Finding the Hoof Care Balance - Top Tips & Myth Busters

The importance of a good farrier is well understood by knowledgeable horse owners who reap the benefits of diligent, routine care. In this article, Certified Journeyman Farrier Sean Elliott provides some great tips for promoting hoof health and explains some pitfalls to avoid.

Top Tips for Hoof Health

Nutrition, Dry Environment, and Balance

Nutrition - “If you go to the doctor and your fingernails are in a bad state, nutrition is the first thing they are going to address,” says Elliott, who recommends working with an equine nutritionist to look at the horse’s program as a whole.

Elliott is a big fan of keeping it simple with good quality hay, clean water, a ration balancer, and not supplementing blindly. He cautions against just picking supplements that make claims to improve hoof quality as they may not give the results you are looking for. The horse may be deficient in more than one thing, and he may not be able to absorb what you are aiming to supplement. Having hay tested will provide a clearer picture of what is needed to balance the horse’s diet, and bloodwork can help determine what a horse is deficient in.

Dry Environment - “Horses were not meant to stand for extended periods of time in wet or muddy conditions,” says Elliott. He goes on to dispel the myth of overflowing of water troughs to add moisture to hooves. “Yes, the hooves will get wet, but consider why people put mud treatments on their faces — to remedy oily skin.” As mud dries, it draws out the oils; however, oils in the hoof are an essential component to hoof health. Even horses that get bathed daily in the summer can suffer poor quality hooves from the constant cycle of going from wet to dry. Elliott is not a big fan of hoof dressings and prefers to stay with the KISS (keep it sweet and simple) philosophy of always trying to provide a dry environment.

Good Balance - “Good farrier work means keeping the hoof capsule underneath the limb of horse with a correct trim every four to six weeks.” This is essential to keeping the hooves in balance, says Elliott. Routine trims address issues such as flares and long toes.