Horses - Barky.com.au

May 26, 2023

How to Clean a Horse’s Hoof: Vet-Reviewed Step-By-Step Guide

Cleaning your horse’s hooves is an essential part of your daily care routine and getting the job done correctly is not only essential for the health of their hooves, but for their mobility and overall health. Knowing how to clean hooves properly will prevent them from becoming impacted, uncomfortable, and from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and infection.

You should plan on cleaning your horse’s hooves out at least once per day. Depending on what activities you’ve done, and which surfaces they’ve been walking on throughout the day, it may be an idea to clean them out multiple times. That’s why we’ve provided a step-by-step guide, to walk you through the entire process of cleaning those horse hooves and keeping yourself safe while you do it.

How to Clean a Horse’s Hoof

1. Tie Your Horse Up Securely

First and foremost, you need to properly tie up and secure your horse before you start cleaning the hooves. Not only is this for your own safety as it limits their movement, but you also don’t want your horse walking away during the process.

Aim to tie them up in a quiet area that is free of distractions, including other horses, as you don’t want anything to startle or disrupt your horse while you are working on their feet. If they are feeling their oats that day, calm them down before you begin.

Make sure the rope isn’t too tight, but also don’t provide too much slack since you don’t want them lowering their head to graze. You can even have another person hold onto the lead if you prefer.

Turkmen horse tied to a leash — Image Credit: 4.murat, Shutterstock

2. Position Yourself Correctly

Safety should always be your top priority when handling horses. As owners, it can be easy to get complacent, especially when working with horses we know well. Unless your horse has been desensitized to hoof maintenance, they can be very sensitive to having their feet messed with.

If you don’t know the horse well, be extra cautious during the process. You want to position yourself in the safest, most effective way to clean the hooves to prevent yourself from being kicked or stepped on. Additionally, you need to make sure your horse is aware of your movement as you make your way around their body.

To keep yourself from being in the direct path of the leg you are working on, stand beside your horse, facing their behind. Never stand directly in front of or behind any of the legs.

3. Encourage Your Horse to Shift Their Weight

Depending on which side of the body you are working on, you want to make sure your horse has shifted their weight to the other. This will allow them to pick their leg up comfortably and remain stable as you work.

Horses that are well trained and used to having their hooves cleaned and trimmed may naturally do this since they are familiar with the process. Otherwise, you can gently nudge your horse with your shoulder to encourage them to shift their weight to the opposite side. Don’t even attempt to lift the leg until their weight has been shifted properly.

a white horse's hoof — Image Credit: GoranH, Pixabay

4. Cue Your Horse to Lift the Leg

The last thing you want to do when messing with your horse’s feet is to catch them by surprise when you go to grab a leg. This is especially important if you are working with a horse that is green, or one that you are not yet familiar with. If this is the case, exercise extreme caution and get a feel for how the horse is responding before you begin.

A great way to reassure them is by running your hand up and down their leg while talking in a calm, loving tone. You can also check their leg out to ensure there are no injuries, swelling, or anything unusual going on with the leg.

If your horse does not have a cue to pick up their leg, you can gently squeeze the chestnut on the front legs or the hock, if working on the back legs, to encourage them to lift. You can position yourself against your horse so that you can feel their movements and be more in tune with them as you work.

5. Support the Hoof

You are going to need to hold each leg in a way that supports the hoof and gives you the correct leverage to pick. If your horse tries to pull away or put their leg back down, hold the toe of the hoof and lift it up toward the elbow. Support the hoof you are working on with the hand closest to your horse’s body, allowing the hand farthest from the body to use the hoof pick.

Each horse is an individual, so do your best to understand what makes them the most comfortable during the process. Find out what works for your horse and position yourself in a way that supports them comfortably while being safe for you.

person holdin up a horse's hoof — Image Credit: Barbara Olsen , Pexels

6. Begin Using the Pick to Clean the Hoof

Once you have the hoof supported in your hand, you can start cleaning. Start by removing any dirt, rock, debris, or other material from the frog, which is the area that collects the most mess. The frog can be very sensitive since it has nerve endings, so you can always start with your fingers or a brush before moving to the pick. Regardless, be very gentle with the area.

