Horseshoes are not used, but domesticated horses may still require trimming, exercise and other measures to maintain a natural shape and degree of wear.. However, don't trim the hooves unless you are experienced and comfortable around your horse. You cant cut the quick or else it will bleed. Strains flexor tendons and the navicular bone, Cause trauma to the coffin bone and joint, Causes stress on supporting ligaments and joints, Dry weather, or frequent changes from wet to dry, Drawn-out trimming intervals and long toes, Poor hoof quality, some horses may be born with it. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Horse hoof trimming is an important part of health care for domestic horses. Like many, it took a special horse in my life – who had lameness issues – to drive me to that point. I’d be willing to bet that you’re not the type of person who makes mistakes intentionally. Oh, one other thing, did I mention that trimming your own horse is a barefoot horse benefit because it’s much easier to learn to trim than it is to shoe? Kawell USA. However, if you’re as close with your equine companion as I suspect you are, your first mission is to do no harm and to only help. When the farrier would come, my horses were usually uptight and at times not treated well – that was before I knew what I know now. Causes of solar abscess include trauma, bruising, or a foreign body. You can treat by keeping your stalls or barn clean and dry. A horse’s hoof grows ¼-inch every month; if the growth is too long, the hooves could crack and break off into pieces. A hoof that is trimmed improperly, however, may result in the horse having some soreness and discomfort. Horses affected by navicular will usually step toe-first because of heel pain. For more barefoot horse benefits check out our free 7-part, To Blanket Your Horse or Not to Blanket … That Is the Question, The News You Don’t Want (but Need) to Hear About Managing Equine Parasites. Thrush invades the sensitive tissues of the hoof and causes lameness. Correctly supplement vitamins and trace minerals. Your horse has to have a certain amount of hoof in order to keep the tendons, ligaments, bones, and other soft tissues from becoming bruised and battered. Does this scenario sound familiar? But barefoot or not, if he’s not trimmed right, you’re going to have problems. This became clear to me after I started trimming my own horses. Inside the hoof are a lot of important, and very sensitive structures. I would strongly discourage going any longer than 8 weeks between trims. Register for our free library that provides you access to valuable, cutting edge information on caring for your horse naturally. There are several causes of laminitis. This is the reason why barefoot horses should have their hooves trimmed … Inexperienced horse owners can easily trim the hoof too short, leading to infection or discomfort. Cooperate with veterinarians and horse nutritionists to set up a good nutrition plan. Salt for Horses: Tragic Mistakes to Avoid. She can feel it across the pasture. Performance horses should be kept on a 4-week (or less) trim cycle. Horses with balance hooves move better, and have less stress and strain on bones, tendons and ligaments. You start to wonder if you’ve set your standards too high, and you begin to feel exhausted trying to find a good barefoot trimmer that meets up to your expectations. In some cases, switching a horse to a shorter trim cycle for a few trims will accelerate improvement in the hoof, and the horse can then revert to a longer cycle. You don’t care what anyone thinks, it’s time to take another course of action. This hoof problem generally doesn’t cause lameness. Diet Providing your horse with the energyread full article You’ll become self-reliant. Laminitis is swelling of the sensitive laminae. Although trimming your own horse is not for the faint of heart, the struggles you’ll overcome to learn this skill are unimaginably rewarding. Join Stephanie on Google+ and if you want a thriving equine, click here to register now for Stephanie's free Soulful Guardian™ Basics. You are your horse’s best ally. You’ve created a reasonable wish list of qualities you’re looking for in a natural hoof care provider. because when people keep the horses confined and feed them well, their hoof growth outpaces the rate at which they can wear them down on their own This allows the horse to put its weight directly over the frog and digital cushion. A Natural Trim on Your Barefoot Horse is Best Performed by You, Revealed: How to Deepen Your Relationship with Your Horse. Horses’ hooves play an important role when it comes to their health. . Owners must trim the hooves into the ideal shape and length for comfort as the animals walk. The old adage, “No hoof, no horse,” still stands true. As there are no nerves in the whiskers themselves, it does not hurt the horse to trim or shave them. They need to be trimmed because hoof wall is exactly the same as human fingernail. If the hooves are treated correctly during trims, balanced nicely and the horse is ridden correctly as well as allowed to get enough free movement, the hooves will adapt and tend to themselves nicely. Apply hoof moisturizers to the hoof wall and sole during: Provide good nutrition and commercially available hoof supplements to improve hoof quality, Soaking the hoof in warm water and