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The hoof wall should
be rasped at an angle from the ground surface, starting just outside the
white line. The rasp is then used to remove the sharp edge around the
perimeter of the hoof that was created by rasping the foot at an angle. This
will create a rounded surface to the edge of the hoof, helping prevent
cracks and chips.
The horse should be
trimmed regularly while his shoes are off, with the emphasis on keeping the
edge of the hoof sufficiently rounded.
Hooves tend to grow
more slowly in the winter months. It is thought that some of the circulation
is diverted from growth to warmth. This does not mean that hooves don't need
attention.
The unshod feet
should be trimmed regularly (four- to six-week intervals) and painted twice
weekly with an appropriate hoof dressing. The ground surface of the foot as
well as the hoof wall should be painted. A little extra care and regular
attention during the winter when your horse is unshod will result in a
stronger, healthier foot the rest of the year.
The conformation,
quality of the hoof and terrain dictate whether all four shoes or just the
hind ones are pulled.
If your horse needs
to remain shod because it is ridden all winter and turned out daily, you may
want to add pads under the shoes when the ground freezes. Pads help prevent
sole bruises from the uneven, frozen ground.
In areas that get
snow and icy weather, additional precautions should be taken. A shoe with a
fuller (crease) should always be used. Added traction can be achieved by
using a hard surfacing material such as borium, or studs can be placed in
the toe and heel of the shoe.
When borium is
used, it should be applied to the horseshoe as small in-line caulks in the
heel, not large projections. Large mounds of borium on the bottom of the
shoe can place unnecessary strain on the horse's joints in the limb above
the foot. In the toe area, the borium is melted across the entire toe of the
shoe so that the tungsten particles are exposed, again avoiding large
projections on the shoe.
If studs are used
instead, there are two types available: drive-ins, which stay permanently,
or screw-ins, which can be removed or changed as needed.
Ice nails are also
available. These have a borium bubble on the nail head. They are easy to
use, as they just replace the existing heel nails. The disadvantage is that
the borium bubble tends to wear out quickly.
However you put it
on, borium means that your horse's feet can do more damage if they kick
other horses or hit themselves.
What about
snowshoes for your horse?
In just a leisurely
walk, snow can build a platform of several inches under the foot. This can
be dangerous to both horse and rider.
Snow will usually
be thrown out of the foot at a trot or faster gait, but it remains
dangerous. Moreover, the compressed snow can cause subsolar bruising,
especially in thin-soled horses. It is important to be aware of this problem
and to keep picking the horse's feet out as necessary. Cooking oil sprayed
on the underside of the foot may be helpful, but it wears off quickly.
In areas with a lot
of snow, some type of snowball pad is essential. Three popular styles of
pads are used to prevent snow from packing in the bottom of the feet. Flat,
hard plastic pads can be used, on which cooking oil can also be sprayed.
There are also "snow popper" pads, which have a bubble in the middle that
pushes off excess snow.
Inside rim pads (Hufgrip)
have a rim that is higher than the ground surface of the shoe. On impact,
this rim compresses and dislodges the snow. The rubber version of the rim
pad works better than the plastic version, but doesn't hold up as well. |
