As the saying goes : « no foot, no horse ». The horse’s foot bears the weight of the entire body, acts as a shock absorber, and provides propulsion. It is a vital complex structure which should be taken care of from a very young age as it is put to a lot of strain.
The foot, a complex structure… let’s look at a bit of anatom
The foot corresponds to the extremity of the each limb. This complex structure is composed of several different types of tissue (bone tissue, tendinous, cartilaginous….) and is highly vascularised. It is encapsulated within the hoof, which is the visible protective extremity.
The two parts of the foot
External part
The hoof, (which corresponds to our nails), is made up of sebum, lanolin and keratin…. Substances which give the hoof rigidity whilst retaining some suppleness and mobility. It is the protective outer casing of the internal structures.
With the hoof on the ground, the wall is the circumference of the foot. It is divided into 5 parts : the toe, 2 quarters, 2 heels (see photos above). The shape of the hoof varies from one horse to another ; some feet are wide and flat, others higher and narrower. The wall (also known as the hoof capsule) grows downwards, the new horn being secreted by the main coronary band.
The hoof or hoof capsule grows by about 1 cm per month, depending on the breeds. It therefore takes a bout a year for the outer wall to be completely renewed (some variations due to stud or yard practices and use of the animal can be noted).
When the foot is lifted, the concave sole becomes apparent. The frog, shaped like a « V » at the rear, is flanked by the bars and collateral grooves. These parts are secreted by the dermis and epidermis (solar corium) of the hoof ; they grow in thickness. The heel bulbs are the extremities of the heels. The white line is the junction betwen the sole and the hoof wall. This is where the nails are lodged.
Internal parts
The bone structure of the foot is made up of two phalanxes (the middle phalanx -P2, and the distal phalanx) which correspond to the phalanxes at the extremities of our fingers (even though the horse only has one finger at the end of each limb). In addition, there is the small sesamoid bone, more commonly known as the navicular bone.
Soft tissues complete the structure of the foot and ensure resistance, suppleness, and shock absorbtion : additional, flexible fibro-cartilaginous structures are the digital cushion, the lamellae, the solar corium…
Tendons ensure the mobility of the foot (extensor and flexor tendons) which serve as intermediaries between the bones and the muscles. Joints are maintained by a series of collateral ligaments.
Highly vascularised, the hoof is well supplied in oxygen.
Structure of the foot and biomechanical considerations
How to define « good » feet, and how de they work ?
The complex structure of the foot enables it to bear pressure during effort : weight bearing when landing from a jump, racing, piaffer….
Knowledge of the mechanics involved in the way the foot functions is necessary to be able to understand the consequences on how the horse is used. In brief, when the horse bears weight on a foot, the heels come into contact with the ground. Because of their supple nature, they spread, thus lowering the different structures of the foot. The frog is then in contact with the ground and enables shock absorbtion.
When seen from the side, the aim is to maintain the angle of the hoof wall aligned with the pastern angle. When this angle is too upright, the foot no longer plays its shock absorbing role since the frog is no longer in contact with the ground, and the limbs will be subject to more fatigue. With too much angle, the foot no longer has enough heel : the tendons are more sollicited, and are subject to fatigue.
A « flat foot » has the sole closer to the ground, the heels are crushed and cannot spread outwards. Generally the hoof wall lacks height.
Show me your feet, I’ll tell you what you do….
Some breeds have a type of hoof shape which is well adapted to the desired uses, but there is also a factor of adaptation of the species to the breeding and promotion practices which should be taken into account.
For example :
Barb horses are used for endurance racing. They have fairly small feet, and high hoof walls. This type of hoof morphology is well adapted to endurance and varied terrain.
Selle Français horses are used in show jumping. They have wide feet. This type of front foot morphology is well adapted to taking off and landing when jumping.
Just from seeing the hooves, the farrier can detect your horse’s past history. E.g. abrupt variations in his work pattern, changes in diet, prior bouts of laminitis….
Regular care to be provided to the hoof
Whether or not the horse is shod, hooves should be regularly trimmed. For a horse living out in a field, it is better not to have him shod at all, rather than not having him re-shod regularly. Unshod, the horn wears down a little, whereas when shod there is no wear, and the horse’s feet will tilt.
Apart from regular farriery, either shoeing or trimming by a farrier, the hoof should be given regular care. Everyday care is quite simple :
Regular hoof picking, to be carried out systematically before and after work, to remove any acculmulation of dirt (manure, mud, stones, sand…) and to check for wounds or foreign objects.
Brushing the sole, the frog, the heel bulbs and the hoof wall, sometimes completed by washing with a sponge to finish cleaning the hoof.
Drying the entire hoof, to avoid trapping excess water when oiling the hoof.
