Hello! I finally get to the computer with some time to get up the notes! Apologies for any recent trouble getting to the website, there was a malicious and deliberate attack on the yola server which blocked legitimate traffic getting to any of their sites...they have upgraded their security (now bank and government level) and say this won't happen again...

So, 'homework' for this month was the taking of pics of your horses feet...pre and post trim if poss. You will need to take the pics quite low to the ground to get a good view from the front and sides and then pics from underneath.
Also, please remember to bring the conditioning scores and pics from last month so we can all go over them too.

NOTE: there is more to go up here...today is the monday, sept 6th...my keyboard met with a cup of tea yesterday adn that spelled the end of any more work on the computer that wasnt' just using the mouse to scroll! Oops!! So I will complete this page and upload Septembers lot too...

Hoof structure

We looked at the structure of the hoof with the help of several cadaver feet and one limb. 

In a nutshell, looking at trimming the hoof we can remember: short toes, short heels, and trimming for the 1/3-2/3 balance of the foot: 1/3 of the foot in front of the apex of the frog, and 2/3 behind it. Walls should be at sole level or a few millimetres from it (especially if the horse is living on hill country here...the little extra wall gives a bit more grip)...wall include the bars! Frogs are to be trimmed of excessive bits and peices that will trap dirt etc and provide a great living area for 'the bug'.

I have decided that rather that  I will very briefly bullet point the the trimming process and then provide links for you to visit for further memory jogging and learning...

So...
  • clean out the foot to see what you are dealing with and use the knife to clear and determine the white line.
  • exfoliate the sole being careful not to dig on into live sole...which has that lovely waxy appearance.
  • if the hoof wall is very excessive nip it off to a few mills above sole level ...if a timely maintainence trim then you will likely only have to 'clean' up the wall with the rasp a little. If you have nipped then follow over with the rasp to clean up too.
  • now we really begin...take the nippers if necc but again if timely you will be on the rasp ...rasp off SQUARE to the white line and develop a uniform distance from the  white linel the way around the foot... the best spot to determine the right thickness is at the widest part of the foot.
  • Take the foot forward and tidy up that rasping you ahve just done, being careful to keep the rasp at the right angle...square to the white line.

A horse living outside will take 4,000-6,000 steps per 24 hr; a horse living in a stall will take 800 steps per 24 hr.
 
 
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