Work carefully from heel to toe and avoid abrupt movement so that you avoid losing control and injuring yourself or your horse. Use a swiping motion parallel to the hoof and pick away at any gravel, dirt, debris, and anything else that has gathered in the hoof.

A standard pick will get the job done, but you can opt to use a pick with a brush to clean up the area even more. The frog will occasionally shed, and areas may look like they are peeling or hanging off, if that’s the case, give a gentle tug with your fingers. If it doesn’t fall off, leave it be and never attempt to cut it back yourself.

7. Check the Hooves

Once you’ve finished cleaning out the hoof, give it a once over to make sure you didn’t miss anything that needs to be cleaned out. You should also check hoof health to make sure each one is balanced and there are no signs of cracking, trauma, or infection.

Your horse should be able to stand squarely with all hooves in contact with the ground. If they are in need of a trim, you can either do so yourself if you have the experience or contact a professional farrier service. Hooves should be trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks on average for optimal hoof maintenance. If there are any signs of injury, trauma, or infection, reach out to your veterinarian.

Black and white horse hoofs with horseshoe — Image Credit: Anastasija Popova, Shutterstock

Conclusion

Horse owners should plan on cleaning out their horse’s hooves at least once per day as part of their daily routine. Each horse is unique, so it’s important to know your horse’s likes and dislikes, and how they respond to certain situations like hoof cleaning. You should always make safety your top priority, and ensure you take all necessary precautions to prevent you and your horse from injury.

The process is quite simple once you get the hang of it and learn how to position yourself properly. Always err on the side of caution and be especially careful with horses that are either green or you don’t know very well.

Featured Image Credit: Brastock, Shutterstock

The post How to Clean a Horse’s Hoof: Vet-Reviewed Step-By-Step Guide appeared first on Pet Keen.

May 1, 2023

Horse Genders Explained: A Simple Terminology Guide

If you are trying to get into the world of horses, you are likely going to come across a plethora of terms that might seem confusing and interchangeable. You could come across phrases like yearling filly, aged stallion, or friendly broodmare. To the uninitiated, these phrases are going to be unhelpful. Horses come with a host of gendered descriptors. Once you learn these terms, identifying a horse at a glance will be easy.

Male and female horses each have their own language that describes their age and breeding status. It might seem overwhelming at first, but learning these terms is helpful and easy to do. Here is everything you need to know about horse gender terminology in one simple guide.

Male Terms

Colt

Male:

less than 4 years old

Colts are male horses that are younger than 4 years old. Colts have not been neutered and typically have not been bred. Most breeders won’t transition a colt into a stud until they are at least 3 years old, but often older.

Stallion

Intact male:

4 years and older

A stallion is an adult horse that has not been neutered. Horses are considered stallions if they are 4 years old or older. Not all stallions are used for breeding, and whether a horse has been bred or not does not have any bearing on whether it is considered a stallion. Most people will only keep stallions if they are being used for breeding, but that is not always the case.

Stud

Intact male:

used for breeding

A stud is a stallion that is actively being used for breeding. Most studs do not start being bred regularly until they are at least 3 years old. Stud is a term for a captive horse. Wild horses are not generally considered studs.

Gelding

Intact male:

any age after castration

A gelding is a male horse that has been castrated. Many captive horses are geldings since stallions can be hard to deal with. Many horse owners choose to castrate their male horses if they are not active breeders in order to improve their temperament and make them easier to ride, train, and handle.

Sire

mother and baby horse on the grass — Image Credit: Erdenebayar, Pixabay

Intact male:

father to at least one foal

A sire is a male horse that has fathered a foal. The term sire is typically used when describing a horse’s parentage or lineage. A horse is only considered a sire if they have fathered at least one foal. Sire is basically the horse terminology for father.

