hoof problems

48-1 SECTION 7 HOOF PROBLEMS 2

MEDIAL LATERAL CHANGES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HOOF

This is a study of the movement that I have observed which occurs during preparation of the hoof for either ...

HOW TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE

I would like to like to direct the attention of all competitive horse owners to the importance of correct hoof ...

HAPPY EQUINE VALENTINES DAY

Valentines Day is an appropriate time to discuss the eternal love affair between horse owners and their horse or horses, ...

HOOF CARE FOR THE FOUNDERED HORSE

Founder or Laminitis is one of the most damaging ailments for the horse’s hoof. The causes are varied but the ...

NAVICULAR DISEASE OR BALANCE RELATED NAVICULAR SYNDROME?

I have lost count of the number of consultations over the last year where each owner has explained in great ...

REVISITING SEEDY TOE

The cause, the effect and the resolution of Seedy Toe – also known as White Line Disease. THE CAUSE: It ...

SEEDY TOE CAN BE CURED!

Seedy Toe is NOT a mysterious and unknown ailment. It never fails to amaze me how Seedy Toe can be ...

QUARTERED HEELS AND HOW TO REPAIR THEM

Quartered heels come in many different variations, and always seem to happen to your best horse. Necessity is the mother ...

CONTRACTED HEELS

Contracted heels can be the end result of many different factors. They are not typical of any particular breed or ...

UNDER-RUN HEELS

Under-run heels are identified by their appearance as being extremely low and acutely sloping forward, to the point where they ...

THE HOOF ABSCESS

Many horse owners and riders are unable to recognise the symptoms that indicate the beginnings of an abscess. If detected ...

HOOF-RELATED BACK STRAIN

Hoof-related back strain is a syndrome that is affecting both horses and riders in all forms of equine pursuits. It ...

ATTITUDE PROBLEMS RELATED TO HOOF CARE

In considering attitude, we must consider both man and beast because in so many ways our feelings and reactions are ...

CORNS – CAUSES AND CORRECTIONS

The discovery that your horse has developed corns, or indeed has corns that will not go away, must be recognised ...

STRINGHALT

Stringhalt is one problem that I rarely come across. This is a nervous reaction of the hind legs – the ...

PEDAL OSTEITIS – CAUSE AND EFFECT

Pedal Osteitis is deterioration of the pedal bone (or coffin bone). Interestingly, I have found the condition is most prevalent ...

SHORT FROGS, LONG FROGS AND BENT FROGS

It is often difficult to see what is ‘normal’ in the bottom of the hoof. There are three main problems ...

THE NATURAL HOOF SHAPE and ‘RIGHT HANDED DISEASE’.

To quote Dr Doug Butler in his book The Principles of Horseshoeing, ‘The hardest thing a farrier has to deal ...

BRUISING IN THE HOOF

Bruising in the hoof wall is often unwittingly excused as self-inflicted injury. ‘Oh he must have stepped on a rock ...

OVER-REACHING AND FORGING: CAUSE AND CORRECTION

Over-reaching is when the toe of the back foot hits the heel bulbs of the front foot. Forging is when ...

CREEPING TOES

Creeping Toes sounds like it might be a fungal growth or an alien invasion, however it is my terminology for ...

HOOF CARE FOR THE CLUB FOOTED HORSE

With the club footed horse, the first thing to understand is that the horse has a deformity and as such ...

CLUB FEET – THE BRUTAL TRUTH

After pussy footing around and skirting sensitive issues with delicate statements, there finally comes a time when the only thing ...

DOES THE HOOF SUIT THE EVENT?

Far too often the hoof does NOT suit the event and the end result is a very mediocre level of ...

HOW TO PREVENT PEAK PERFORMANCE

There are six bad habits creeping into hoof preparation and the fitting of shoes. 1. Quarter clipped shoes, rolled toe ...

FLARES IN THE HORSE’S HOOF – NORMAL OR NATURAL?

There is no such thing as a ‘Normal Flare’ or a ‘Natural Flare’ in any horse’s hoof. Making a statement ...

FLARES ARE YOUR GREATEST ENEMY

The failure to understand and address this area in hoof maintenance programmes for many decades has led to a multitude ...

PREDICTABLE HOOF RELATED LAMENESS

There are three main problems in hoof care today Long toes and low heels High heels and short toes The ...

THE HOOF AFTER THE FLOODS

STAGE 1: Nature really is a fierce adversary. The after effects of horses’ hooves standing in water for long periods ...

MANAGING DRY HOOVES IN DRY TIMES

Horses’ hooves are a natural barometer in tune with nature, and if we as hoof carers can also tune into ...

HORSE HEALTH STARTS WITH CORRECT HOOF CARE

Watching the tennis in January illustrated to me how crucial it is for the players to be structurally sound as ...