Driving Horses & Plastic Horseshoes

As a trainer and driver of carriage and draft horses I felt very fortunate to find and use the composite horseshoes put out by HOOF-it Technologies. We train approximately twenty driving horses a year here at Winter Hill Driving Center in the mountains of Florida with the biggest demand being for CDE horses and ponies. As you can imagine there is a great deal of twisting and turning and a lot of road miles (up to 15 miles per day) to get in condition for these events. We have one set (four shoes) which is on it's fourth reset and that's on my Purcheron, Lexie, who trains every horse that comes in. We go eight weeks on reset for her and outside of replacing a nail or two we've never lost a shoe. As a hitch driver from 1971 on, I was probably the most skeptical of these products then anyone until a client's horse, another Pucheron, Ben, came in for training. After that it was love! So if you have any questions feel free to stop by our training center in sunny Florida if you want to see some great driving horses and HOOF-it Natural Flex plastic horseshoes.

Bob Giles Winter Hill Driving Center, Morriston, Florida http://winterhilldrivingcenter.com/

 

Winter Hoof Care

Winter is the time when a lot of horse owners choose to pull their horse’s shoes and let the hoof regenerate. Pulling the shoes and leaving your horse barefoot enhances the overall health of the feet. Hooves tend to grow more slowly in the winter months. However, the unshod feet should be trimmed regularly, 4 to 6 week intervals, with an emphasis on keeping the edge of the hoof sufficiently rounded. The hooves should also be painted twice a week with an appropriate hoof dressing. A little extra care and attention during the winter months when your horse is barefoot will result in a stronger healthier foot the rest of the year. However, there are more than a few of us who ride and compete in the winter months and pulling shoes is just not ever going to be an option. If you are like me and live in a snow filled winter environment you know that training outdoors, and trail riding, can cause problems for your horses feet. The main issue that I have to deal with when I am riding in the snow is “snow-balling”. This is when mixtures of snow, ice, mud, manure, grass, or bedding accumulate in the sole area. It can pack very densely into large rounded ice mounds that are almost impossible to chip out. When a horse is forced to stand or move on snowballs he has decreased stability in his fetlock joint. His weight is liable to roll medially, laterally, forward, or backward. It is extremely fatiguing for his muscles, tendons, and joint ligaments as he constantly tries to make adjustments to maintain balance. It is easy for a snowballed horse to lose his balance and wrench a fetlock. I have found a product that works perfectly for my horse, and is very easy for me to apply by myself. I use the Hoof-it Winter Snow Pad to keep my horse’s hooves clear of debris in the winter. With this pad in place I have full confidence in my horse’s footing while training outdoors in the snow, or trail riding. Let me know if you have tried Hoof-it Snow Pads and how they have worked for you.

Quick-Pad - Sole / Frog Pad Support

Dear HOOF-it:

The quick pad works great. I used it like the instructions said and it provides a great pad for the frog of my foundered mare. It is helping her become sound again.

This is a much better alternative than expensive tubes some farriers use. These are good for the horse owner who has one horse that needs the pads.

I do have some comments, and that is that one has to use it really fast or it sets up in the tips. I have had to use a few mixing tips per tube before I got the hang of it. I had good luck with the first hoof, but the second seems to set up somewhere at the opening and a bit drips out when I squirt it in.

Pattie

Hoof Care & Farriers

The horse’s foot is completely surrounded by a substance similar to your fingernail to protect it against having to sustain the wear and tear of having to carry one quarter of your horse’s weight over the varying terrain you may be riding him over. A horse’s foot consists of an outer layer of horn (hoof), inside which is contained the pedal and navicular bones, and the deep digital flexor tendon which is attached to the pedal bone. The foot also contains the digital pad, lateral cartilages, coronopedal joint, blood vessels, and nerves. The foot as a whole absorbs concussion and by its continuous growth, it is able to replace its striking surface which is lost through everyday wear and tear. As a horse owner, you can help assist your horse in this latter process by choosing the right farrier for your particular horse’s needs.

Farriery is one of the most vital of all the professions connected to the horse. If there were no farriers, the entire horse world would just about come to a stop; except for a few fortunate individuals lucky enough to be able to ride always and exclusively on grass, or in an arena completely void of rocks. Even these folks would find it difficult to keep their mounts sound and true if there were no one to trim, shape, and generally care for their pony’s feet.

The best way that I have found to increase my own knowledge of my horse’s feet is to watch my farrier shoe my horses. It will also be to your advantage to pay attention, and actively participate when your farrier comes out. Here are a few things that I always try to do to help out to make the whole process easier.

I always let my farrier know in advance if I am going to have any special shoeing needs, or if I have a youngster that is going to be shod for the first time. Horses being shod for the first time should be used to having their feet picked out and be familiar with having the wall and sole of their foot tapped.

You should ALWAYS present your horses for shoeing with clean, dry feet and legs. And always provide the farrier with a well lit area, and dry solid footing; undercover if possible.

The first time the farrier shoes your horse, let him know how your horse is going and what discipline you use him for: trail, cutting, endurance etc. Assuming the horse is already shod, he will look at the wear of the shoes and the growth of the hoof to determine wear and growth patterns. With your help, the farrier will then determine whether your horse has any problems such as overreaching, stumbling, dragging its toes etc. If such problems are discovered, your farrier will discuss alternative shoeing solutions with you.

The above ideas will help you and your farrier develop a relationship that will benefit you both, and more importantly, benefit your horse.

Q&A Tendon Ice Boots

Q: Are your Ice Horse cold therapy tendon boots long enough for a large warmblood's hind legs? Also, am I correct to assume that one would have to store these boots in the freezer prior to use? If yes, how long do the cold packs remain cold when put out at room temperature (say approximately 75 degrees F)?

A: There's nothing available in the traditional horse wrap market that I know of that's long enough to cover the hind leg of a warmblood from the base of the hock to the top of the fetlock. You could get an extra large ice therapy sheet (I found them once at Costco) and apply it with a standing wrap bandage if you need to cover the entire length. I use the ICE HORSE tendon wraps regularly on a warmblood that has some issues right above the suspensory branch on the left hind. They work great for him. I also use the hock ice wrap when I ice his hind legs. Although sometimes I toss the whole wrap in the freezer, I usually keep only the 2 ice inserts in the freezer and pull them out just before putting them into the wrap and applying them to the horse. The ice inserts that come with the wrap are designed not to be stiff when frozen so they mold to the leg without pressure points. (regular ice therapy sheets are stiff when frozen) When I need to use them on a horse that is located away from an available freezer, I keep them in a portable ice chest until I apply them to the horse to get the full benefit. If I need to use them again later, I put them back in the freezer or ice chest to refreeze which takes about an hour.