The horse's hooves.

Horses' hooves are complex structures that support the entire horse's weight. Keeping them healthy with regular care helps prevent any problems and keep them in optimal condition. All horses need regular hoof care, but not all require shoes.

The old saying "no foot, no horse" still holds true today, yet foot care is one of the most neglected horse management practices. Most lameness that affects a horse's usefulness can be prevented with proper foot care and sensible management.

Should horses be barefoot or shod? With boots? With glued-on horseshoes? How often should hooves be serviced? What is the ideal hoof?

Each horse is a unique individual that lives in a specific environment and has its own set of genetic traits. Furthermore, each horse owner has specific expectations of their horse. In our experience, there is no right or wrong answer to the questions posed above.

There are several factors that affect the care of a horse's hooves:

Genetics. All horses are born with hooves influenced by genetics, whether good or bad. Depending on their conformation, the natural shape and angle of a horse's feet and limbs can cause some parts of the hooves to wear faster than others.

Foal development. In the wild, a foal moves with the herd within a few hours of birth. The foal isn't left standing in a small stall with a thick layer of shavings. Exercise and movement are essential for optimal hooves and legs development.

Environment. A horse's hooves adapt to their environment. The hooves of horses raised on soft, grassy pastures show less natural wear than those of horses raised on hard, rocky terrain.

Climate. There are things we can't influence, such as the degree of humidity or dryness of the climate where we live. For example, hooves grow more slowly during the cold winter months.

Movement. Increased movement improves circulation and stimulates hoof growth. Being fit and having muscle tone, flexibility, and good body posture as a result of proper exercise can have very positive effects on a horse's hooves. Vice versa, healthy hooves promote better overall health, muscle tone, flexibility, and body posture.

Diet. A nutritionally balanced diet (with all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals) contributes to much healthier hooves.

The overuse of high-sugar concentrate feeds, too many biscuits and other treats (e.g., apples and carrots), and a lack of understanding of how nutrition affects a horse's health have caused much suffering in horses, including death as a result of laminitis.

Injuries. Even in the safest environment, horses seem to find ways to injure themselves. And those injuries can sometimes affect the horse's health. Wire cuts through the coronary band, for example, can cause permanent damage to the hoof.

Expectations. Frustrations can arise when our expectations don't match reality. For example, a person might want their horse to go from wearing shoes to going barefoot, but the horse might not be able to make that transition comfortably overnight.

Podiatrist or farrier. Like any professional, a podiatrist must be trained and up-to-date on the latest research and information. There should always be a reason for what they do (or don't do) to the horse's hooves. If they can't explain it, they probably don't know.

Handling. Training a horse to accept having its hooves handled is the responsibility of the horse owner and is vital to the health and well-being of its hooves. We must ensure that our horses are safe and comfortable to handle, so that their hooves can be easily cared for.

Participation. The best results in horse hoof care are achieved when everyone involved works as a team. As horse caretakers, we are a vital part of that team.

Hoof maintenance is essential; a horse's physical ability depends on it. Most foot care practices can be performed by the average horse owner. However, it's important to know when to seek professional help. Hoof trimming, shoeing, and understanding hoof anatomy are important factors in maintaining a healthy hoof.

It's essential to understand the structure and function of a horse's hoof. A horse's hoof is what we call a horn box. Located at the end of the foot, it covers and protects the internal structures of the foot, such as bones, cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue. It consists of several distinct parts, including:

The wall should be dense, straight, and free of rings (ridges) and cracks. Viewed from the side, the wall at the tip should be a continuation of the slope of the pastern.

It is made up of keratin fibers and serves as the primary weight-bearing structure, protecting the internal structure of the foot and helping to maintain moisture in the foot.

The sole of the foot is a horny substance that protects the sensitive inner parts of the foot and provides additional support. It should be firm, slightly concave, and evenly textured. The horse lacks sensation on the outer surface of the sole. A horse with flat feet tends to suffer more bruising and injuries to the sole. Additionally, horses that have suffered from laminitis and developed a dropped sole bruise more easily.

The frog , located on the heel of the foot, forms a "V" in the center of the sole and acts as a shock absorber. It is a spongy, flexible pad that also acts as a support surface. It is the intermediate organ between the plantar pad and the source of the horse's weight. The frog is distinguished from the sole of the foot by two lines called grooves.

The condition of the frog is, in general, a good indicator of foot health. Without proper flexibility, expansion, and contact with the ground, the frog cannot fulfill its function of supporting blood circulation and absorbing shock throughout the foot.

