Tips on horse hoof care

Listen to this radio story (MP3 download) or read below.

Radio interview source: Dr. E.L. (Ed) Johnson, Extension horse specialist, University of Florida

When I was a kid taking riding lessons, I had to clean my horse's hooves, digging out rocks and packed-in dirt. I remember learning really quick how to hold the hoof right so you don't get kicked.

A hoof pick is probably the most important tool in a horse grooming kit. The hooves need to be picked out after every ride or walk to prevent infection and sore spots. Use the pick from the top of the hoof toward the back. Don't go the opposite way, you could push something in further and cause an injury.

Hooves grow like toenails and need to be trimmed every six to eight weeks. Dr. Ed Johnson is an extension horse specialist at the University of Florida. He says unless you know exactly how to trim hooves, have a farrier do it.

"It does take some skill, and it takes the right tools," Johnson says. "If you don't practice it, you'll have difficulty with your tools and your ability to look at a foot and determine if it's level. And, of course, most people don't know how much to remove."

While you're looking over the hoof, check for corns, bruises, and abscesses, too.