"No hoof - No horse" goes the old
saying; and it is a true one. Caring for the hoof
is a very important part of equine management. All
horses, ponies, mules, donkeys (also goats and
cattle) need their feet trimmed, cleaned, treated
when injured, protected from injury, and, in the
case of equines, the hoof needs to be shod if the
use of the animal warrants it.
Basic care begins first with making sure there
is nothing in the pasture, paddock, corral or
stall that can harm the horse's hooves or legs.
This means all loose boards, protruding nails or
screws, loose nails or other sharp objects on the
ground must be picked up, repaired or removed.
Wire, baling twine, rope and other entanglements
must also be removed. This takes continuous
observation and maintenance.
The next thing is to clean the hooves regularly
as part of grooming. Use a hoof pick to remove
stones, dirt, manure and other objects from the
horse's hoof. This routine of cleaning the hooves
should begin when the foal is very young. That is
why it is important to handle the foal from birth,
including touching the legs and feet and picking
up the feet as the foal gets a little older.
 Horses and ponies need their feet trimmed about
every 3 months or so. The farrier, or horse shoer,
is the most important person you can call on
except for your vet. Fees for trimming vary across
the country, but usually are between $15.00 and
$40.00. The farrier will check your horse's feet
for injury, rot and disease. He will make
recommendations to you about special care your
horse may need and may even refer you to your
veterinarian if needed.
After your horse has it's feet trimmed it may
experience some tenderness, especially when
walking on rough ground or gravel. This is normal
for many horses, but should not last very long. If
your horse experiences prolonged lameness, call
you vet. Farriers can make mistakes and not all of
them are good...just like everything else. Get
references before you choose a farrier, ask your
friends who they use. Check the person out before
you trust your horse to him or her.
If you are riding your horse on the street,
taking it to shows, trail rides and so on, you
need to have your horse shod. Again, the farrier
is the one who does this. He or she will fit iron
shoes to your horses foot, and, after trimming the
hoof, nail the shoe into place.
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