From page 43
HOOF CARE
protect it from any injuries
that may come during
exercise. The shoe is nailed
or glued onto the hoof
around the outer rim of the
wall.
With the onset of the rainy
season horses will find
themselves walking in mud.
This, and the moisturising
effect of wetness is a major
cause of shoe loss, as the
mud works its way in
between the hoof and the
shoe, while the nails holding
the shoe work loose in the
softened hoof wall. Before
long the shoe is sucked off
the hoof, the clinches of the
nails ripping through the hoof
wall in the process.
Daily checks should be
carried out, therefore, to
ensure that shoes remain
tight. Doing so is easy: simply
clean the hooves well and
walk the horse on a concrete
or brick-paved surface.
If you hear a clanking sound
from the shoe, it is loose.
To tighten it back into
position is most easily done
with a tool called a nail
clincher or crocodile jaw. The
effect of the tool is to push
the head of the nail into the
shoe and hoof while simulta-
Nail clincher
or crocodile jaw
44
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neously exerting a tightening
pressure on the cinch.
It is important that owners
become familiar with the
rate of growth of their
animals' feet, not only so that
they can keep them
trimmed, but so that they are
attentive to any changes in
the rate of growth, which
could be an indication of a
serious problem.
Any hoof overgrowth can
cause discomfort to the
animal. The bones in the
hoof are meant to sit
squarely inside the hoof, at
an approximately 50 degree
angle to the ground. When
hooves become too long, the
weight-bearing surfaces of
the hoof can be changed
and unbalanced, and the
bones can begin to splay
inside the foot. The main
goal of trimming hooves is to
restore the natural shape of
the hoof so that weight is
distributed evenly and in a
manner that is best for all
structures of the hoof and
the comfort of the animal.
You might also want to
consider using footbaths.
There are different concentrated hoof care solutions
available for different
species, for regular cleaning
and hoof strengthening. You
can build a concrete
footbath or use a portable
footbath.
Further preventative
measures include ensuring
that the animal's bedding
and walking areas are clean
and well maintained – with
no holes or foreign bodies.
Regular inspection of the
pasture is very important, as
wire and other dangerous
waste material will mysteriously appear and pose a
danger to your livestock's
feet.
While good maintenance
can help eliminate lameness
problems, there is always
some chance that an animal
will contract a disease or
develop a condition that
must be treated.