by carrying their front feet forward and their back feet up under their bodies.  Horses showing signs of laminitis should have immediate attention from a veterinarian.

Therapeutic trimming and shoeing may make a horse with laminitis sound enough for light work and normal reproduction.

Give Nail Pricks Prompt Attention:

Much lameness results from nail pricks.  Horses should not be ridden in areas of trash and boards containing nails.  Injury caused by nails can ruin a horse.

As soon as a nail prick is identified, give prompt medical attention and pack it to prevent re-infection by ground-borne disease organisms.

The most important aspects of good foot care are regularity, frequency, cleanliness and the use of proper corrective measures.

Handling the Feet:

Learning and practicing safe handling of the horse's feet are important steps in performing routine foot care. Horses should be taught early in life to yield their feet.

Most horses are worked more from the left side than the right, so begin working with the left front foot. Rub down the leg toward the foot with your right hand while your left hand is on the shoulder. Push off with your left hand if you need to move away.

Squeeze the tendon to get the horse to yield the foot if it won't do so otherwise. Move the hand in front of the canon or fetlock as the foot raises. Position the foot firmly between your knees. If the horse struggles and wishes to regain its foot, let it do so. You can't hold a front foot if the horse rears. Repeat the procedure until the horse learns to yield its feet willingly.

To lift a hind foot, keep one hand near the hip and go down the leg slowly with the other (Figures 7 and 8). Work in close to the horse. Pull forward on the canon until the horse yields its foot. If you feel tense muscles, go more slowly. Step promptly under the raised foot with the inside leg and set the foot above your knees. Lock it in place with your elbow over the hock and your toes pointed toward each other. Hold the foot in this position so both hands are free to work.
 

Written by:  Wayne Loch, University of Missouri Extension  (To read this article in its entirety, go to:  www.extension.missouri.edu)