Imagine the pain that you experience when you have a wound on your foot. Walking on the injury is almost agonizing, and sometimes you may even end up on the couch because of your condition. Horses feel the same degree of suffering when they are inflicted with a hoof malady. Yet horses rarely lie down, so they are often in more discomfort than a human when they have an infected or hurt hoof. Also, they have to carry people or burdens on their back, adding extra weight to their feet. When your horse has a hoof problem, it can be very serious. It’s important to constantly maintain your horse’s hooves just like you would your own feet.

Many horses can develop dry hooves that will crack easily. If you horse is in a hot, dry, or sandy location, then this can generate dry, brittle feet. To avoid this, you should make sure that your animal is on a proper diet. When a horse is being fed the right foods, it can help to moisten his hooves. A good balance of proteins, vitamins, and minerals will aid in better overall health in your equine’s coat, energy levels, and body as a whole. When a horse develops dangerously dry hooves that crack, the crevices can split deep into the animal’s foot. This can cause lameness and affect your horse’s ability to be ridden. When a horse has these painful splits it can also be hard to put shoes on the animal.

Part of your horse’s hoof health depends on the skills of your farrier. If you have a skilled horseshoe-man, then he can add to your animal’s comfort by securing the shoes correctly. Make sure that your farrier comes to change your horse’s shows ever 5-8 weeks. He will be able to trim the hooves just like we trim our nails and shod the horse so that he or she will not be in pain when being ridden.

You may also need to add a hoof dressing to your animal in order to allow the feet to lock in moisture. This is especially true in drier atmospheres. Dressings like Rain Maker are easy to apply on your equine’s feet, and will seal in the water that keeps them feeling fresh and ready to run. You can also hose down the area where your horse likes to stand with water so that he or she has a nice wet place to put his or her feet. When you do this make sure not to create puddles that last because this can cause your animal to catch thrush. Thrush is an infection which causes the hoof to degenerate because of bacteria and fungi. It produces and rancid smell and causes your pet to slowly grow lame as the hoof is further affected.

When looking after your horse’s hooves you may want to make sure that he is getting plenty of biotin in his or her diet. This can help the connective tissues. Also, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are good for the horse’s hooves, mane, tail, and coat just like they are healthy for our skin and nails. Giving your horse zinc, vitamin B and threonine supplements can also help. Also, after a trail ride or a jaunt in the arena, make sure to pick your horse’s hooves. Just like you wouldn’t want dirt under your nails, your pet probably doesn’t enjoy having mud caked in his or her hoof crevice. Sometimes a rock might become lodged in the hoof, so you want to make sure to always check and clean the feet carefully after a ride. By taking these precaution, you have a better chance of allowing your animal to sustain excellent hoof health.