Hoof Care

The wild horses of Australia and other countries have survived for hundreds of years without the benefit of hoof care provided by humans.  Their hooves are constantly worn away due in part of the ground that they run on, but also through the hoof becoming too long and eventually breaking off, sometimes causing lameness. 

However, domestic horses are often housed in stables and small yards and so they do not have the opportunity to wear the hoof away naturally.  On the other hand, competition or working horses are required to work on hard or uneven surfaces repeatedly, and so they may wear their hooves away too much and become lame.  These problems have meant that horses hooves must be regularly trimmed and/or shod to allow them to compete or work and to prevent lameness.

Anatomy of the Hoof

The horses foot is basically a modified "fingernail" with a hard outer wall which provides protection to the inner soft tissues.

1. Bulbs of Heels     2. Frog     3.Sole of Hoof   4.Bars
5. Apex of Frog     6. Central Sulcus of Frog, or Lateral Furrow of Frog
7. White Line     8. Hoof Wall
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Cleaning of Hoof

Hoof Diseases

Most foot problems can be avoided with proper care. Keep your horse on clean, dry footing. Feed him properly. Pick out his feet on a regular basis. Have his hooves trimmed or shod regularly by a competent farrier. Protect his feet with properly fitted shoes and pads if necessary.

Thrush and Canker

Thrush, the more common of the two, is an infection of the frog. Canker (hoof rot) is an infection of the whole foot. You’ll recognize both from a foul odour and discharge from the disintegrating frog. Both are caused by keeping a horse in wet, dirty conditions.

If you find that your horse is just starting a thrush infection, you can treat it with brush-on medications available in tack stores. For more advanced cases, consult your veterinarian or farrier.

Corns and Bruised Sole

Corns are caused by constant, small repeated pressures to a part of the foot. Common causes are a poor shoeing job or shoes that are left on too long.

Bruises are caused by a single, traumatic blow to the foot, such as stepping on a piece of gravel. Bruising is more likely to happen if the horse has naturally flat soles, or if the sole and frog have been pared too thin in trimming.

If the bruise or corn has not abscessed, removing the cause of the problem is usually all the treatment required. If your horse bruises easily, he may need protective shoes and pads.

Abscesses

If your horse suddenly goes dead lame on one foot, an abscess is the most probable cause. It could be caused by a puncture wound or by a corn or bruise.

Your veterinarian will drain the abscess and prescribe follow-up treatment. She will probably also give the horse a tetanus shot.

Cracks

Cracks in the hoof wall can start at the bottom and go up or at the top and go down. The seriousness of a crack depends on how deep it goes and where it is located. If the crack is deep enough that it bleeds after the horse has exercised, infection is likely.

Cracks that start at the top of the foot are due to disturbances in hoof growth resulting from coronet injuries such as wirecuts. Cracks that start at the bottom of the foot are caused by dry or thin hoof walls or improper trimming.  Serious cracks may require corrective shoeing.

Seedy Toe

Seedy toe is a separation of the hoof wall from the white line in the toe region causing a hole between the hoof wall and the sensitive laminae. The outside of the hoof wall looks sound, but the inside becomes crumbly. Poor foot care is the most common cause. Seedy toe is easily caused when the hoof wall is allowed to grow too long. It also commonly occurs with chronic laminitis.

Laminitis or Founder

Laminitis, commonly called founder, is an acutely painful inflammation of the foot. It occurs most often in the front feet although it can affect the hind feet as well. The most common cause is overeating.                            More information

Navicular Disease

If your horse is lame on and off with no apparent cause, your veterinarian may suspect navicular disease. The pain is caused by degeneration of the navicular bone, a small bone inside the foot, and the tendon which passes over it.