The crown, or coronary band, is the source of growth for the hoof wall. It lies directly above the wall and is protected by a thick layer of skin and dense hair.

A healthy hoof will grow approximately 1 cm per month. A change in the rate of hoof growth can be caused by changes in the amount of exercise, diet, the onset of disease, and the animal's overall health and condition. An injury to the coronary band can cause irregular growth of the hoof wall and can result in a permanently damaged hoof wall.

Hind legs may grow faster than front legs, and unshod legs may grow faster than shod legs. The legs of mares and geldings appear to grow faster than those of stallions.

In order to provide proper foot care, it is also necessary to understand some of the important internal parts of the foot and their functions:

The foot bone provides the shape of the foot and the rigidity needed to support weight.

The plantar pad expands and contracts to absorb impact and pumps blood from the foot back to the heart.

The navicular bone serves as a fulcrum and support surface for the deep flexor tendon, which is responsible for extending the foot as it progresses through a stride.

The sensitive laminae serve as a means of attachment for the hoof wall and the foot bone and also as the main area of blood circulation within the foot.

While the bones and hooves get all the glory, the soft tissues are the unsung heroes of the equine foot. Ligaments, tendons, and laminae work together to provide support, flexibility, and strength.

The deep digital flexor tendon, for example, is the engine that drives the horse's ability to flex its foot, a movement essential for almost everything.

The equine foot is not only made up of bones and soft tissues, but also an extensive network of blood vessels that nourish and support it. This complex system ensures that every part of the foot receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function properly.

And what would a sophisticated structure be without a communication system? The nerve innervation of the equine foot allows it to sense its environment, adjust its grip, and protect itself from injury. The digital nerves, which run through the hoof, provide the information necessary for a horse to move confidently on different terrain. This intricate network of nerves ensures that a horse can react to a stone or a piece of ice with the same precision.

Hooves play a central role in a horse's movement. With every movement, with every stride, and in conjunction with the internal structures of the hoof, they actively help propel the horse forward, as well as absorb impacts and pressures. To act as shock absorbers, the elasticity of the hooves is key.

The hoof must be flexible enough and have an adequate moisture level. It should not be too dry or too wet, otherwise various problems can arise that will bother the horse.

Despite its sturdy design, when not properly cared for, the equine foot can be prone to a variety of problems, including fissures, calluses, frog infections, laminitis, navicular disease, and hoof cracks.

Laminitis, a painful condition affecting the laminae, can lead to serious complications if not treated promptly. Similarly, navicular disease affects the navicular bone and associated structures, resulting in chronic pain and limping.

To achieve maximum health, in addition to proper nutrition and appropriate supplementation, regular hoof care is essential. This includes cleaning (removing debris from the underside of the hooves) and inspecting the horse's hooves.

But we'll also need outside help from a podiatrist or farrier to keep the horse's hooves balanced and healthy. An inexperienced person can easily trim the hoof wall too short or remove too much of the sole, causing pain to the horse. In the long run, it's cheaper to pay a good professional than to risk your horse's well-being.

Because the growth rate of domestic horse hooves typically exceeds the rate of wear, hoof walls must be physically trimmed to proper length and alignment periodically, keeping in mind that every horse is an individual and situations are unique.

Good management practices will go a long way toward preventing or minimizing hoof problems, given that a horse's hoof care needs vary throughout the year.

In winter, for example, you need to watch for ice balls forming on the hoof or horseshoe. In spring, you need to monitor the horse's diet and adapt it to the lush spring pasture to prevent the horse from developing grass-related laminitis. In summer, we tend to work the horse harder and may shoe it or transport it in a van more, so we need to be mindful of summer stressors. And in autumn, you might prepare the horse for winter barefooting.

From daily cleaning with a brush and hoof pick to regular trimming and/or shoeing, hoof care should be an integral part of your horse's routine. Remember that every horse is unique, and factors such as management, environment and climate, nutrition, morphology, and health can influence the frequency and type of care.

Ultimately, a comprehensive approach to hoof care can help keep your horse's hooves strong, healthy, and ready for whatever trail you set out to explore next.

Keeping hooves in good condition not only contributes to the horse's overall health and well-being, but also reduces the expense of treating lame animals.

In conclusion, a horse's foot is a marvel of natural engineering, deserving of our utmost respect and care. By understanding its complex anatomy and needs, we can better care for our horses, ensuring their health, happiness, and longevity.