Caring for Horses - Feet

Our farrier trims the horses feet quarterly and compliments the health of their hoofs each time.  Stable hygiene and regular hoof care are part of our regimen.  This includes mucking the stalls, of course, but I also do some things that I do not see being done for other horses nearby.  I never let the horses stand in adverse weather conditions for prolonged periods.   I care for them at least 3 times a day, so if it is raining or snowing, or anything that would make them uncomfortable, I mix it up - bring them back in to their stalls, or move them from pasture to corral, and even move them from one corral to the other.  Some people have a set schedule whereby their horses are out for these 10 or 12 hours and that does not change based on adverse conditions.  I don't understand this because no one wants to stand in water for long periods of time and  at times our grass and dirt is just too muddy to stand in!  We keep the stalls very clean and put down wood shavings to absorb wetness.  Our stalls are very big so their is ample room for them to do their business off to one side.  They choose the very back of our 12'x14' sized stalls.  They eat in the very front.  And each horse picks a different side to lay down.

Some of the routine maintenance for a horse that is not shoed is as follows.  Have good clean ground for them to stand on - this includes the pasture, the dirt corral, and the run in or stalls.  If there is rain or snow or ice, the conditions that can be tough on hooves, move the horses to the drier areas.  If the ground is always dry, like in the heat of the summer, create a muddy spot near the water trough, for example, for the horses to step in.  Balance, as always, is key.  If horses get a condition known as thrush, you may try an anti fungal and triple ointment to heal it before it causes lameness.  Remember these feet carry alot of weight - a typical horse at 1200 pounds!  So all of the prevention we do to keep those hooves healthy is very important.

I also pick out the feet frequently to check for stones or other debris that may get caught, and if kept there could migrate up the hoof wall causing infection - you don't want this.  Also, I always pick out their feet before riding as you do not want the extra weight on problems.  We do not shoe our horses since they are not worked often if at all.  They are here for our care and provide us with manure to compost for our fields.  I also enjoying giving pony rides to children as I experienced in my youth.  For riding lessons, I recommend a good stable nearby, where the trainer helped me to school my horses. But for horse care, I am very well learned, besides the books that I have read, I have twelve years experience and good fortune of healthy and happy horses!