Choosing the Perfect Horseshoes

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Title: Choosing the Perfect Horseshoes

Author: Ray La Foy [Back to Article List]

Article:
Horseshoes have become synonymous with good fortune. Having them
on your horse's feet has little to do with attracting good luck,
but a lot with answering to your steed's needs.

Horses in the wild do not require shoes unlike domesticated
breeds of horse. Those horses that are not worked out and
trained regularly on hard ground do not need them. If a horse's
foot is hurt, you will not be able to ride it. In order to
maximize a horse's use, horseshoes are needed in order to
protect the horse's feet. In their absence, the hoof walls can
crack. And a horse with sore feet will be of little use.

One must check all four of the horse's feet everyday. You need
to pick them out and ensure that no dirt, stones or other
foreign objects get stuck. Daily cleaning of the hooves is
essential to proper hoof care, as well as going a long way in
preventing any infection in this part of the horse. Failing to
clean your horse's hooves on a regular basis puts him at risk

You must also check if the hooves get loose or no longer fits
properly. Shoed horses also require the visit of the farrier
about every 4 to 6 weeks. Each visit would mean placing new
shoes. A horse's hoof grows, just like our nails, thus the shoe
will stop fitting correctly after some time. The functions and
movements of the foot must be taken into consideration when
fitting shoes.

Commonly used for shoes are steel and aluminum. Your farrier can
help you decide which kind is best for your horse. To make them
lighter and to give them a better grip, a groove underneath are
placed on most shoes. Those placed in the front limbs are
circular, while those on the hinds are diamond-shaped.

Few horses have perfect conformation and many have improper
feet. Many horses have boxy feet or club feet while other may
have broad flat feet and some have feet that turn in or out. And
these characteristics of a horse's foot should be properly
addressed. Some of these characteristics are dependent on the
breed of the horse. Shoes must fit to accommodate the horse's
foot.

Having the shoe is one thing, but a proper shoeing job is
another. You should not try putting on your horse's shoes on
your own just to save money. The farrier is a trained
professional in this aspect, and he has a more extensive line up
of equipment and instruments that will suit the needs of your
horse. He has tongs, pincers, pullers, nipper, pritchels and a
special hoof knife for paring and trimming the foot. He will
have the right size of nails to fit every size and type of shoe.

Domesticated breeds of horse are dependent entirely upon humans
for their maintenance and comfort. Horses are subject to many
ailments. Foot diseases may cause severe lameness and may be
made worse by owner neglect, so don't take horseshoeing for
granted.

About the author:
Horses and Ponies Learn more at http://www.horseandponys.com

Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in articles on this website are those of the author(s) of each story or article and not necessarily those of Shadow Ridge. Shadow Ridge does not necessarily agree with, support, or endorse any definitions, treatments, opinions or statistics stated by these authors. They are entirely responsible for the content of their respective story(s) or article(s).

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