Learning About Horses - Smart Hoof Care

Happy Hooves Happy Horse

• hoof pick ensures a happy, healthy horse
• spends most of its life outdoors
• need to perform a smart hoof regime
• clean hooves EVERYDAY

How hooves get hurt

• foreign objects
• dirt, mud, rocks, stones, snow can get lodged in the frog and sole of the hooves
• causes discomfort and nasty equine diseases
• develop in horses and spread to humans and other horses
• use a hoof pick to properly pick out these objects and debris

Hoof Picks

• multiple hooves available
• halter hook
• saddle bag
• carry one in backpack
• tie one onto saddle

Best Hook Pick - Ultimate Hoof Pick

	Curved Hoof Pick Ultimate Hoof Pick unbendable unbeatable unbreakable heavy-duty solid curved steel pick with a pointy tip super strong leverage to get underneath packed dirt and rocks  gives the right angle that is needed for cleaning out baked-on mud and dirt and removing small stones if the end is not pointed enough might be hard to pick out larger stones or rocks
	Triangular Hoof Pick Intrepid International Hoof Pick use metal pick and the brush metal pick to remove stones brush to clean out dirt
	Triangular Hoof Pick Tough 1 Great Grip Hook shaft must be made from sturdy, strong metal should have curved and triangular picks
	Hoof Pick/Pocket Knife Old Timer SOTHP Folding Knife with Horse Pick hoof pick to clear the hoof pocket knife to cut hay bales, rope

   Steps to cleaning your horse's hooves

Step 1

tie your horse safely

Step 2

cue your horse to lift its leg  tap on chestnut pinch lightly just above the pastern joint, along the tendon at the back horse picks up hoof allowing you to support the hoof in one hand, usually left (right-handed) other hand holds the hoof pick hold leg at pastern or under hoof itself

Step 3

use hoof pick to clear out dirt, matted hay, straw, debris work from heel to toe pay careful attention to the cleft around the frog use the stiff brush to brush away bits of dirt and chaff using an illuminated hoof pick to look at the nooks and crannies clean off the sole pick gently around the area of the hoof just to the inside of the hoof wall this is the white line it is softer so be careful this can be an entry point for things like grit and small stones  can lead to seedy toe white line disease frog is softer and sensitive  be careful to not pick too aggressively

Step 4

once foot is clean gently set horse's hoof on the ground don't let him do it himself repeat on remaining hooves