ONE of the most important things to remember in looking after a horse is that its health can be greatly affected by the hoof care it receives.
TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute, Richmond college, farrier co-ordinator Barney Rogers agrees with the old saying, “no hoof, no horse”, adding it is something horse owners should always keep in mind.
Mr Rogers, whose family has been in the farrier and blacksmithing trades for more than a century, said a horse’s feet must be inspected daily and every owner should have a good working relationship with an accredited farrier.
He said ideally a horse should be shod or have its hooves trimmed every four to six weeks and in between the owner should be aware of common problems that can occur.
“The daily inspection of hooves is so important, because on many occasions farriers or veterinarians are called in to treat a lameness which has been caused by a common screw or nail lodged into the hoof,” he said.
An infection could then result, leading to long-term lameness, which could have been avoided through a daily hoof inspection.
Other ailments that could affect a hoof are thrush, wall separation and quarter cracks in the hoof wall.
“Quarter cracks in the hoof wall can spring up overnight, as can splints, and they sometimes follow a new shoeing – so the farrier will need to inspect and decide on appropriate action.”
The first clue to thrush, a bacterial condition often caused by prolonged standing in wet, muddy conditions, is a foul smell and dark ooze from the cleft of the frog.
Severe thrush could undermine the sensitive tissue of the hoof, and owners should check with their farrier or vet to determine the best method of treatment for each individual case, Mr Rogers said.
Nutrition also plays a vital role in the strength and health of the hoof, as problems like laminitis (more commonly known as foundering) can be life-threatening to the horse.
“Regardless of what we think is the correct diet, the hooves provide important feedback – rings or lines in the hooves can indicate a pending laminitis attack,” Mr Rogers said.
For horse owners who want a better understanding of the hoof and shoeing practices, Richmond TAFE runs a 10-week hoof care and dentition course.
Mr Rogers said this short course provided guidelines for shoeing, including basic trimming, learning to level the hoof, shoe removal, and how to nail on a shoe.
It also provides information on common lameness and other conditions that affect the hoof, how best to treat them and how to correctly pick up a horse’s legs.
Mr Rogers said owners who completed the course would at least have a sound understanding of how to remove a shoe and which tools they needed to have on-hand.
“Horses can twist or move a shoe quite easily – over reaching, running backwards, kicking the wall or fence can all lead to a sprung shoe,” he said.
“Once a shoe is sprung there is a real danger of the nails or toe clips being pushed back into the hoof, and most of the time the horse will stand with its leg held up until it is fixed.”
