Hoof Growth
Some horses grow more foot, some less. These pictures show a before and after comparison; with two of these hooves, there were 6 weeks between trims; with one of them, there were only 2 weeks – and the two weeks hoof is not the one that you would automatically assume it is.
But even if it isn’t as visible as this, most horses will need some correction after six weeks. Be it the medio-lateral (side to side) balance, long heels, or uneven wear at the toe or anywhere around the wall that needs evened out to encourage more even landing and breakover. Sometimes trimming will reveal underlying issues that weren’t visible before, like an abscess track or an infection like white line disease or thrush.
The last picture is a before trim picture only – seemingly a hoof that needs very little taken off? It’s the difference between fire fighting and keeping the feet as best as they can be.
This horse is on a 4-week schedule. It’s not a perfect foot, and the horse has his issues higher up. But coming back every 4 weeks means that issues are addressed early on, imbalances can be corrected quickly, and the hooves can perform at their best for the full duration of the trim cycle, not just the first few weeks.
Please don’t let your horse go without a trim for too long!
Sydne Pruonto
I am a sympathetic barefoot hoof care professional covering Central Scotland and adjoining areas. sydne@barefoothooves.co.uk