Hoof-care and Farriery

THE IMPORTANCE OF APPROPRIATE HOOF CARE AND FARRIERY

The saying ‘no hoof, no horse’ is well known, because it is true not only for horses but for donkeys and their hybrids too. Working equids bear their whole body weight, plus the weight of any load, across their four hooves. Hoof problems cause pain, lameness and suffering.

The hooves of horses, donkeys and mules are always growing. If there is an imbalance in the rate of growth and wearing away (e.g. becoming too long or short) this can cause pain and lameness.

Shoes can be applied to protect equids’ hooves from wearing away too fast. The placement of shoes is a unique skill and only properly trained and experienced farriers should perform this task.

Poor farriery, including imbalanced or overzealous trimming, the application of poor quality or unsuitable shoes, or the incorrect placement of shoes or nails, is a significant welfare concern for working equids. These can cause pain, lameness and suffering with every step that working equids take.

Access to quality farriery for working equids is limited as there are limited opportunities for people to receive appropriate farriery training in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

WHAT AFFECTS HOOF HEALTH?

See appendix “Assessing hoof health and farriery” for more information on how to properly evaluate hoof health.

Provision of daily hoof care

• Twice daily picking out of the feet can help to prevent foot infections and sole bruising from stones, sticks and other materials.
• Regular hoof inspection also gives owners the opportunity to identify any changes which might require intervention from a suitably skilled farrier.

Nutrition:

• Poor nutrition can lead to poor hoof horn quality making cracks more likely.
• Over nutrition with rich, high sugar feeds can lead to a disease called laminitis where the laminae, the structures connecting the hoof wall and the pedal bone, become inflamed, weaken and stretch causing severe pain and suffering to the animal.

Climate and weather:

• Wet environments can make hoof infections more likely, and cause the hoof horn to become weaker and reduced in quality.
• Soft, wet ground can mean that hooves become overgrown as they are worn away more slowly. Suitable trimming may be required more frequently in these environments.
• Hot and dry environments can make hoof horn more brittle and prone to cracking.

Location/environment

• Working on man-made roads in urban areas leads to increased hoof wear and a greater need for shoes.
• In agricultural areas equids may work on softer surfaces, increasing the need for frequent hoof trimming.
• In areas that are very stony and/or uneven, cracking of the hoof can be more common; shoes may help prevent bruising of the sole.

Conformation of the equid

• Limb conformation is closely linked to hoof shape and balance, and should always be considered when examining the hoof.
• There is a high prevalence of limb conformational abnormalities in working equids [1,2] which can lead to distorted hooves that may contribute to pain and lameness.
• Skilled farriery is required to help manage the impact of conformational abnormalities on the hooves of working equids.

Availability of skilled, well-equipped farriery services

• Owners often lack the skills to provide farriery care to their animals
• Suitably trained and equipped farriers provide the most appropriate farriery service for the animals under their care.
• There are limited opportunities for farriers to receive quality training and this, especially when combined with poor resources (equipment), can lead to inappropriate and ineffective farriery care being provided.
• Animals should always be treated and handled in a quiet, compassionate, and safe manner during any trimming or shoeing.

HOW CAN WE ENSURE GOOD, SKILLED FARRIERY IS AVAILABLE TO WORKING EQUIDS?

• Identify who provides farriery services within your region
• Identify any gaps in their provision of skilled, safe farriery
• Identify any gaps within the wider farriery provision system including: opportunities for farriery training, availability of tools, quality shoes and horseshoe nails
• Identify potential opportunities for strengthening farriery provision by working with different stakeholders for example: veterinarians, veterinary training institutions, local professional or leisure horse service providers, makers/suppliers of farriery tools and equipment.