I would like to like to direct the attention of all competitive horse owners to the importance of correct hoof balance and alignment. Having recently attended a major country show and camp draft event, I was somewhat dismayed to see so many … Continue Reading ››
Category Archives: Hoof Problems
hoof problems
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 shod or unshod purposes.
Many farriers or hoof carers get the blame for having got the levels wrong when trimming the hoof, which then caused the horse to either paddle … Continue Reading ››
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 well as in peak physical form. It is exactly the same for horses – it is hard enough to win at competition … Continue Reading ››
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 nature and be vigilant and observant, it will be noticed that the sole and the hoof wall have reacted differently in this … Continue Reading ››
PREDICTABLE HOOF RELATED LAMENESS
There are three main problems in hoof care today
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Long toes and low heels
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High heels and short toes
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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 of ongoing lameness problems, and has been the catalyst for so many bad trimming and shoeing outcomes for too many farriers and … Continue Reading ››
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 like that in public in this 21st century will provoke a predictable reaction, which it is meant to do because only then can we … Continue Reading ››
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 and square toed shoes.
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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 is causing much anxiety among horse owners, so we need to know how to deal with it.
To understand try this, go get the dry sponge on your … Continue Reading ››
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 performance for the horse and a bewildered rider.
This is … Continue Reading ››
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 to do is to be brutally honest, and this certainly applies to the club footed horse. I have written several articles on … Continue Reading ››
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 it is always going to need a high degree of hoof maintenance, for the term of its natural life. To identify the club … Continue Reading ››