Home | List of Articles | Submit an Article | Contact Us

Horse Training 101

Horseshoes have become synonymous with good fortune. Having them on your horse’s feet has little to do with attracting good luck, but a lot with answering to your steed’s needs.

Horses in the wild do not require shoes unlike domesticated breeds of horse. Those horses that are not worked out and trained regularly on hard ground do not need them. If a horse’s foot is hurt, you will not be able to ride it. In order to maximize a horse’s use, horseshoes are needed in order to protect the horse’s feet. In their absence, the hoof walls can crack. And a horse with sore feet will be of little use.

One must check all four of the horse’s feet everyday. You need to pick them out and ensure that no dirt, stones or other foreign objects get stuck. Daily cleaning of the hooves is essential to proper hoof care, as well as going a long way in preventing any infection in this part of the horse. Failing to clean your horse's hooves on a regular basis puts him at risk

You must also check if the hooves get loose or no longer fits properly. Shoed horses also require the visit of the farrier about every 4 to 6 weeks. Each visit would mean placing new shoes. A horse’s hoof grows, just like our nails, thus the shoe will stop fitting correctly after some time. The functions and movements of the foot must be taken into consideration when fitting shoes.

Commonly used for shoes are steel and aluminum. Your farrier can help you decide which kind is best for your horse. To make them lighter and to give them a better grip, a groove underneath are placed on most shoes. Those placed in the front limbs are circular, while those on the hinds are diamond-shaped.

Few horses have perfect conformation and many have improper feet. Many horses have boxy feet or club feet while other may have broad flat feet and some have feet that turn in or out. And these characteristics of a horse's foot should be properly addressed. Some of these characteristics are dependent on the breed of the horse. Shoes must fit to accommodate the horse’s foot.

Having the shoe is one thing, but a proper shoeing job is another. You should not try putting on your horse’s shoes on your own just to save money. The farrier is a trained professional in this aspect, and he has a more extensive line up of equipment and instruments that will suit the needs of your horse. He has tongs, pincers, pullers, nipper, pritchels and a special hoof knife for paring and trimming the foot. He will have the right size of nails to fit every size and type of shoe.

Domesticated breeds of horse are dependent entirely upon humans for their maintenance and comfort. Horses are subject to many ailments. Foot diseases may cause severe lameness and may be made worse by owner neglect, so don’t take horseshoeing for granted.

Horses and Ponies Learn more at http://www.horseandponys.com

Related Articles:

Horseback - The Ideal Way to Explore Argentina and Chile from the Atacama to Patagonia - Horseback is a perfect way to see the spectacular landscapes of Argentina and Chile. These two countries encompass an exciting and colourful land that contains almost every landscape and climate imaginable - from lush rainforests to harsh and arid deserts to the native forests, lakes and fjords of Patagonia.

Preventing Horse Burnout in Each of the Five Elements - In this month’s regular newsletter I discussed how relaxation time is crucial to helping your horse avoid burnout. Of course, relaxation can mean something different to every horse. Knowing your horse’s five element personality type can help you determine the best way to help him relax. To give you a jump start on designing the perfect environme ...

Horseradish Sauce Health Benefits - The health benefits of horseradish sauce are numerous, sinus and cold cure to name a few. Horseradish sauce is made by shredding and pounding the fresh root to which is added lemon juice. In this form the horseradish juice can be stored in a cold place for at least a week. Horseradish plant, like garlic, is ...

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON HORSE BREEDS TODAY? - Learning about horse breeds, common and rare, is fascinating and there's a wealth of information available for free on the Internet. Your curiosity about horses and horse breeds will most certainly bring you to the Internet. In fact, the Internet is literally an A to Z of horse information. Websites such as Equiseach.com are like specialize ...

Why I Have a Horse - Yes, I have a horse. In Idaho, it is best to have one of the critters. Why? When you’re old, retired, and have your spouse as your boss, you will understand. For example: “John, take out the garbage.” I will as soon as I get back from feeding my horse. “John, mow the grass.” I wil ...

Horse Training Gets A New Face Lift From A 108 Year Old Horse Training Manual! - If you have a passion to learn all you can about horse training, then you will want to know about a 108 year old horse training manual recently revived from a dusty old book shelf of a used book store. This horse training manual was written in the late 1800's by a then world famous horse trainer named Jesse Beery. In Beery's manual he explain ...

For a Complete list of Articles with summaries Click Here