Oiling the sole, frog, heel bulbs, and hoof wall with an adapted hoof ointment
The aim of oiling is to promote healthy and strong new horn growth, not to deal with damaged horn !. When oil is applied to the hoof, the main coronary band should be liberally treated as it is where the new horn grows from (a band of about 2cms wide just below th coronet).
When the hoof capsule is damaged (sandcracks…), what is done is done, and cannot be remedied with hoof care products. The further away from the coronary band, the older the horn. Applying ointments below the coronary band is less important, as it will have little effect. The only remedy is the time it takes for the horn to regrow (in the same way as when we get bruised under a nail).
Neither too much, nor too little !
Either excess or lack of care can be damaging to the health of the hoof…
Too much humidity : the hoof’s ennemy
In free-roaming conditions, the horse’s hooves are naturally hydrated when going through humid areas, and thanks to the dew in the mornings… Even if hydration is necessary for the hooves, any excess humidity (living for prolonged periods in a muddy field, in a dirty stable, or even not drying the limbs after hosing down…) is harmful as it causes maceration and damages the frog.
Hoof-picking : unavoidable step.
It is easy to understand why it is risky not to pick hooves regularly, especially when the horses are shod… but washing and applying hoof care ointments should be done in a well-reasoned fashion..
Hoof care products (maintenance) : depending on the state of the hooves, and with no humidity
Dry hooves are a result of lack of hydration. When the horse is kept stabled, or lives and works on very dry surfaces (fields, padocks, areans during summer dry periods), the horn of the hooves will dry out. Some bedding, such as wood shavings, also have a drying effect. In this case it is advised to oil the hooves 3 to 4 times a week (or even daily if necessary, with a hydrating, nourishing and suppling hoof ointment, promoting horn growth. Specific oils, based on cod liver oil, or essential/ plant oils… exist on the market. Get the necessary information from your farrier or tack shop.
Soft hooves (« tender horn ») are the result of an overly humid environment. In this case, it is better to use an ointment containing Stockholm tar – to be distinguished from pure Stockholm tar- to harden the horn
Hoof care products (maintenance) ≠ health products
As their name implies, maintenance products are used to maintain a healthy hoof and can (or should) therefore be used regularly. These are mainly maintenance hoof care ointments and maintenance oils.
Health care products on the other hand are used punctually according to need. These are mainly Stockholm tar, and antisceptic products for the frog (cotton wool poultices soaked in copper sulphate or Villate solution for example)…
If using maintenance hoof care products on a regular basis is not a problem, overly using health care products without a good reason can in the long run be harmful as it can lead to habituation. The product is then no longer effective when it becomes necessary.
When in doubt ask your farrier for advice either for the choice of products to be used, or for the frequency and/or duration of their use.
When a problem arises, lameness or other, and depending on the type of hoof lesion, the veterinarian may prescribe medication. Be careful of « home » treatments and auto-medication which can prove hazardous (even when trying to do well) and could lead to positive results when drug testing.
Thrush is a bacterial condition due to excess humidity which causes necrosis of the central sulcus, firstly on the surface, then going deeper if nothing is done tp address the problem
Sandcracks
Sandcracks are cracks in the hoof wall, runing down the hoof following the direction of the fibers of the horn capsule (tubules).
Bruising
Bruising is a trauma situated under the sole of the foot.
Broken hoof wall
Breaks in the hoof wall are a crack in the horn capsule, perpendicular to the direction of the fibres (tubules) of the horn capsule.
Abscesses
An abscess is an infection of the internal parts of the hoof.
Laminitis
Laminitis corresponds to an inflammation and disorder of blood circulation in the foot, due to deterioration of certain internal parts of the foot, which in turn causes a loss in the cohesion between the pedal bone and the hoof wall. This has repercussions on the metabolism of the hoof capsule
Contracted hoof or hoof-boundness
Hoof-boundness is a contraction of the rear parts of the hoof wall.
Podotrochlear syndrome or navicular disease
Podotrochlear syndrome, better known as navicular disease, is an affliction located around the small seamoidal bone (navicular bone).
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a joint and bone affliction affecting joints (of which the joints in the foot) of growing horses.
Extrinsic factors
Weather conditions
The hoof is sensitive to weather conditions and consequently to changes in the texture of soils. Humidity as well as drought have repercussions on the horse’s hooves.
Physical harm
Can be caused by :
Trauma (stones, blows…) causing bruising or cracks…
Puncturing by foreign objects ( known as « puncture wounds » whatever the object involved)
For the horse’s future and comfort, it is vital to observe and react appropriately when faced with a foot and/or leg conformation problem. In either case call in a professional.
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Translated from french by : Karen DUFFY Translator