Female Terms

Filly

Female:

4 years and younger

A filly is a female horse that is 4 years old or younger. Some people consider horses to be fillies until they are five. There can be some overlap where people consider females to be fillies through 5 years old. In either case, filly is used to describe a young female horse. Typically, fillies have not yet been bred or given birth to any foals.

Mare

Female:

5 years and older

The word mare is used to describe any adult female horse. Any female horse that has reached 4 years of age or older is considered a mare.

Broodmare

Pregnant mare — Image Credit: Marie Charouzova, Shutterstock

Female:

used for breeding

A broodmare is a mare that is being raised or kept for breeding. Broodmares can carry multiple foals to term through their life. Broodmares are specifically raised and kept for breeding purposes. Having one foal on purpose or by accident does not necessarily make a mare a broodmare.

Dam

cretan Horse here with a baby, Messara_Shutterstock_Peter Maerky — Image Credit: Peter Maerky, Shutterstock

Female:

mother

A dam is a mare that has had at least one foal. The term dam is used to track a foal’s parentage or lineage. It is the horse equivalent terminology of the word mother. If you see the word dam in relation to a horse, it describes the horse’s mother.

Gender Neutral Terms

Foal

Any horse under 1 year old

A foal is any horse under the age of one. Foal is a gender-neutral term, like the word baby. Foals can be males or females.

Aged

gelding-horse_vprotastchik_shutterstock — Image Credit: vprotastchik, Shutterstock

Any horse under 15 year old

Aged is a term applied to horses that are 15 years old or older. The term aged is often applied to another descriptor. For example, you might see an advertisement for an aged male or an aged gelding. That means that they are older than fifteen. Sometimes the term aged is used for horses whose exact age is not known.

Yearling

Any horse 1 year old that has not reached age 2

A yearling is a horse that has reached 1 year of age but is not yet 2 years old. The term yearling is often used for people trying to sell horses. Yearlings are very desirable horses, as it is the ideal time to buy. You may see the word yearling used on its own or in conjunction with another descriptor, such as colt. You can find yearling colts, yearling fillies, and occasionally yearling geldings.

Gender Chart

	Young	Standard	Parent	Breeding	Non-Reproductive
MALE	Colt	Stallion	Sire	Stud	Gelding
FEMALE	Filly	Mare	Dam	Broodmare	N/A

Conclusion

This guide covers all of the most common descriptors for horses. This is a non-exhaustive list. The horse world is old and complicated and filled with tradition. There are potentially dozens of other words and terms, including slang, that you may come across when dealing with horse trainers, owners, and breeders. However, these terms cover all of the basics and will get you started with most everything you need to know.

Sources

Joyful Equestrian

Featured Image Credit: jean-pierre duretz, Pixabay

The post Horse Genders Explained: A Simple Terminology Guide appeared first on Pet Keen.

April 27, 2023

What Are Horse Hooves Made Of? Vet Reviewed Hoof Anatomy

Horse hooves are one of the most essential and iconic parts of their anatomy. Hooves allow horses to be able to stand, walk, canter, and gallop. A horse cannot be truly healthy without healthy hooves. But what are the hooves made out of? What are the different parts of the hoof? The short answer is that hooves are made of keratin, cartilage, ligaments, elastic tissue, and bone. But horse hooves are very complicated pieces of biology and there are entire professions and specialties devoted to horse hooves exclusively. However, we can quickly cover the basics, including the structural matter composing the horse hoof and the three main parts of the hoof that laymen are likely to encounter.

What Are Horse Hooves Made Of? The 5 Materials

1. Keratin

The external part of the outer hoof is called the wall, and it is the part that most people think of when they picture a hoof. The hoof is made up of keratin. Keratin is a common material that makes up things like hair, fingernails, and horns. The keratin in a horse’s hoof keeps it strong and structured.

