This article has appeared previously with Equestrian Life. To see what is in our latest issue, please click here.

 

 

 

 

By Jane O’Connor

 

Photography by Eamon Gallagher

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most common questions a farrier is asked is how long should a horse be left before it is reshod or has its hooves trimmed. It’s a little like asking how long is a piece of string, given that a wide range of factors come into play. But, in today’s world where many riders work or attend school full time, writing the farrier’s visits into the schedule can be tricky. But, somewhere between every four and seven weeks - depending on a range of conditions and factors - will be part and parcel of horse ownership.

 

In 50 years of tending to hooves and teaching on the subject, Carl O’Dwyer has seen it all. But, one of the more concerning outcomes of time poor riders and owners is the tendency to leave horses shod for far too long or put off a trim for weeks longer than is healthy for the animal. The resultant problems can end up costing far more time and money than those missed appointments. Others may be tempted to save the fee and try doing it themselves without any proper training or understanding of the potential damage they can cause. But, not keeping up with regular shoe- ing or trimming is one of the biggest mistakes horse owners make. The excuses are myriad. farriers aren’t available when you are, they don’t come back, there’s a shortage in the area and finding time on weekdays to be at home is difficult.

 

Learning what will be required for the proper upkeep of a horse’s feet should begin before you buy one, particularly for inexperienced or new owners. Determining the intended riding discipline or use before going shopping will make a big difference to what you need to thoroughly check. If a new horse is already in the paddock, having a qualified farrier assess hoof care needs from early in the piece will set an owner on a well-informed course.

 

“Determine what you want the horse for first. Then the question is whether it will need shoeing or not? There is nothing wrong with riding a horse ‘barefoot’, depending on what you do with it and where you ride,” Carl says. The main reason for shoeing is to provide a better hoof surface so the horse can work year round. But, be prepared to write in some shoe- free time to allow hooves to recover and regenerate, again depending on the use. The type of surfaces the horse will be housed on, how much exercise it is likely to get, the seasonal changes where it will spend most of its time and types of feed will all make a difference to what sort of problems or issues may be encountered and what ongoing maintenance it will need. Be aware that all of these considerations will come into play. each horse is an individual.

 

Carl says that the inexperienced or new rider is well advised to take a vet or experienced horseperson with them to select a new mount anyway and hoof health and conformation needs to be firmly on the checklist. “You really need to understand a horse’s lower limb conformation. A vet or experienced horse person who knows their business will be able to tell if a horse has foundered or has side bone or ring bone. These are devastating for the horse and disappointing for the unwary owner,” he says. The main items to look for include:

 

• no cracks up the full length of the hoof wall.

• nicely balanced hoof capsules.

• no collapsed heels.

• how well trained or calm is the horse when it comes to having its feet inspected or tended to?

 

You might end up with the prettiest horse, but if you and a farrier can’t control it and it won’t stand quietly, then some frustrating times lie ahead, unless it can be retrained.

 

“A farrier is not a horse breaker,” Carl says. If you haven’t already sourced a farrier for the ongoing needs, then ask others who they use. having someone in place ahead of time who visits your area can save a great deal of searching after you get the horse home. Some advertise in local areas or vets may recommend some- one. Often, it is a word of mouth arrangement. Once sourced, like any service, be prepared to engage in some sensible communication to ensure a good, ongoing relationship.

 

 

As a horse owner, you can’t escape the need for hoof care. In the wild, Carl says, horses will naturally wear their hooves down if they are on hard, rocky type ground. On flatter, softer ground, hooves become wider and more splayed. elements of this can apply in a domestic situation, but most personal riding horses are likely to be in a paddock. Stabled horses, racers, trotters and competition horses will have a different set of requirements. “If a horse is ridden on a hard surface it will trim its own feet down if they’re not shod, but it needs to be worked regularly,” Carl says.

 

The most important starting point is communication. Your farrier is not doing a one-size-fits-all job. he or she may also be attend- ing to scores of horses a week, so your observations about your individual animal will prove important on each visit. Clearly outline to the farrier what job you want the horse to do. If the horse is shod then different shoes, varying nail widths and lengths to suit the hoof or breed will be required. “They have to be specifically fitted and the shoe must fit properly from heel to heel. This must be an ongoing discussion with the farrier with the owner explaining exactly what the needs are,” Carl says. Common questions f rom owners surround what the best type of shoe is for them. “Whether they need toe clips or side clips, but again this depends on what the horse is being used for, how hard it is on shoes and the type of horse.” If barefoot suits the horse and the use, then this too needs to be professionally done. horse health is largely dictated from within. Like us, they are what they eat. for the paddock horse, Spring will usually bring good feed and hooves that grow quickly. trimming or shoeing intervals will be shortened. This rapid growth leads to a common issue whereby the forward growing hoof grows over the shoes. 

 

Any signs of this are a sure indication that it needs to be reshod before any damage is done. for those who prefer to leave their paddock horses ‘barefoot’, then the horse will often tell when attention is needed. It doesn’t want to walk on solid or stoney ground, for instance. Come Summer and hot, dry conditions will slow hoof growth. Under these conditions, they may go for seven to eight weeks between farrier visits. It is about being aware of the amount of growth or other problems such as splitting or cracking and taking the farrier’s advice on how best to treat them. Once Autumn and Winter - or a wet season - arrives, the damp- ness brings with it the risk of infections. The white line needs to always be checked by the farrier to ensure there are no black spots. These can be cut out or a simple solution is to soak some cotton wool in copper sulphate mixed with vaseline and placed under the shoe to kill such infection.“There are some good, simple, preventative measures that a qualified farrier can apply or show you how to use,” Carl says. Ignoring them though, can lead to frustrating longer term attempts at a cure.

