Have you ever heard the old saying "No Foot, No Horse". As corny as that may sound it is more
true than you may realize. The Horses' hoof is the foundation of everything related to performance, quality of life, attitude,
and so on in the equine life. Can you imagine running a marathon in shoes that were either too small or with uneven heels.
Your horse will not perform willingly or happily under these conditions no more than you would. Proper farrier care by someone
who is qualified and trained will do wonders for your horse and in time can improve your horses performance, attitude, and
your relationship with your equine. The following are some of the questions ask of me on what seems like a daily
basis. If your question is not answered here please contact me.
Why shoe my horse?
There are only three valid reasons that horses are shod: protection, traction or to effect a therapeutic
change in the way a horse moves. All else is vanity. Protection is the
most obvious reason: Simply put, if a horse's rate of foot wear exceeds his rate of foot growth, his foot must be protected
in some way. If not protected, continuing the same routine, in the same environment, will cause soreness. Once sore,
the owner can either lay him up while he grows out enough to protect himself with hoof wall and exfoliating sole,
or shoe him and accomplish almost the same thing artificially. The most obvious form of protection is a horseshoe.
Should my horse be Hot shod?
There has been many discussions concerning this, and both
sides have valid points. The thing to remember is that each horse should be treated as an individual and each horses' needs
should be addressed at the time of shoeing. I shoe both Hot and Cold depending on what is best for your horse.
How often should I have my horse Shod or Trimmed?
This has been a question for many horse owners for years.
The simple answer is, it depends. Each horse is an individual and their feet pretty much grow at slightly differently rates
which are affected by many different things. Such as enviroment, exercise, age, health, and nutrition.
Most horses which are fed properly with moderate exercise will
fall into the five(5) to eight(8) week catagory. The average being every six(6) weeks.
How often should I clean(pick) my horses feet?
As often as you can, if stalled at least daily.
Should my horse be on hoof supplements?
Hoof supplements are a great idea if your horse has week or
damaged hoof walls. Your Vet or Farrier should be able to advise you after having seen your horse.