Epsom salt, Keeping the hoof bandaged, clean, and dry, Cleaning the nail hole with antiseptic, a wash that prevents germ growth, Inheritance (Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds). Those that deal with horses regularly accept this as a normal part of horse care. I go into a significant amount of detail in my book Guiding Principles of Natural Horse Care about what to consider before making the leap to trimming your own horse. You become frustrated trying various trimmers and you’re not fully happy with your horse’s soundness. No one is perfect – remember, a mistake is when you knew better and you did it anyway. The toe is not too long and is squared, rounded or rolled. All rights reserved. These horses may be able to go indefinitely with no trimming at all, or only the occasional touch up. 2. Establish a good working relationship with your farrier and veterinarian to ensure your horse stays healthy and sound. © Just imagine how wonderful it would be if you had the knowledge and physical ability to trim your own barefoot horse. Now – what on earth would cause the thought of trimming your own horse to enter your mind in the first place? Especially when it comes to rehabilitating a lame horse. The approach to the trim should be considered too - if the horse is uncomfortable, the minimum should be done - the toe shortened and heel lowered to ensure the hoof is perfectly aligned with the pedal bone, and the walls bevelled to reduce weight bearing and therefore separating forces - it doesn't have to be pretty, just functional. A correctly trimmed hoof with no infection in the frog should strike the ground heel-first, with the frog in ground contact and taking the impact of the horse's weight. Those same words came out of my mouth more than 10 years ago when I decided I didn’t want anyone else to touch my horse’s hooves again, other than me. Solar abscesses lead to sudden or severe lameness. Many experts encourage leaving whiskers on horses because of the benefits they have. When you first start trimming the hooves, do short sessions and be extra careful, since improperly trimming your horse's hooves can injure or even lame it. By Tab Pigg. Whether the horse is growing back over-trimmed soles or is genetically predisposed to thin soles, it’s important that hoof care professionals examine the conditions the horse is kept in because environment directly … Cow hooves are always growing, and they can become quite uncomfortable for them … Each hoof should be trimmed every 4-6 weeks depending on your horse, how its hooves grow, and how it wears down its hooves. Natural Horse Concepts That Help Your Horse Thrive™. A hot nail is a horseshoe nail within a sensitive area of the horse’s hoof. It is the same as getting them shoed and any other healthcare procedure. . Thrush occurs in wet, soiled conditions. That’s why people started shoeing in the first place. Picture details – Stephanie trimming Ransom, Filed Under: Barefoot Hoof Care, Best of Soulful Equine Tagged With: Horse Care Strategies, Natural Hoof Care Practitioners, Personal Development, Unconventional Horse Care. Natural hoof care is the practice of keeping horses so that their hooves are worn down naturally and so do not suffer overgrowth, splitting and other disorders. Your horse knows you better than anyone else. However, this interval can be lengthened or shortened. As caretakers of horses, it is important to know the basics skills to evaluate the health of your horse’s hooves. The toe area of the hoof makes up the first third of the horse’s hoof. In order to keep the hooves balanced and healthy, it’s important to get them taken care of on a regular basis. Treatment will depend on the location of the injury. Proper trimming and awareness of the horse’s sole thickness is vital to maintaining optimal hoof health. 1. … Since this is a new client and I haven’t trimmed a lot . You blame yourself, not the trimmers you’ve tried, because you have this “flaw” that most in the equine industry consider a “tree hugger” approach to horse care. You come to realize that finding someone who’s a good fit for both you and your horse is difficult at best. First you’ll learn horse hoof anatomy, then what tools you need for horse hoof trimming, then how to trim horse hooves step-by-step. The hoof wall is what’s trimmed back by a farrier, though they may also remove some of the sole and the frog. The horse needs the hoof for protection of the sensitive structures and bone inside the foot. She knows you, and if you have a good relationship with her, she would much rather have you trim her than a stranger. If you take in cows, this includes regular hoof trimming for each of your residents. That way when I was short on cash as an adult, or P.O’d at a farrier, nobody had me over a barrel when it came to hoof care. To reduce hoof problems: Trim or shoe hooves at least every 6 to 8 weeks in the summer. Properly trimmed hooves have the heels trimmed back to the widest point of the frog. Trimming your horse's hooves is a great way to connect with your horse and help keep it healthy. They must be competent in the art and skill of natural hoof care and performing a natural trim. It will drive you to want to become a great trimmer for your horse. Just like dogs, horses have quicks. The traditional method, however, is to hold the horse's ear together