Regular hoof trims and re-shoeing help keep your horse's hooves in good condition and properly balanced as well as replacing loose nails. While a horse may be able to sustain injury or illness in many parts of its body, the hoof bears weight and so adds hundreds of pounds of stress to any ailment. Because a horse is almost always on its feet, their hooves are their foundation and of utmost importance to the health of your horse. Find a farrier or trimmer who has experience and success with transitioning horses away from metal. By following the status of the horse’s bone, you’ll be able to get a pretty good indication of how things are going inside the hoof. "Intuitively, it always seemed to make sense that the hoof wall is the weight-bearer,"says Ovnicek today. Work slowly and make sure you are trimming to the length you need. A hoof still grows with a shoe on, just like your fingernails still grow even if you are wearing polish. Summer Trim or shoe hooves at least every 6 to 8 weeks in the summer. Her front fetlocks and coffin joints had been injected with little improvement in gait. The farrier also trims the hoof wall for correct medial–lateral (side-to-side) balance, so that weight is distributed evenly across the coffin bone and other structures in the foot. The toe should be nicely rounded and not flat across the front, which signifies excessive wear due to the fact that the heels are too long and have shot forward on the hoof. This is where horse owners are often misguided into using a short term fix that in the long term will encourage re-infection. If a hoof wall is weakened or contains a crack it's possible for the abscess to develop there instead. Clinches should be smooth and not sitting up on the outer hoof wall. A hoof abscess can occur if something sharp, like a nail or screw, punctures the sole and creates an entry way for bacteria. What it is: When viewing your horse from the side with his cannon bone perpendicular to the ground, you should be able to draw a straight line through the middle of the pastern and the hoof. Consult with a reputable farrier to determine your horses needs, preferably one who is knowledgeable in Natural Hoof Care. Boom then bust; feast then famine. The toe area of the hoof makes up the first third of the horse’s hoof. Unless the horse has perfect conformation (which is rare), this doesn’t mean that both sides of the hoof wall should … This professional should know how to do a barefoot trim, which is different from a shoe-ready trim, and carry a stock of hoof boots and/or glue-on options to be able to fit the horse immediately when the shoes are pulled. It was believed the frog should not come into contact with hard ground. And traction will improve greatly, as well. The majority of horses’ feet remain healthy until the time they are broke and enter training, usually as two-year-olds. Horses should be walked regularly, but it is important to not do more harm to an abscessed hoof. The hoof running between the toe and the coronet band should be a straight line. Get your horse on a regular farrier schedule for a happy, healthy and sound horse. A sub-solar hoof abscess, also known as pus in the foot is a common cause of lameness, particularly in wet weather conditions following a long dry period. Radiographs were taken of the left front. The toe is long also, but the heels need the most attention. How Often to Change a Hoof Wrap. The newest hoof boots go on easily, stay on well, and last a long time. The abscess opened about a week and a half ago and seemed to drain completely, but she's still limping with seemingly no improvement. Trim the front of the hoof at a 45 degree angle to avoid a sharp toe. 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