Have you ever heard the old saying "No Foot, No Horse". As corny as that may
sound it is more true than you may realize. The Horses' hoof is the foundation of everything related to performance, quality
of life, attitude, and so on in the equine life. Can you imagine running a marathon in shoes that were either too small or
with uneven heels. Your horse will not perform willingly or happily under these conditions no more than you would. Proper
farrier care by someone who is qualified and trained will do wonders for your horse and in time can improve your horses performance,
attitude, and your relationship with your equine. The following are some of the questions ask of me on what seems
like a daily basis. If your question is not answered here please contact me.
Why shoe my horse?
There are only three valid reasons that horses are shod: protection, traction or to effect a therapeutic
change in the way a horse moves. All else is vanity. Protection is the
most obvious reason: Simply put, if a horse's rate of foot wear exceeds his rate of foot growth, his foot must be protected
in some way. If not protected, continuing the same routine, in the same environment, will cause soreness. Once sore,
the owner can either lay him up while he grows out enough to protect himself with hoof wall and exfoliating sole,
or shoe him and accomplish almost the same thing artificially. The most obvious form of protection is a horseshoe.
Should my horse be Hot shod?
There has been many discussions concerning
this, and both sides have valid points. The thing to remember is that each horse should be treated as an individual and each
horses' needs should be addressed at the time of shoeing. I shoe both Hot and Cold depending on what is best for your horse.
How often should I have my horse
Shod or Trimmed?
This has been a question for many horse
owners for years. The simple answer is, it depends. Each horse is an individual and their feet pretty much grow at slightly
differently rates which are affected by many different things. Such as enviroment, exercise, age, health, and nutrition.
Most horses which are fed properly with
moderate exercise will fall into the five(5) to eight(8) week catagory. The average being every six(6) weeks.
How often should I clean(pick)
my horses feet?
As often as you can, if stalled at least
daily.
Should my horse be on hoof supplements?
Hoof supplements are a great idea if your
horse has week or damaged hoof walls. Your Vet or Farrier should be able to advise you after having seen your horse.