and trim off only the untidy, excess hair. Horse hoof trimming is an important part of health care for domestic horses. Photo 1. Once you become proficient, you’ll be able to put that money to other good equine related uses, such as horsemanship clinics, hoof care courses and better nutrition for your horse. Because the horse’s hooves grow slower in the winter, you should trim or shoe hooves every 6 to 12 weeks. Are You Feeding Your Horse These 4 ‘Healthy’ – Yet Dangerous – Foods? Navicular disease involves the navicular bone, bursa, ligamentous, and/or soft tissue structures. A street nail is any foreign object that enters the horse’s foot. In a healthy, well-trimmed foot that has never been shod, the frog is a wide, plump structure similar to the biggest pad of a … The foot lands evenly from side to side as the horse walks. Some barefoot hoof care providers are innately in tune with a horse in their care. University of Minnesota Extension discovers science-based solutions, delivers practical education, and engages Minnesotans to build a better future. The truth – if you’re up to the task, the best barefoot trimmer for your horse is you!”. Finding a new farrier is way easier said than done- it’s why so many have taken up trimming their own horses. Research shows poor quality hooves can benefit from commercially available hoof care products that contain: Horizontal cracks and blowouts occur following injury to the coronary band or blow to the hoof wall. COPYRIGHT © 2009-2020 SOULFUL CREATURES™ LLC"SOULFUL EQUINE," "HELPING YOUR HORSE THRIVE," "HELP YOUR HORSE THRIVE" AND "SOULFUL GUARDIAN"ARE TRADEMARKS OF SOULFUL CREATURES, LLCPowered by THE RAINMAKER PLATFORM. It usually takes nine to 12 months for a horse’s hoof to grow out. Provide appropriate treatment when disease occurs. Extension is expanding its online education and resources to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions. When a horse’s feet are bare, the hooves will get some degree of natural wear, what we call “self-trimming.” Certain horses will trim their own feet quite nicely if they get plenty of movement on abrasive terrain. Shoes left on too long can Before you can determine the right frequency for your horse, in consultation with your farrier or barefoot trimmer, you should assess their diet, exercise regime and hoof quality. You’ll no longer have to depend on someone else to trim your barefoot horse – it’s all you now! You are your horse’s best ally. When a horse is resting their weight on the toe of the hoof, rather than on the whole foot, this can indicate an issue. It's a protective barrier against getting knocked and bumped, and it grows out constantly just like our nails do. ... And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years. Just like people need their fingernails trimmed on a regular basis, horses need their feet trimmed regularly. Stephanie Krahl is a natural horse care specialist, co-founder and CEO of Soulful Equine® and author of the book Guiding Principles of Natural Horse Care. Find a farrier or trimmer who has experience and success with transitioning horses away from metal. Sand cracks result from injury to the coronary band or white line disease that breaks out at the coronary band. Hot nails will generally cause lameness. So every six weeks or so you need a farrier to remove the shoes, trim and balance the hooves, and replace the shoes. Your horse knows you better than anyone else. At times, whiskers may act as a “third eye” for horses, as they allow them to sense food, danger, and their environment, especially when it is dark out. A solar abscess is an infection in the sole of the hoof. It's much easier not to trim inside the ear in the first place. Updated May 18, 2020. The lamina is a connective tissue located inside the hoof. Determining the cause of the cracks and removing it, Floating the hoof wall (not letting it bear weight). In cases where a horse does not wear down the hoof at the rate it grows and is maintained on a regular schedule, excess hoof needs to be trimmed off to maintain soundness. A horse with trimmed ears should wear a fly hood when turned out. This should always be done before and after riding. P.S. Regents of the University of Minnesota. When you care deeply for your equine companion, she feels it. We’ve all been there and have made decisions about our horse’s care that were not optimal. Provide constant access to fresh, clean water. Grass cracks commonly occur in horses with long, unshod hooves Trimming and shoeing can correct these cracks. After a significant amount of consideration, the words finally come out of your mouth. Who knows, you may decide to help other horses as well, but it starts with your horse and your desire to do what’s best for her, first and foremost. The best part is that you can trim her on your own schedule rather than waiting for the hoof care professional to schedule you in. Sound hoof care. if your horse is shod, his hooves still grow, and they grow faster at the toe than at the heel. These structures need protection; that protection is the hoof. Just like our fingernails, a horse’s hooves grow continuously over time and need to be trimmed every six to eight weeks to keep them in proper shape. It was one of the best things I ever did and I’ll never regret my decision. 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