 

If you have acquired a nervous horse that causes problems for a farrier, then this can dictate the type of experience you will have. It can be frightening and daunting when a normally calm riding horse regularly baulks when the farrier arrives. One training mechanism Carl suggests can be applied when you routinely pick your horse’s hooves out. Using a piece of polypipe, tap the hooves gently with the pipe a few times to get it used to the sensation or noise. If this seems daunting or doesn’t work, an owner needs to consider using an experienced horse person to train the horse how to stand quietly. “There is nothing worse than a horse that won’t stand. It is not nice for the owner or the farrier,” Carl says. ensuring it is easy to deal with can solve the common problem of a farrier who won’t come back to a consistently difficult horse or an owner on an endless quest for a new farrier, only to have the scenario repeated.

 

If an owner makes the decision from early in the piece that the horse will be shod, then ‘with shoeing comes responsibilities’, Carl says. The market dictates the price. Depending on the farrier, it will cost between $80 and up to $150 to have a horse shod. “It boils down to what you are happy to pay for the level of service you receive,” Carl says. “People just don’t realise how important it is to look after the feet as this eliminates a whole raft of potential problems that can’t be fixed because the feet aren’t right. If you can’t afford it, then don’t have the horse,” he says.

 

Another area for caution is the assumption that there are some shortcuts or easy fixes for problem hooves. “The industry is awash with products.

 

But, remember we are dealing with a live animal, with live tissue.If something works, then that’s okay. But, al- ways take advice on whether it will suit a specific need.”

 

Some owners will also try to maintain their horse’s hooves between farrier visits. Simple maintenance is within the grasp of owners, but still requires education and training. There are many tools of the trade avail- able for sale and Carl says an owner should be able to take a shoe off or re-nail it if a horse dislodges one and you can’t get a farrier straight away. But, bear in mind that unless you are aware of what types of nails your farrier may be using to ensure there are no tears or pain points, then without being fully informed on how to do this, more harm than good can result. Again, it is about good communication. “Get your farrier to show you how to do this so you can get by if needed.” At- tempting your own trimming and filing is a different ballgame. It is simply not as easy as it may look. Unless you have full knowledge of all the hoof structures then leave it to an expert. Carl runs clinics in some country areas where farriers are hard to get that teach owners how to carry out some basic maintenance.

 

 

After four years of training, a farrier is ready to take their services out to the horse owning public. Carl suggests checking what qualifications and experience they offer and then determine to build a good working rapport. “The farrier wants to give your horse the right service.They can become quite dejected when an owner isn’t conscientious about it,” he says.

 

As a starting point, book a visit every six weeks on an ongoing basis. Once the relationship is established then, like any service, those appointments may be on a shorter or longer timescale, depending on the specific needs. Being able to take time off work or ensure some- one is present can be a problem, but some clever planning can solve this. At the very least, always confirm the farrier will be there at an appointed time. Some work weekends to accommodate owners.

 

 

 

 

The conditions under which a farrier has to work are important. Most will insist that an owner is present during the service. “have a decent area for them to work in. This needs to be stable, level ground with a tie up area and preferably under shelter. With the owner holding the horse, the job is easier and quicker,” Carl says. Given that around 90 per cent of unsoundness problems come from the feet, it is important for the farrier to point any problems out so you can work on eliminating these. There is also a safety consideration. This is hard, physical work. trying to control a horse’s weight and concentrate on the job at hand means a farrier has a much tougher job if there is no one else present to hold and calm the animal. Many refuse to work alone on a property. “If a horse is not cooperative then a farrier should walk away,” Carl says. Sometimes, it can be as simple as ensuring there are other horses present. “They are a herd animal. Often, if they have a mate with them they will stand quietly.”

 

Remember that this is how your farrier makes a living. Carl says that because of the physical nature, the travelling involved and the differing individual needs, farriers should not attempt to deal with more than 40 horses a week, with about an hour devoted to each one. expecting them to stay longer to deal with bigger problems that haven’t been clearly communicated at the time of booking can harm the relationship, especially when there are likely to be others booked in on the same day. When farriers try to deal with more than 15 in a day, then this often results in injury and a high attrition rate from the industry. But, even at 40 a week, they are unlikely to keep intimate track of your equine individual, hence the importance of being able to report your observations or help to flag problems.

 

 

The changing face of the horse owning demographic, and particularly the influx of adult riders, can lead to some tricky diary manipulation when it comes to being able to be present when a farrier is booked in. Some areas also have a shortage of farriers. Carl suggests that often some good neighbourhood networking or forward planning by a riding club, pony club or adult riding group can result in a win-win situation.

 

If a farrier knows that they will be able to attend to half a dozen or more horses in close proximity, or better still on the same property, with some help to hold them, then it becomes a far easier job. A group of horse owing neighbours can share the task, depending on availability. And, the farrier may be prepared to travel longer distances for the one-stop group. even coordinating with one or two neighbours to let you know when they have a farrier booked in can result in that person gaining half a dozen or more regular appointments within the same area.

 

Carl also suggests that pony clubs or adult riding groups could forward plan some training days on hoof care. “Several farriers could be organised for the day to cover a larger number of horses. While the owners are learn- ing firsthand about some of the issues and problems, for the farrier it is again a one-stop location,” Carl says. Some horses will only need a partial trim, while others will need a full job but he suggests the timing on a group will begin to coincide. As a distributor of farrier and hoofcare services, Carl says that any group wishing to plan such an approach can then be put in touch with interested farriers. “If some of the clubs got together in this way they would find more willing farriers,” he says.

 

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