Importance of daily hoof care

“No Hoof, No Horse.” is a very fundamental and true saying.

This means that picking out hooves before any sort of horse work is a priority in horse foot health.

But why picking your horse’s hooves is so important?

Horse’s hooves are prone to trapping bits of gravel, muck, and debris every day.

If the hooves are not picked out before any sort of work these pieces of gravel and debris can lead to discomfort, infection, and lameness.

Picking out involves removing any dirt, small stones, and other debris that become trapped in the areas around the frog.

In addition, picking the hooves out helps you to identify puncture wounds or other problems in your horse hoof at an early stage.

If your horse is ridden on a regular basis, you should have its hooves picked and cleaned before and after each ride.

Even if your horse is not in work, you should have their hooves cleaned and inspected weekly so any hoof problems are caught in the earliest stages.

According to the Blue Cross charity hoof care is an essential routine for horses. Furthermore, the charity RSPCA emphasis that daily hoof care is part of making sure horses are happy and healthy by keeping them safe from pain, suffering, injury, and disease.

“The Finnegan Tools Hoof Stand – a ‘must-have’ for anyone with a hoof pick! I use a Finnegan Tools Hoof stand and wouldn’t be without it for the hoof care of my horses. Any serious horse lover will be familiar with the adage “no hoof no horse” but caring for hooves is heavy work! I speak from experience as my horses are Irish Draughts standing at 16.2 H and 17 H! With regular use, they now confidently rest their leg weight on the stand which is very sturdy – I’ve seen my 17 H horse lean completely on it without even a wobble! The stand takes the strain of heavy holding and when you have mastered the correct technique you will find working with both hands takes very little effort. This is a great piece of kit and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is serious about actively caring for their animal’s hooves. A ‘must-have’ for anyone with a hoof pick!”

Helen

From Yorkshire