Sep
I know horses hooves should be relatively hard but when i stated hard in my question I meant like cracked etc.
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Answer:
Hoof tissue is hydrated from good circulation on the inside. Exercise and proper nutrition are most important to maintaining that. Anything that reduces the capability of the hoof to act as a pump, moving blood back to the heart, interferes with hoof health. Some refer to the hoof as a “second heart” for this reason. We know now that being barefoot contributes to the pump function, since the hoof wall is involved in that, which wasn’t previously known. Thus, comparing the hoof wall to human fingernails is erroneous. The external factors that affect the hardness of a hoof include the presence of environmental moisture (too much) alternating with dry conditions, which lead to hoof wall cracks.
The sole will build callus and thicken when exposed to rough terrain, just as other tissues do. The hoof wall will develop to it's maximum potential when allowed to function without shoes and on hard terrain. When allowed to build up sole thickness via exposure to exercise and hard surfaces, a developing horse will arrive at adulthood with sturdy hooves.
If a child walks on foam rubber until he is an adult, will his adult feet be able to take the concussion of walking barefoot on concrete?
Answer:
Diet counts for a lot where hooves are concerned but so dioes the condition of the ground where they’re kept.
Regular trimming is vital and if they are living in very dry or wet conditions then they probably need a hoof dressing - either to moisturize or to seal against excess moisture.
Biotin is a good dietary supplement for horses with hoof problems but if that doesn't do the trick I'd recommend Farrier's Formula - it's expensive but it does do the job very well.
Answer:
Hard and dry is better than wet and soft for horses hooves.
A horse that’s in constant wet/damp conditions - like a muddy field with lots of rainfall, will have very soft hooves because their feet will soak up the moisture.
A horse that lives on hard/dry ground that doesnt have much rainfall will develop harder hooves due to the lack of moisture in the ground.
A horse that lives in conditions like these needs to have its hooves wetted from time to time to retain moisture.
Working the (unshod) horse on hard ground, like gravel for instance, will help to toughen up its hooves.
Diet also plays a part in hoof health.
Now we’re entering autumn I have the ability to see a dramatic change in my horses hooves. He’s unshod and his feet are getting softer - and easier to trim!
Answer:
Equate this to human fingernails.
The body naturally maintains a certain balance of oils and minerals that make the nails or hooves harder or softer.
Quality of feed also contributes just as in humans in the types of food and vitamins we eat.
Some breeds are somewhat likely to cracked hooves - my paints have more surface cracks than my morgan or quarter horses.
Answer:
There is an inherited component to hoof strength, and there is an environmental component.
You can't do anything about the inherited component once you've selected a horse. But you can do things to keep the hooves in good shape.
Thing one is keep the hooves trimmed. If you let them get long, they're susceptible to drying out and to splitting. How frequently you trim depends on the horse; most horses I've known, which were used for local shows or just riding, need trimming each 6-7 weeks.
Once a fracture or crack has developed, it's nature of material properties for it to propagate. Best to keep the hooves trimmed.
Remember that once the keratin the hooves are made of has been secreted by the cells in the coronary band, the material is dead, like fingernail material or leather. It needs to be conditioned from time to time to keep it from becoming brittle. There are several products that are available for this, Fiebing's Oil, Hooflex, etc. I’ve no knowledge if any one is better than another. I personally love Hooflex because of the way it smells. Yeah, stupid reason. But the point is to use something, perferably on a daily basis, to condition the hooves.
The keratin material that hooves are made of can be softened by soaking in water. This can be a problem when a horse is standing day after day in a small, muddy pen, as can happen when it's winter and rainy in some locations. Trying to give the horse a dry place to stand for at least part of the time is a good idea.
Finally, some people will swear that horses with white feet and pale hooves have weaker hoof material than horses with dark feet and dark hoof material. I don't know if anyone has ever done studies on this. I’ve my own opinion: my Arab had three white feet and one black foot. In the 23 years I owned him, he was likely to abscesses– but only in the white feet. He repeatedly got abscesses in the white feet, but never once in the black foot. Go figure.
Answer:
Well as a Farrier i would state to soft is to moist unless you are talking about the frog which could be thrush…too hard???i think you might mean to dry or overgrown both cause cracks…get mmoisturizer for the hooves
Answer:
A zinc (mineral) or biotin (vitamin) deficiency can cause hoof problems, such as cracking. Maybe you should analyze your horse's diet.
Answer:
The breed of the horse aswell as where it lives, and what it is feed are the main things that effect its feet.
Answer:
My area were I live gets a lot of rain and mud so my horses get a lot of moister in there hooves but it can be too much and when it dries out there hooves will sometimes crack.
Answer:
No care
improper standing ground (wet)
poor food.
like the other one said the are like nails.
Answer:
Dry climates
No owner or farrier care.
Answer:
improper care!