Tips To Care Forr Your Horses Hooves

We have all heard the old saying ‘no hoof, no pony ‘ which is why it is essential to have your pony seen by the farrier frequently.

Correct balance of the hoof promotes soundness and if the hoof is not balanced a range of issues can arise such as bony changes within the foot, soft tissue damage due to uneven loading and stress through the limb.

When assessing hoof balance of the horse it is really important to evaluate it from 3 ways; the lateral view (from the side); from the front, and the dorsal view (the bottom of the foot).

From the side view the hoof-pastern axis should form a straight line, i.e. The hoof wall should follow the same line as the pastern bone. From the front the coronary band should be flat and parallel to the ground. From underneath the centre point should lie between the widest part and just behind the point of the frog.

If your horse’s feet don't match the above description then you could have them seen by a farrier. Don’t be frightened to ask your farrier for guidance; they'll be able to tell you whether your pony is shod continually enough and if there's anything more you can do to help. The advice is that a pony should see the farrier each 6 weeks however some horses with poor feet must be shod as often as every 4 weeks, whereas some horses will last 8 -10 weeks with no issues.

If your pony has Problems with its feet then your farrier may suggest remedial shoeing to fix this. This will typically be done with your vet as your farrier may wish to see x-rays to get a more comprehensive understanding of what is going on in the hoof and the angle of the pedal bone.

There are various different types of shoes that your farrier may select depending on the horse’s wants. These include natural balance shoes (engineered to increase natural breakover), egg bar, heart bar, onion shaped, front toe clips and side quarter toe clips.

If in any doubt about your horse’s wants speak to your farrier. They have knowledge of balancing and trimming horse’s hooves and will definitely be able to advise you on the best plan of action. Using their unique mixing of veterinarian and blacksmith talents, they will help you to look after your horse’s hooves in the right manner.

KW Saddlery is your No 1 store for the provision of quality pony gear and saddlery. The also have a great supply of Polocrosse Supplies