hoof care

Hoof care, cleaning out the hoof. The feet of the horse need to be inspected and cleaned daily;without such care, he might become lame, (can't walk or stand). When picking up the front and back feet, rear of the horse. Lean against the horse's shoulder to shift his weight to the opposite side and run your hand down the tendon to the fetlock and pull up the hair. Cup the hoof in one hand while you use the hoof-pick to clean the sole and frog carefully.Although you should the feet at night to remove any stones or pebbles the might have picked up during the day, clean out the hooves in the morning; the earth picked up when the horse is out helps keep the frog and sole moist. Applying hoof oil daily (inset) helps to prevent cracks and keeps the hooves healthy.

Shoeing a horse. The farrier is the person who shoes a horse and get's the old shoes off. Call the farrier every few weeks to shoe your horse. If the farrier is good, it will cost 75 dollars for the horse to get shoes. In winter, also call the farrier and have him put the winter shoes on the horse. While the farrier does his work, hold onto the horse or its halter.