Alright, so I am bored! It is too wet to ride all of the horses, so I am sitting at a computer, LOL.
Unless you’re lucky enough to live in one of New Zealand's drier spots, chances are your horse has spent the past few weeks standing in mud. I cannot remember the last time the farm was this wet!!
This is how we manage hoof problems if they arise.
1/ Get to know his hooves
Hooves are as individual as our fingernails – some will grow fit and strong, whatever the weather throws at them, while others will fall victim to the wet and mud. You need to work with your farrier to adapt your horse’s shoeing cycle according to his hooves.
2/ Hoof care
Hooves and legs are prone to cracks, thrush, mud fever right now as they are weakened by prolonged wet conditions, allowing bacteria to invade. Be proactive! BetaVet have lots of options, either by way of a supplement or topical application to keep up with optimum hoof and leg care. We feed Protect from the BetaVet range, and apply Greasy Heel or HoofnHeel if necessary.
3/ Coping with cracks or seedy toe
While a regular shoeing routine will help reduce the risk of cracks in the hoof wall, if your horse’s feet do start to split it’s important to work with your farrier to understand why this is happening, and try to prevent it getting worse. If there’s any infection under the crack, it needs to be dug out and cleaned with an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal disinfectant.
4/ Remove shoes
The suction effect of wet and sticky mud means it’s more common for your horse to lose a shoe. If this happens, call your farrier straight away, but as it’s unlikely he’ll be able to get there within the hour, it’s important to be prepared. We have a little emergency farrier pack to remove shoes and nails if absolutely necessary. If you suspect your horse could have stood on a nail, poultice his foot once you’ve removed the shoe until your farrier can get there. We use BetaVet Heels Up. I clean the hoof throughly, apply BetaVet Heels Up then wrap with and a baby nappy (cheap option), plastic bag over the top and secure with duct tape (ensuring it is not too tight).
5/ Thrush!!
My top tip for thrush is actually Condy's Crystals! You can purchase a small container from the local chemist (please keep the product well away from the coronet band). It is the cheapest anti-bug that I have found. I make a little paste; put gloves on, mix a tbsp with a few drops of water and paint it on thrush. Boom dead and gone in a couple of days. Good for seedy toe as well. Just don't go mad and do it for days on end, it actually hardens the hoof and then you are dealing with brittle hooves.
My top tip for avoiding mud fever is: don't use a harsh shampoo at this time of the year, I never want to rob the horse's natural oils from the skin, they need it to repel water at the moment.
Now the wet weather can sod off, I have loads of work to catch up on!