Hoof maintenance is a crucial part of ensuring your horses well being. It’s advisable to check your horses hooves daily, and at least two to three times each week.  You should become very familiar with what is normal and what isn’t, and be able to to notice any problems that might be beginning.

Following this simple checklist will hopefully aid you in your daily routiene.

1. As you approach your horse be sure the symmetry is releatively close, they do not have to be perfectly equal, but very similar to the same size and form.

2. Carefully examine for faults in the wall and coronary band.  Pick up each hoof, run your hand along the outside of the wall to feel for impairments.  Apply the exact technique for the coronary band and then press it gently. Using these two procedures will also show soft areas and water bearing areas.

3. Examine the sole. Check the colour of every hoof. They should be the same in colouration.  A well delineated dark spot will indicate a bruise or damage.

4. Look at and compare the frogs.  The hooves at the front should be of similar proportions and shape, the same applies to the hooves at the rear. You should gently press each frog using your hoof pick, mostly, apart from the desert areas, it should be a little spongy.

5. If your horse is shod, grasp the horseshoe and see if it wiggles. Check for lost clinches, if the shoe is loose you might choose to remove the shoe in case your horse loses it on its own and risks taking a piece of hoof with it.

If you frequently check each hoof, you can avoid a lot of problems by noticing the issue before it gets severe.

We recomend you work into your daily hoof cleaning a couple of easy steps. Use your pick from heel to toe.  If packed tightly you might be required to loosen it up a touch before it is removed. Once the material is taken out, look at all the regions of the hoof and be positive that there is not a bad odour as this is usually a obvious indicator of thrush.  Be certain there aren’t any pebbles or stones embedded anywhere, particularly under the shoe.

The hooves should display a natural gloss on the wall of the hoof.

If you find a smooth uniform surface with no cracks, circles, depressions, flares and a concave sole that meets the horseshoe, then you should be pretty sure that the hooves are in good condition.

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