THE EQUINE HOOF

Story and Photos by Alessandra Deerinck

The hoof is a very important part of the equine body and its health and soundness have a big impact on the general health, the behavior and the ability to perform in any horse.

In nature, horses live in herds, are always able to move and adapt to any place they find themselves, if there is food, water and other individuals that they can socialize with. Giving horses a way to live that is as close as possible to their natural way of life would definitely be the best way to keep them healthy and happy in a domes�cated environment.

The gateways through which informa�on from the surrounding gets to an animal of any species are its sense organs, located in the head, with the excep�on of the touch, that in most species is everywhere on the body. The hoof is what horses stand on, and through which they touch and perceive the ground, which can span from sandy to hard rock and all in between and cons�tutes a large por�on of the environment where a horse lives. In our �me, most domes�c horses are shod and therefore par�ally or completely insulated from the ground, but it is very likely that they have learned to compensate for the lack of feel for the ground through other senses.

The choices people make about their horse’s hooves are based on personal preference, cultural ma�ers, and tradi�ons. Shoeing is a prac�ce that was established in an effort to protect the horses from what the ac�vi�es we engage them in would do to them. This noble quest was the original reason for shoeing, also called the “necessary evil”. There is nothing wrong with proper horseshoeing, but there is nothing wrong with barefoot horses, as long as, shod or barefooted, the hoof can func�on properly, and the horses are comfortable with their status. An alterna�ve to horseshoes is the use of hoof boots, that get removed a�er the horse is done working, allowing the hoof to be in its natural state. Not all the hoof boots are well designed and truly help the horse therefore it is necessary to do some research before applying them on a horse.

Being barefoot allows the horse to use the sense of touch in regards to the ground, which provides him with informa�on that makes a horse more comfortable, a�en�ve, less prone to limb injuries, and this definitely affects the horse’s health and behavior in horsemanship. No foot, no horse, no fun! It is sta�ng the obvious, but it is very surprising to see how many people s�ll do not take proper care of their horse’s hooves, shod or barefoot. Hooves are a very ac�ve part of the anatomy of the horse. Domes�c horses, nowadays, live in an ar�ficial environment where their movement is limited so their hooves, that con�nuously grow for the whole life of a horse, do not naturally wear out, and do not hydrate by ge�ng wet while the horse steps in a body of water to drink. The ideal care of the horse’s hooves should include daily a�en�on and balanced trim to maintain an efficient, smooth hoof edge, consistency, and the physiological angles of the horse’s limbs. Another important part of husbandry is le�ng the horse stay on ground that has proper consistence, because just like for humans, when a horse walks on a ground that is not solid his body is subjected to stress, and when this happens con�nuously it can result in lameness.

A correct trimming procedure works on the hoof by keeping it as long as it would be in a horse in the natural state, but strong and smooth so it does not create cracks that can let infec�ons happen in the hoof. A good hygiene of the hoof with or without shoes, is a prac�ce that can make a real difference in the quality of life of any horse. How o�en we clean the equine hoof is very important. Most o�en, the place where our horses live is very limited in space, and far from what would be natural. It is very likely for the horse to step in manure, urine or wet bedding, even when the stall gets cleaned mul�ple �mes a day. In the domes�c environment a body of water is not available for the horse to step into it to clean its hooves, and horses cannot pick out debris from their hooves. Manure, mixed with soil, sets in the frog and promotes the growth of microorganisms that cause disease in the hoof, weakening the protec�on of the inside parts. If we disrupt the accumula�on of this material with frequent cleaning, we do not allow enough �me for the pathogenic process to happen. If we simply use a hoof pick to remove what is packed under the hoof, and use a hose to wash the hoof wall, and its bo�om surface we can achieve a sufficiently thorough cleaning, and at the same �me maintain the physiological level of protec�on and hydra�on of the hoof �ssues.

The hoof is the part of the equine body that touches the ground. The support of the equine body is important, but because of its anatomy, the hoof provides also shock absorp�on, trac�on, and secure foo�ng. Another very important func�on of the hoof in the physiology of the equine body is related to its anatomy and movement. The external part of the hoof is made by a hard �ssue that encloses and protects bones, car�lages, ligaments, tendons and a net of capillary blood vessels, but is also flexible. When the horse bears weight on a limb, the hoof expands, adap�ng to the ground and the pressure that the frog exerts makes so that the lateral car�lages, the coffin bone and the hoof capsule push the blood through the network of micro vessels up the leg and back to the heart.

The hoof has an outer hard wall that is thicker in the toe area and protects all that is enclosed in it. The wall turns on itself in the back of the hoof where the heels are, and forms two bars that run on the bo�om along the frog area, which is surrounded by the sole that is concave, with the highest part at the �p of the frog. In a natural hoof the horn meets the skin area that is covered by hair in a line called the coronet, which runs straight from the toe to the heel, forming an angle of about 30 degrees with the ground line of the hoof. When a horse is shod, the hairline o�en becomes curved and uneven. The coffin bone is parallel to the ground and has an angle of 45 to 50 degrees in the front limbs that are round in shape and are structured to bear weight, while in the hind limbs that provide propulsion and are oval, the angle is 50 to 60 degrees.

The natural hoof keeps growing throughout the life of the horse, and grows more in the toe area than in the other parts because the toe gets worn out more, so pu�ng a horseshoe as protec�on on it and leaving it on con�nuously does not allow the hoof to wear out naturally, but also changes the angles in the joints and stresses the �ssues of the leg causing changes in shape and hardness. Along with this, a s�ff protec�on does not allow proper circula�on, shock absorp�on, adapta�on to the surface of the ground, and adds to the problems created by the lack of wear. When horseshoes are removed and a horse gets to be barefoot it is mandatory to evaluate the changes that the shoe made to the limb and to give the horse �me to repair his hoof and readapt to his natural state. This process can be easy, but can also be difficult and can even result in an abscess that happens because the horse needs to eliminate all of the changes that happened in the deeper parts of the hoof because of the shoe. Wellbeing is something we should provide to our horses, so let’s make informed decisions about hoof management!

About Human Horse Sensing

Human Horse Sensing is dedicated to enhance horsemanship potential to support the interaction between human and horse, keeping their wellbeing in mind.

Our method can be taught through private sessions, workshops, online classes and clinics, at our location, or anywhere you desire. You can find our published book Human Horse Sensing Horsemanship on Amazon, videos on YouTube, and bimonthly articles in print or online at EliteEquestrian.us

With Human Horse Sensing solid horsemanship foundation you will have the chance to be successful in any equestrian discipline, and to take challenges that you would not imagine being possible even with good traditional training.

With Human Horse Sensing, human being and horse work together freely with or without tack, through how they perceive the situations. Human and horse establish an active and dynamic dialogue, where you and your horse can exchange information or execute without being submissive, and you can become a leader of leaders. www.hhsensing.com Email: hhsensing@icloud.com Phone:+1(760)715-1554

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