2. Ligament

A horse also has ligaments in their hoof. The ligaments attach the different bone structures of the hoof to each other. Ligaments strengthen and stabilize the horse hoof joints. They play an important role, keeping the bones aligned and providing support for the joints.

3. Bone

Horse hooves also have bones inside them. Bones provide strength and structure to the hooves. Like our bones, these bones are not externally visible. However, these bones can become worn, broken, or infected, which can severely impact the health of the hoof. The main bones inside a horse’s hoof are the pedal bone or distal phalanx, the navicular bone, and the distal middle phalanx.

Horse hoof in action — Image Credit: RebeccasPictures, pixabay

4. Cartilage

The inner part of the hoof is also made up of a pocket of cartilage. Cartilage is softer and more flexible than bone or keratin. This cartilage helps cushion the hard parts of the hoof and is very important to distributing force and weight through the hoof. The largest area of cartilage is called the lateral cartilage, and it resides between the pedal bone or distal phalanx and the second or middle phalanx. Again, all of this resides deep inside the hoof, out of view.

5. Elastic Tissue

The last type of material that makes up a hoof is something called elastic tissue. This is primarily what makes up the horse’s frog, which is a part of the sole that helps provide grip. The frog is not made from keratin or cartilage. This elastic tissue helps the frog bend and move as a horse walks to help them stay upright and steady on its feet.

The 3 Main Parts of the Hoof

1. Wall

The wall is the primary part of the hoof. The wall is the hard outer shell that surrounds the inner hoof. The wall is part of the hoof that grows continuously and is made out of keratin. The hoof wall grows steadily and requires trimming and maintenance to keep it at a reasonable length. The hoof wall does not contain any blood or nerves, making it similar to a human fingernail. Fingernails also grow continuously and contain no nerves or blood.

When you imagine the image of a horse hoof, the picture that materializes is often of the hoof wall.

2. Sole

The sole is the flat part of the hoof that makes up the middle part of the wall. Unlike human feet, the sole never touches the ground. The sole resides within the protective shell of the hoof wall. If the sole is making contact with the ground, your horse likely has a potentially serious hoof issue. The sole protects the undersurface of the horse’s foot where the very sensitive laminae connect the hoof to the pedal bone. The sole also contains the frog.

3. Frog

The frog is a V-shaped protrusion in the sole of a horse hoof. The frog should make contact with the ground when a horse is standing on soft material. If a horse’s hoof starts sinking into the ground due to sand, dirt, mud, or something similar, the frog will make contact with the ground and help stabilize the horse. The frog is made up of an elastic tissue that is strong yet supple. The frog makes up roughly 25% of the horse’s sole.

farrier filing horse hoof shoe — Image Credit: Lena Bauermeister, Unsplash

Hoof Health Is Critical

Horses spend the majority of their lives on their feet. Hoof health is vital to the overall health of a horse. A horse with unhealthy hooves can quickly degrade. Some hoof issues can even be fatal. Horses need to be able to walk and run in order to keep away from predators and to be able to effectively roam and graze. Keeping your horses’ feet healthy is analogous to keeping your horse healthy.

Domesticated horses need their hooves to be examined, trimmed, and treated by a trained farrier on a regular basis. It is recommended to have a farrier out to look at your horse’s feet every 3 to 6 weeks. Farriers will trim your horse’s hooves, look for signs of infection or degradation, and will suggest and administer treatment. Farriers are an important part of a horse’s life, and they will help keep the horse upright, sound, and healthy for years to come.

Conclusion

Horse hooves are much more complicated than they appear at first glance. The simple outer shell hides a complex inner core that is vital to a horse’s health. Horse hooves have tissue, cartilage, bone, and keratin inside them. All of this is connected by ligaments to nearby bones and muscles that allow horses to stand, walk, and move properly. Never neglect the health of your horse’s hooves because it can quickly lead to severe and worsening health problems.

Sources

Featured Image Credit: aglaya3, Pixabay

The post What Are Horse Hooves Made Of? Vet Reviewed Hoof Anatomy appeared first on Pet Keen.