HOOF CARE
Good hoof care is very important. Hereditary factors, the correct soil and the degree of movement play an important role in the further development of the hoof and the position of the lower leg. Regular checkups and possible treatment, such as trimming, are also conditions for a horse's life of healthy hooves. As the English say: 'no foot, no horse'.
The functioning of the hoof mechanism partly depends on the amount of movement. Movement stimulates blood flow. But hooves also need a lot of moisture. Let your horse walk occasionally in a wet meadow, outdoor arena or paddock, as this makes the hooves resilient and helps them maintain their natural shine. You can of course also rinse the hooves after riding, but this helps to a lesser extent. You should therefore pay attention that the pastern cavity does not remain wet for too long in connection with mug! Always dry the pastern cavities with a towel.
scratch out hooves
It is the horse owner or caretaker's job to scrape out the hooves daily and check them closely for dirt and stones. Do not scratch the hooves too roughly, because that way you remove some horn from the hoof sole every time, making the sole more and more sensitive.
hoof pad
Hoof fittings are usually used to protect the bearing edge against wear, crumbling and tearing and to enable good gait and stance. Nowadays, orthopedic corrections (read more about this in the article below) can be made. However, we now know that hoof fittings also have disadvantages. It hinders the hoof mechanism to a limited extent. The hoof nails damage the horn wall and the hoof dries out more easily. The horseshoe reduces the natural shock absorption. Horses with horseshoes (and without pins or turkeys) are more likely to slip, especially on slippery surfaces and grass. Because the front half of the hoof is always nailed, the bearing edge hardly wears in the tone area and does wear in the heel area. As a result, the hoof shape changes after a few weeks and therefore also the position of the hoof. Weigh the pros and cons carefully and prefer not to use a hoof shoe if it is not necessary. For example, with normal use on soft ground, rear hoof shoe is not necessary. The horse should in any case be shoed or trimmed once every six to eight weeks, depending on the rate of horn growth and the wear and tear of the shoe
