Summer Hoof Care

Hoof care throughout the year is a crucial part of care for our equines and it is particularly vital during the summer months. This is because the summer weather can cause the equine feet to dry out which can lead to problems such as cracks, heat and bruises. Also any horse which already suffers with poor feet will often fare worse during the drier months when there’s less moisture in the grass and the ground and can in severe cases cause the horse to suffer with lameness. Summer weather also often leads to the ground becoming hard and this can lead to concussive forces to the equine hoof and the limb. Various hoof supplements can assist the equine during the summer months providing much needed essential nutrients protecting and supporting the equine health and their hooves. Providing nutritious compounds with ingredients such as Choline, Lysine, Lecithin, DL- methionine, Ascorbic acid, Copper, Zinc, Biotin to name but a few, these nutrients can boost and support the health of our equines. These hoof specific ingredients alongside other nutrients allow horse's liver and the hoof corium to build and assemble a highly crosslinked hoof wall that is denser and more resistant to cracking or drying out. Including brands such as; Farriers Formula, Feedmark Hardy Hoof and Equus Health. Alongside including a hoof supplement in the diet, hoof management is vitally important. Here are some tips from The Saddlery Shop for keeping healthy hooves all summer long! 1. ) Always ensure you provide a healthy diet which is full of nutrients which help to support both hoof and general health all year round. When the grass becomes dry, bleached or overgrazed consider adding a vitamin and mineral supplement to the diet. 2.) Regularly pick your horse’s feet out and look out for any changes, e.g. cracks, heat in the horse’s feet, or an increase in the digital pulse. This is particularly important when your horse is spending a lot of time out at pasture. 3. ) Use a fly spray during warmer weather as your horse often will stomp and kick the ground, potentially damaging his hoof health and if shod, his shoes, when getting irritated by flies and midges. A huge range of fly sprays are available from The Saddlery Shop. 4. ) Include a hoof supplement in the diet which contains high quality, relevant nutrients such as the products offered by The Saddlery Shop. 5. ) Avoid applying heavy, cosmetic, topical products that do not allow the hoof to breathe such as some hoof oils and polishes. For more information about the products available from The Saddlery Shop visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk!