We have all heard the old saying 'no hoof, no pony ' explaining why it's vital to have your pony seen by the farrier frequently.
The Proper balance of the hoof encourages soundness and if the hoof isn't balanced a variety of issues can arise such as bony changes in the foot, soft tissue damage caused by uneven loading and stress thru the limb.
When assessing hoof balance of the horse it is critical 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 beneath the centre point should be between the widest part and just behind the point of the frog.
If your horse's feet don't match the above outline then you could have them seen by a farrier. Don't be afraid to ask your farrier for information; they'll be able to tell you whether your horse is shod regularly enough and if there's anything more you can do to help. The advice is that a horse should see the farrier each 6 weeks however some horses with poor feet will have to be shod as often as each 4 weeks, while some horses will last 8 -10 weeks with no Problems.
If your horse has issues with its feet then your farrier may suggest remedial shoeing to fix this. This could usually be done with your vet as your farrier may wish to see x-rays to get a better understanding of what is happening within 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 requirements. These include natural balance shoes (designed to increase natural breakover), egg bar, heart bar, onion formed, front toe clips and side quarter toe clips.
If in any doubt about your horse's needs , speak to your farrier. They have knowledge of balancing and trimming horse's hooves and will most likely be able to help you on the best plan. Using their unique mixing of veterinarian and blacksmith talents, they will help you to look after your horse's hooves in the correct manner.
The Proper balance of the hoof encourages soundness and if the hoof isn't balanced a variety of issues can arise such as bony changes in the foot, soft tissue damage caused by uneven loading and stress thru the limb.
When assessing hoof balance of the horse it is critical 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 beneath the centre point should be between the widest part and just behind the point of the frog.
If your horse's feet don't match the above outline then you could have them seen by a farrier. Don't be afraid to ask your farrier for information; they'll be able to tell you whether your horse is shod regularly enough and if there's anything more you can do to help. The advice is that a horse should see the farrier each 6 weeks however some horses with poor feet will have to be shod as often as each 4 weeks, while some horses will last 8 -10 weeks with no Problems.
If your horse has issues with its feet then your farrier may suggest remedial shoeing to fix this. This could usually be done with your vet as your farrier may wish to see x-rays to get a better understanding of what is happening within 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 requirements. These include natural balance shoes (designed to increase natural breakover), egg bar, heart bar, onion formed, front toe clips and side quarter toe clips.
If in any doubt about your horse's needs , speak to your farrier. They have knowledge of balancing and trimming horse's hooves and will most likely be able to help you on the best plan. Using their unique mixing of veterinarian and blacksmith talents, they will help you to look after your horse's hooves in the correct manner.
About the Author:
KW Saddlery is your No 1 store for the provision of quality horse gear and saddlery. The also have a great supply of Polocrosse Supplies
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