Hoof care is one of the most important elements of horse care and keeping them sound and well, from the moment they are a ...

There are many reasons why horses might need shoes. ... The hoof wall, which covers the top of the hoof and forms a rim around the bottom, doesn’t have any nerves or blood vessels.

This is where he takes a still-hot shoe over to the horse and places it at the bottom of the hoof to see if the shape is matching up. The hot steel against the hoof wall starts to sizzle, creating ...

Barefoot horses with strong hoof structure can often be ridden without shoes. Heather Smith Thomas photo Trimming the feet should be done regularly to keep them proper shape and length.

Firstly, a bit of a history lesson… One of the archaeological beliefs is that, just over 2,000 years ago, the Romans were the first to fit pads to the bottom of horses’ feet.

Proper trimming and shoeing can keep feet healthy and at proper length. A normal hoof wall grows about ¼ to 3/8 inch per month. The entire hoof wall may be replaced by new hoof horn every 8 to 12 ...

While many horses need shoes, not all do; it depends on the type of riding, the terrain and how frequently the horse is ridden. Those ridden on rocky terrain or concrete are more likely to need shoes.

Horses with thin hoof walls can have shoes loosen, and nails can predispose the wall to cracks, ... There are several issues with gluing directly to the bottom of a horse's foot, however.

When performed correctly, shoeing a horse is painless. On Sam, Terrell trims the insensitive part of the hoof, the same area into which he will later drive nails.

OLDHAM COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) -- For every horse -- especially racehorses -- having a horseshoe that fits is imperative. That’s where a farrier comes in to make sure each horseshoe gets its hoof ...

Farrier Keith Warner "hot sets" a horseshoe onto a horse’s hoof at HomeFarm at Undermountain in Lenox on Tuesday, June 11. "Hot setting," or "hot-shoeing," does not harm the horse if done correctly by ...