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Re: [RC] Horses' Feet - rdcarrie<<In my experience, a horse's hoof color isn't a determination of "hard", "soft" or "healthy". I have a brown hooved horse who is hard to keep shoes on. I have a horse with predominantly white feet who has the best feet I've seen, and even the farrier has commented on how her feet are. >>
I'll agree with that, both from a biological standpoint, and from personal experience. We have 8 horses. The one with the hardest feet is my husband's Paso...he has 4 black feet, and our farrier bends nails when shoing him. <G> In a close second place, according to our farrier, is my 5 yr old CMK gelding...2 black feet, 2 white. Same thing...farrier bends nails, on the white feet too. The horse with the worst hoof quality of the 8 is my 7 yr old gelding, who has 4 black feet. Our farrier is very careful when shoing him, but his hoof walls still split and crack when he nails shoes on. He's lost 2 shoes in the year I've owned him...a testament to our farrier's skill, since given his poor hoof quality, we're surprised he doesn't lose more. He's been on biotin since I've owned him, and I can see the line of improved hoof quality growing down...it's just about down to where the nails will start hitting it. Hopefully the improved nutrition to the hoof will help.&
nbsp; In the meantime, I keep a close eye on his shoes and feet, even more so than we do our other horses. So, I don't place any stock in hoof quality being linked to color. The black pigment doesn't lend strength to hooves. Stength comes from genetics, good nutrition, and good health.
Dawn in East Texas -----Original Message----- From: Equus Wolf <equuswolf@xxxxxxxxx> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sat, 25 Feb 2006 09:59:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: [RC] Horses' Feet <<<<<From: "Ginny Holsman" <ginny744@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [RC] FW: [RC] Horses feet? For example, are they black and hard, white and soft, or brown and healthy In my experience, a horse's hoof color isn't a determination of "hard", "soft" or "healthy". I have a brown hooved horse who is hard to keep shoes on. I have a horse with predominantly white feet who has the best feet I've seen, and even the farrier has commented on how her feet are.
Having worked full time at a boarding facility with 20+ horses, and having to help the farrier (and vet etc) with boarders horses regularly, I asked a lot of questions and paid attention. To this day, I still ask a lot of questions and pay attention.
Anyone else have thoughts?
Jennifer
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