Winter hoof care tips: simple steps to help maintain healthy hooves

This article has been edited and approved by Karen Coumbe MRCVS, H&H’s veterinary advisor since 1991.

The horse’s hoof is a fantastic piece of biological engineering, but it does face a number of challenges, especially when moisture is involved. Ricky Farr MRCVS gives some helpful tips on how to keep your horse’s hooves healthy through the winter with some easy-to follow preventative hoof care measures.

Hoof care tips: coping with winter

1. Pick out and clean hooves daily.

2. To give the hooves the chance to adapt to the typical changes in environmental conditions that occur during the winter, bring horses in from muddy fields for several hours a day to allow the foot to dry out.

3. An unbalanced foot is more prone to developing flares, which results in uneven strain on the hoof wall. Consequently grass/sand cracks can develop, which give organisms access to underlying structures. Skilled farriery is required to maintain healthy hooves, so don’t skip or extend the time between your farrier’s visits, even if your horse isn’t being worked as much during the winter.

4. Assessment of the hoof at rest and during the normal foot flight is essential to maintain this degree of balance. Ask your farrier to assess your horse’s foot in this way regularly.

5. Having the toe rolled and giving heel support can improve sole depth.

6. If possible ensure your horse has access to a dry standing area at all times.

7. Coating the hoof with a sugar and iodine mix is a good way to harden and dry out the sole, although it should be used with care to avoid drying out the hoof too much.

8. While there are nutritional supplements formulated to help support the growth of healthy hooves, they are not designed to manage the moisture content of the horse’s hoof. Instead, the use of barrier creams, oils or clays may help prevent excessive moisture absorption through the sole.

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Karen Coumbe

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MA VetMB CertEP CertVA MRCVS

Our equine veterinary expert has more than 30 years experience in practice. She is an FEI vet and has attended the past three Olympic and two World Equestrian Games in her role. She has a particular interest in anaesthesia, pre-purchase examinations, ophthalmology and dermatology amongst other clinical concerns. She has been Horse & Hound’s official veterinary advisor since 1991. Karen is part of the Bell Equine team.

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Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.