Horse hoof care: farrier and dental appointments

The daily hoof check

• Handle the foot only if you can do so safely; ask an experienced person to show you how.
• Pick out dirt and stones from heel towards toe, avoiding pressure on the frog. Look for cracks, damage and an unusual smell or discharge.
• For a shod horse, check whether the shoe is loose, damaged or missing.
• Notice changes in comfort, movement or willingness to bear weight. Contact the vet promptly for lameness or pain.
• Record the changed foot, date and what you saw; a clear photo can help the farrier or vet understand the concern.

A farrier interval for this horse

BHS describes four to six weeks as usual for many shod horses, sometimes longer barefoot. University of Minnesota guidance gives different seasonal ranges. These are starting points for discussion: your farrier should set the interval from growth, wear, conformation, work and medical history.

Book the next appointment before the farrier leaves. Ask what would justify an earlier visit. Avoid treating a calendar interval or a hoof-angle diagram as instructions to trim the foot yourself.

Changes that need attention

University of Minnesota describes hoof cracks, thrush, punctures, abscesses and laminitis. Similar signs can have different causes; this table does not diagnose them.

Barefoot, shoes or hoof boots

The useful question is which option keeps this horse comfortable in its work. Barefoot management, steel or composite shoes and correctly fitted hoof boots have different uses. Plan any transition with your farrier and involve the vet for clinical problems; change the plan if the horse becomes sore.

Natural-hoof-care methods draw ideas from free-ranging horses, but a domestic horse’s workload, terrain and health can differ. That history is not proof that removing shoes suits every horse. Ask about boot fit, the surfaces you use and how comfort will be reviewed.

Ground, movement and nutrition

Provide clean bedding or another clean, dry place to stand. Persistently wet, dirty conditions and repeated wet-to-dry changes can affect the hoof. Ask the farrier whether a dressing is appropriate rather than buying one for every horse.

Review the whole ration with a qualified adviser when hoof quality is poor. Correcting a deficiency is different from adding several hoof supplements, and new horn takes time to grow. Agree movement and turnout appropriate to the horse’s health; exercise is not a treatment to impose on a painful foot.

Keep dental care on its own schedule

BHS recommends dental checks about every nine to twelve months, adjusted for age and existing problems. The professional examines the mouth and decides whether treatment is needed. Young or older horses, a newly purchased horse and known dental problems may need earlier checks.

Dropping feed, chewing on one side, weight loss, facial swelling or changes under saddle warrant advice before the routine visit. Horses may also hide dental pain. In the UK, choose an equine vet or a suitably qualified EDT, such as a BAEDT member or category 2 WWAED member; injected sedation requires a vet.

Before the visit: a short checklist

• Write down the last visit, changes since then and the questions you want answered.
• Keep comparable hoof photos where safe, and note the surfaces and work the horse has been doing.
• Tell the professional about lameness, medicines, changed feed and eating difficulties.
• Ask for the findings, any treatment, next appointment and signs that mean calling sooner.
• Request an itemised quote: trim or shoes, specialist work, travel, dental examination and any veterinary sedation.

Frequently asked