Caring for your Horses’ Feet

Our horses in today’s world are being limited to smaller acreage for grazing, or even stalled. I feel over the years, horses’ hooves have changed for the worse. Line breeding does play a big part in the factor of having smaller weaker hooves.

I have been shoeing horses since I was in my early teens because our ranch had massive amounts of basalt rock. I realize how important it is to have a good relationship with your farrier. A farrier should listen to the owner or trainer. They know how the horse feels and rides better than anyone. The owner-trainer should listen to the farrier. They have the knowledge and experience to suggest options for your horse. This to me is a very important partnership; if it is too one-sided, it will not work for long.

90 percent of my horses are barefoot. Horseshoeing is like horsemanship- there are many different opinions on how it is done. Know your horse and what it needs to be sound and happy. Too much is not good and too little is not enough. Balance is the key.