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Healthy Hoofs - healthy horses: the basics of hoof care

Healthy Hoofs - healthy horses: the basics of hoof care

Reading time: 8 minutes | Publication: 30.04.2025

Why Hoof Care Is So Important

Whether shod or barefoot, every horse needs proper hoof care. A horse’s hoof supports the full weight of its body from birth. Therefore, healthy hooves have a major influence on the horse’s entire body. Hooves must be in good shape for a horse to live a healthy, species-appropriate life.

Hoof horn grows about eight millimeters per month, and this growth is influenced by factors such as temperature, nutrition, exercise, stabling, age, health, and proper care. The hoof consists of hard horn (sole and outer wall) and soft horn (frog, white line, bulbs, periople, and inner layers).

Picking out hooves – child’s play, right?

It’s definitely worth going back to the basics and reviewing your routine, because conditions like thrush can result from poor hygiene and inadequate care.

Before and after every ride, the hooves should always be checked and cleaned. Often it just takes a few quick motions to thoroughly clean the frog and the frog grooves. It’s important not to scrape too hard with the hoof pick, as this can cause minor injuries. For detailed cleaning, a stiff brush and water are recommended.

With shod horses, stones and dirt can easily get lodged under the horseshoe, so this area must be cleaned especially carefully. It's also crucial not to jab the hoof pick into the soft area of the central sulcus at the back of the hoof. Instead, use water and the brush side of the hoof pick to ensure thorough cleaning.

During daily hoof care, always check:

Are there any injuries?
Is the shoe still secure?
Are all the nails where they belong?
Are there cracks or brittle spots on the hoof?
Is the hoof too dry or too moist?
Does the hoof wall seem strong, or are there weak/problem areas?

The market offers a huge variety of products – from oils, creams, and gels to hoof grease. What works best for a particular horse cannot be answered in general terms. The right person to ask is your farrier, who has expertise and knowledge of your individual horse.

Weekly to monthly hoof maintenance

There’s nothing wrong with applying greases, creams, or oils once a week. This can have a positive effect on hoof horn quality. In the case of certain conditions, it may be useful to perform treatments more frequently—but this should always be discussed and planned with a veterinarian and farrier.

With adjusted feeding, horse owners can also positively influence the quality of the hoof horn. However, a blood test from the attending veterinarian should first determine whether supplementation is needed at all.

“Any type of supplementation varies by region,” emphasizes veterinarian Felicia Wehrenpfennig from Verden. “In some areas of Germany, for example, grass is low in selenium and zinc, so the feed must be adapted accordingly to ensure optimal care for the horse.”

At least every six to eight weeks, every horse—no matter the age—should be presented to a farrier or hoof trimmer. It doesn’t matter whether the horse is shod or barefoot. In certain situations—such as after an illness or during the transition to barefoot—more frequent evaluations by the farrier and possibly the veterinarian are advisable.

Autumn & Winter: How should I adjust hoof care?

Different seasons may require different care routines. In summer, horse hooves often struggle with dryness, whereas in autumn and winter, they tend to be more moist and soft. Accordingly, hoof care should be adjusted.

“Especially in summer, the moisture content of the hoof plays an important role. If it's significantly reduced, the hoof’s elasticity decreases and it can become brittle,” emphasizes Uwe Lukas, a farrier at the Tierklinik Telgte. According to a study from the University of Cambridge, the ideal moisture content of the hoof is 25 percent.

In summer, many riders wonder whether it makes sense to soak the hooves to maintain moisture levels. In most cases, this is unnecessary, and the stress on the horn caused by swelling and then rapid shrinking is usually greater than the benefit. Hosing down the legs and hooves during heat is recommended, but standing in water should be avoided.

In winter, when hooves are generally more moist, a hoof hardeneror hoof oil can help provide protection against moisture. It’s especially important to ensure that horses do not stand in wet conditions for extended periods. Dry areas on paddocks, pastures, or in open stables should always be available. Otherwise, serious hoof diseases may develop.

