| The standard farrier practice is to shoe a normal | | | | was the first thing to do before buying the horse. |
| healthy horse every six to eight weeks. That | | | | If all horse buyers did that there would be a lot |
| periodicity takes into account primarily two things, | | | | less hoof problems today. The average Mustang |
| shoe wear and hoof growth. A healthy hoof will | | | | travels rocky and rough country averaging about |
| grow at about the rate of a quarter inch a month. | | | | 20 miles per day. I think a horse only needs shoes |
| A quick bit of math that means in two months | | | | under the following circumstances: |
| time the hoof growth will equal about one half | | | | - Shoes will increase the performance in a |
| inch. That is enough to get a horse out of | | | | competing horse |
| "balance". Allowing the horse to go more than 60 | | | | - Shoes will correct a severe hoof or leg problem |
| days without being trimmed or reshod will | | | | - Shoes will provide protection to a horse |
| probably begin to cause stress in the three distal | | | | exceeding the wear of his feet |
| phalanxes. The three foot bones, coffin bone, | | | | As a general rule, horses requiring shoes will need |
| short pastern bone and long pastern bone carry a | | | | to be shod anywhere between 4-8 to weeks |
| lot of weight. It is those three bones that are of | | | | depending on the hoof growth and the use of the |
| the most concern. A hoofed allowed to grow past | | | | horse. A healthy hoof grows approximately a 1/4 |
| the normal shoeing interval can lead to | | | | inch a month. Hoof growth depends on a few |
| dramatically poor performance, injuries or even | | | | factors. Mainly use by the horse, this is a two |
| diseases such as navicular. The best thing you can | | | | way street. The more the hoof is used, the more |
| invest in for your horse is proper hoof care. No | | | | blood flows to it and the more it grows. But you |
| hoof, no horse. | | | | also need the proper terrain to wear the hoof |
| There are alternatives to shoeing the horse all the | | | | down. Nutrition, protein is main property of the |
| time. The "new" natural "shoemanship" hoof | | | | hoof. There are also a few other minerals. |
| technicians will only trim a horse. The horse is | | | | Remember a hoof is really nothing more than |
| "trimmed" every couple of days to mimic the | | | | really hard hair. It is made of the exact same |
| wear a horse in the wild would incur. The basic | | | | properties. So if you wouldn't do it to your hair |
| theory being if the coffin bone is kept at the | | | | don't do to your horse's hoof. Don't be fooled by |
| constant proper natural angle, then the hoof sole | | | | advertisements, spend your money good quality |
| can endure any terrain condition. I have read | | | | feed and hay, not expensive supplements. In the |
| numerous studies and methods of natural shoeing | | | | winter months hoof growth may slow due to the |
| and trimming and I believe this theory has a lot of | | | | horse using energy to stay warm. Genetics, don't |
| merit. I have been using my 4 year old mare as a | | | | breed or buy a horse with bad feet! The feet are |
| study specimen of natural trimming and I have | | | | the foundation of the horse. Just say "no" to bad |
| never had a problem with her feet. Of course I | | | | hooves. |
| have a luxury most people don't, I am a farrier, | | | | In abnormal hoof situations the shoeing periodicity |
| so the frequent rasping and trimming doesn't cost | | | | may change dramatically. If a horse has laminitis |
| me anything. That would be hard sell to a client | | | | or is foundered then you may have to play it by |
| that I need to trim their horse every few days. | | | | ear depending on if the horse begins to get better |
| Here is my traditional view on horseshoeing: Not | | | | or get worse. The same would apply to a hoof |
| every horse needs to be shod. I like to think that | | | | injury or physical defect you may be trying to |
| a horse is very capable of going barefoot in most | | | | correct. Depending on the circumstances a person |
| cases. In Xenophon's day they used to run horse | | | | could be shoeing a certain horse every two |
| through river pebble roads to harden their hoofs. | | | | weeks. Then exotic materials and techniques may |
| Now Xenophon also said that looking that hoof | | | | be employed to allow for those complications. |