To see horses galloping is such a beautiful scene to behold. We all have imagined riding a horse to the length of a field in the countryside. But horses don't put sneakers on before running, do they? That's because horses have got 'hooves.' Anatomically speaking, a hoof is the lower, structurally challenging extremity of the foot of a horse which encloses the ends of the digits, precisely the 3rd phalanx or coffin bone.
The hoof mainly consists of a wall (which covers the 3rd phalanx), a frog (soft triangular area at the center), and a sole. The hoof is the ventralmost part of the limb and is the one that touches the ground. Hoof, made primarily of keratin, is hard enough to run barefoot for horses. A 'healthy hoof' is already a word among horse owners, but it needs to be elaborated on and otherwise preached among those who don't know its importance. Lucky for them, this article serves just the purpose.
Importance of a Hoof in Horses
A Hoof is an essential part of the horse, which serves multiple purposes. Several hoof functions are listed below:-
● Act as an entity supporting the animal's weight.
● Acts as a shock absorbent and helps energy dissipation when stoked against the ground.
● Protection of bones and tissues enclosed under the hoof capsule.
● Provides animals with the ability to traction.
Healthy Hoof vs Unhealthy Hoof
We must have heard the phrase- Look for both heads and tails before flipping a coin. Here it denotes examining the hoof before claiming it as healthy or unhealthy. Generally, a healthy hoof is free from abscesses, cracks, white-line separations, and other diseased conditions and can perform its functions without any issues.
An unhealthy hoof is usually the sum of several problems occurring altogether. The issues may arise from mechanical injury or bacterial, viral, or septic infections.
The typical clinical signs of hoof infection include lameness, unsoundness, and sometimes a fluid discharge from the hoof is observed.
Signs of a healthy hoof
Horse owners should clearly understand what a healthy hoof looks like. They should examine their friends' hoofs regularly. Horses may suffer from the above-listed diseases or any other hoof-deteriorating condition. To prevent hoof disruption, the horse owner should know the signs of a healthy hoof and observe the horse's hoof regularly.
Some parameters listed below will help you achieve the motive of examination of a hoof in the horse:
1. Sound
The majestic walk of a horse is chiefly associated with the sound he makes while walking. When the hoof strikes the ground or pavement, it produces a characteristic 'clatter' sound, a rattling sound, and a somewhat hollow sharp sound.
This sound is a good indicator of hoof health. On the other hand, the absence or disturbance in the sound may indicate infection or a diseased hoof condition.
2. Surface
The hoof continuously comes in contact with the ground with pressure, hence prone to wear and tear. A healthy hoof surface does not show cracks, splits, white line separation, cysts, or abscesses. It has been observed horizontal cracks are a sign of an old spot, while vertical cracks are associated with new abscess formation. Horse owners must look after the protection of these hooves and look for mentioned signs. Often a horseshoe is used to protect the hoof of a horse. Horseshoeing is a must in racing horses and is highly recommended for other purposes.
3. Growth pattern
The growth rings, or hoof rings, are formed from season to season and follow a typical way. These are always straight and smooth and not curving around the hoof.
The hoof walls grow straight down (imagine a palmar surface), and if we draw an imaginary central line of demarcation, then both sides of the hoof are nearly symmetrical. This makes a smooth pointing projection of the hoof, a sign of good health.
4. Shape
The horse hoof has a characteristic shape. To understand this sign, horse owners should understand three positions. The first is the back of the heels leading to the apex or tip of the frog, ending at the toe. These three positions run in a straight downward fashion. Now if measured closely, the distance between the information or apex to the back of the heel is ⅔ rd of the overall length, and from peak to toe is ⅓ rd of the overall size of the hoof. Any mismatch in these fixed measurements warns of future major hoof traumas.
5. Additional signs
● The frog is the triangular area extending midway from the heels towards the toe. The frog is a delicate part and acts as a shock absorbent. When standing on a weak footing, the frog must touch the ground.
● The hairline should be smooth and not wavy. Horse owners may also check for irregular bumps and inflammation at the coronary band area.
● When hit by any hard object (for checking), the hoof will sound solid and not hollow.
● Hoof Should be comparatively round in front and more oval in the rear. Giving it a characteristic pointy shape.
Any deviation from these points might be an indicator of unhealthy hooves. And horse owners must look for abnormalities or 'unhealthy' hoof problems.
To avoid mechanical injury, a common practice of applying a horseshoe is practiced globally. Horseshoe is a U-shaped metal piece used at the palmar surface of the hoof, usually with the help of nails (in hot shoeing) with the help of farrier tools, and can also be applied chemically (as in cold shoeing). Vaccination and treatment are a way out in case of pathogenic or pathological complications of the hoof.
Common Problems Indicating' Unhealthy Hoof' in Horses
A hoof can damage due to several causes, including mechanical injury or pathogenic bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal infection, etc. Based on the previous findings, some diseases are more prevalent causes of hoof infection in horses; these are as follows:-
● Thrush - the destruction of the frog part of the hoof.
● Abscess - development of a pus pocket due to the trapping of bacteria in the hoof.
●White line disease - A fungal infection gives the appearance of a white line on the hoof (which connects the sole to the hoof wall)
● Laminitis - inflammation of laminae, widespread in horses.
●Hoof bruises - usually develop due to mechanical injury associated with broken blood vessels, swelling, and pain.
● Mechanical injury can lead to crack formation in hooves.
FAQs
Q1 - What is a good hoof condition?
Ans - The hoof should make a 45 degrees angle from the ground in front legs, and a 50 to 55 degrees angle from the bottom is encouraged in case of hind feet to claim a hoof to be in good condition. The horse's claw should be free from cracks, abscesses, etc.
Q2 - Does trimming of hooves help maintain hoof health?
Ans - Hoof trimming is an essential part of grooming. Trimming of hooves renders the horse less susceptible to bacterial infections. It also provides a hoof with a precise gripping design. Hoof nippers and other farrier tools are used to achieve the same.
Q3 - How does horseshoeing affect hoof health?
Ans - Horseshoeing is another mandatory grooming practice that is followed widely by horse owners. It refers to applying a U-shaped metal ring on the palmar surface of the hoof and is usually a pain-free process. It protects the hoof from wear and tear and prevents it from degrading quickly. Applying a horseshoe may follow a cold or hot route of shoeing (hot shoeing more common)
Q4 - What is perfect hoof balance?
Ans - The shape of a hoof is more or less like an inverted cone. From this, one can conclude that the hoof's weight-bearing area is wider than the coronary band area. The Hoof capsule's course runs from the coronary band to the ground. The symmetry of the white line boundary shall also be observed.
Conclusion
The importance of hoof in horses is second to none. And thus, maintaining the health of the hoof is a must for horse owners. This article provides clear-cut signs of a healthy hoof so you can restrict the healthy and unhealthy hoof conditions in horses. Parameters that can be grossly observed by horse owners and caretakers, such as soundness, shape, and surface, help to identify hoof-related problems in horses.
An unhealthy hoof is nothing but a deviation from the above-listed properties of a healthy hoof (goes vice-versa). Chits and bits about some common infections of hoofs with their causes and preventive measures are also necessary to determine the actual condition. In conclusion, one can differentiate between a healthy hoof and an unhealthy hoof in horses if one looks closely for the signs mentioned here. Contact your nearest veterinarian for profound insights on hoof conditions and corrective measures.