Horse Hoof Care: Daily Cleaning, What a Good Trim Looks Like, and Common Hoof Problems

What a hoof is made of

The hoof wall, sole and frog are made of keratin, the same protein as your fingernails, arranged in tiny tubes that give the wall its strength. The wall grows down from the coronary band at the hairline, about a quarter to three-eighths of an inch a month. A full new wall takes 9 to 12 months to grow from top to bottom.

That slow growth matters: any change you make, good or bad, takes months to show up at the bottom of the hoof.

Foals are born with soft, rubbery tissue covering the bottom of their hooves, sometimes called "golden slippers," which protects the mare during pregnancy and birth. It wears off within the first few days of walking.

Picking out hooves the right way

Pick every hoof every day, and before and after every ride.

1. Ask for the foot. Stand beside the leg, facing the tail. Run your hand down the back of the leg and squeeze gently at the fetlock or tendon, or lean lightly into the horse's shoulder or hip. Most horses learn to lift on a cue.
2. Hold the foot in your hand, close to the horse's body. Don't pull the leg out to the side.
3. Clean from heel to toe with a hoof pick, working away from you. Clear the grooves on each side of the frog and the groove down its center.
4. Brush off the sole to see it clearly.
5. Look and feel for stones, nails, cracks, black or smelly areas, heat and any change since yesterday.

If your horse is difficult about its feet, that's a training issue worth fixing for everyone's safety, and your farrier will thank you. See groundwork basics.

What a good trim looks like

You don't need to be a farrier to recognize a well-balanced hoof. Look at the horse standing square on firm, level ground.

From the side:

• The front of the hoof wall should line up with the angle of the pastern, forming a straight line. A broken-back line (hoof angle lower than the pastern) usually means long toes and low heels. A broken-forward line can mean a club foot or overly upright heels.
• The heels should be under the leg, supporting it, not run forward under the foot.
• The toe shouldn't be excessively long.

From the front:

• The hoof should look roughly even on both sides, with the coronary band level.
• A line down the center of the leg should pass through the center of the hoof.

From the bottom:

• The frog should be healthy, firm and broad, roughly in the center of the foot.
• The sole should be slightly concave, like a shallow bowl.
• The heels should be even.

Every horse's conformation is a little different, and a good farrier trims each foot to suit that horse, not to a textbook. If the hoof looks very different from these guidelines, ask your farrier why.

How often to trim

Most horses need a trim or reset every 5 to 8 weeks. Hooves grow faster in warm weather and slower in winter. Horses with hoof problems often do better on shorter cycles.

Signs it's time:

• Flares at the bottom of the wall
• Chips and cracks
• A shoe that's loose, shifted or has raised nail ends
• A toe that looks long compared to the heel
• The horse tripping more often

Common hoof problems

Thrush

Thrush is a bacterial infection in the grooves of the frog. It's very common, especially in wet, dirty conditions.

• Signs: a strong, foul smell; black, gooey material in the frog grooves; a soft, crumbling frog. Deep thrush in the central groove can make the horse sore.
• Treatment: clean thoroughly, let the foot dry, and apply a thrush treatment daily. Your farrier may trim away dead frog. Deep cases need persistence.
• Prevention: daily picking, clean and dry stalls, and regular trims that keep the frog healthy.

Cracks

• Grass cracks start at the bottom of the wall and are usually minor, especially in barefoot horses.
• Sand cracks start at the coronary band and run down. They can be more serious.
• Quarter cracks on the sides of the hoof can bleed and cause lameness, and may need special shoeing.

Many cracks come from imbalance, long toes, or a hoof that dries out and gets wet over and over.

White line disease

Despite the name, this is an infection of the inner layer of the hoof wall, not the white line itself. It hollows out the wall from the bottom, often without lameness at first. A farrier finds it as a chalky, powdery area. Treatment involves cutting away the affected wall so air reaches it.

Abscesses

A pocket of infection inside the hoof causes sudden, severe lameness. See horse vital signs and first aid.

Bruises

Stones and hard ground can bruise the sole, causing soreness and sometimes a reddish mark when the foot is trimmed. Thin-soled horses are more prone.

Diet and hoof quality

Good hooves start with good nutrition:

• Enough protein, including the amino acid methionine.
• Minerals, particularly zinc and copper, in the right balance. Most hay doesn't supply enough, so a vitamin and mineral supplement or ration balancer helps.
• Biotin. Studies show biotin at around 15 to 20 milligrams a day can improve weak hoof walls in some horses. Results take six to nine months, because that's how long new wall takes to grow. Many hoof supplements combine biotin with minerals and amino acids.

Moisture: steady beats wet or dry

Hoof horn holds a natural amount of moisture. Problems come from extremes and, especially, from swinging between them: a horse that stands in a wet field overnight and on dry ground all day, or gets hosed off daily in summer. That cycle loosens nail holes and leads to cracks.

• Keep conditions as steady as you can. Dry footing in wet seasons; avoid unnecessary bathing and daily hosing.
• Hoof dressings and conditioners have limited effect on the hoof wall itself, but hoof conditioners and sealants can help protect hooves exposed to repeated wet-dry cycles.

Working with your farrier

• Find a skilled, qualified farrier. In the US, the American Farrier's Association certifies farriers at several levels.
• Have the horse ready: caught, clean, with dry feet, in a safe, well-lit area.
• Teach good manners. A horse that stands quietly and picks up its feet gets a better trim.
• Communicate. Tell your farrier about any lameness, changes in work or hoof problems you've noticed.
• Stick to the schedule. Stretching the time between visits saves money in the short term but often costs more later.
• A hoof stand makes the job easier for older or arthritic horses.

Sources

• University of Minnesota Extension: Caring for Your Horse's Hooves
• Utah State University Extension: Proper Basic Hoof Care
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Equine Hoof Care
• American Farrier's Association