How to take care of a horse so that they’re happy and healthy

Boosting hoof quality

Providing a balanced diet is key to understanding how to take care of a horse, not least because lacking in vitamins and minerals will leave horses vulnerable to poor quality hooves that become brittle and weak.

“If your horse is not receiving supplementary feeds, ensure they are having a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement. For horses with poor quality hooves, feed a supplement with biotin to improve hoof quality,” advises Jack. “Don’t forget it will take six to nine months to have any effect. This is how long it takes for new hoof to grow, so don’t give up if you don’t see results immediately.”

Your horse should be seen by a farrier at the same intervals all year round for regular shoeing and/or trimming. If you are planning to compete your horse, you might need to ask your farrier for stud holes in the spring. General hoof care requirements change when the weather becomes milder too. Dry hooves crack and become brittle, for example, so consider a topical dressing to help balance the moisture content in the hoof. Ask your farrier which they recommend, as they know your horse’s hooves the best. Changeable weather is really hard for hooves to cope with, and the constant change from wet to dry and wet again really impacts hoof health.