What do healthy hooves really need

In summer, products that provide moisture without sealing the hoof are especially important. Dry hooves are often the result of sealing hoof grease. Grazing in the morning, when there's still dew on the grass, can have a positive effect on the hoof. According to experts, regular turnout and movement of the horse are more important than hoof care products. In the stable, rotten bedding has no place; hygiene and daily mucking out are top priorities.

Oil and grease form an impermeable layer on the hoof wall, preventing moisture from entering or escaping. A greased hoof looks nice and, in many cases—such as brittle hooves—can have a positive effect. However, improper use can cause soft hoof horn to become even softer. What to keep in mind: hooves should still be damp when greasing, and the hoof should not be excessively scrubbed beforehand. It's also helpful to apply grease to the sole of the hoof. Recommended products include hoof greases with additives such as laurel oil, which also promotes hoof growth. Laurel oil can also be applied separately to the coronary band using a toothbrush, for example.

A water-based lotion or cream provides a lot of moisture without softening the hoof. Hoof balm with eucalyptus or pine extracts can also be used on healthy hooves to prevent them from becoming brittle, to stop them from drying out, and to help retain moisture while giving them elasticity and resilience.

Typical hoof problems and their treatment

Injuries, especially at the bulbs and coronary band, are not uncommon and can usually be treated by the horse owner with a wound flushing solution and iodine. For larger wounds or clearly visible issues, a veterinarian should be consulted. It’s also important to always keep an eye on the horse’s tetanus protection!

It often happens that a horse steps on a nail, wood splinter, or stones. This can injure the frog, the dermis (corium), the coffin bone, or even the coffin joint or deep flexor tendon. The tricky part is that horses don’t always go lame immediately—symptoms may take days to appear or only show on hard surfaces. If the hoof is not treated in time, infections can occur.

A coronary strike is an injury where the horse steps on its coronet band, damaging the periople (coronet skin). The wound must be disinfected immediately. A vet consultation is especially recommended if foreign objects are embedded in the coronet.

Thrush is certainly the number one hoof disease. It is recognizable by a strong, foul odor from the hoof and the breakdown of the frog tissue into a slimy, purulent discharge. In addition, hoof abscesses, laminitis, canker, hoof wall cracks, coronary band cracks, horn columns, loose and hollow hoof walls, and coronary band inflammations are common and require appropriate treatment.

The importance of a farrier

There are several criteria that help identify a truly skilled hoof care professional, explains Jan Gerd Rhenius, a master farrier from Wedemark. “In principle, all state-certified farriers are authorized to offer all types of shoeing. The 'First German Farriers' Association' (EDHV e.V.) offers various training programs.”

A good farrier should be able to explain all aspects of their work to the client, be open to collaborating with veterinarians, and have a comprehensive overview of the available options on the market.

If a farrier cannot or does not want to offer a particular product or technique, they should be confident and professional enough to refer the client elsewhere when necessary.

Adapting care to special needs

The transition to barefoot is a question that divides many horse owners as well as experts. The fact is: transitioning from shoeing to barefoot takes time. It is easier if a transitional phase is created using plastic horseshoes or hoof boots. Subjecting hooves immediately to new mobility, abrasion, and environmental stimuli often overwhelms them. In such cases, illnesses or injuries can occur. Above all, such a transition requires a lot of patience. Especially for older horses or horses that previously lived in stalls and were used in sports but are now kept in open stables and ridden for leisure, switching to barefoot can still have a positive effect.

Alternative types of shoeing also have their place for specific applications and preferences. Aluminum has long been indispensable in the orthopedic and therapeutic field, as well as in certain sporting disciplines. Plastic and composite horseshoes are particularly popular among recreational riders. The advantages compared to steel lie in the lower weight, shock absorption, grip, and—except for aluminum—the preservation of the natural hoof mechanism. Their disadvantages include complex handling, reduced versatility, and a higher price.

Conclusion

Hygiene is the be-all and end-all for healthy hooves. Daily cleaning is just as important as maintaining a clean environment in the stable. Care products should be selected carefully and, if necessary, discussed with the farrier or veterinarian in order to make full use of their benefits.