02/13/2026
𝐍𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐟, 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞.
And I don’t care how fancy the pedigree is, how big the resume is, or how much you paid for them — if the feet aren’t right, a series of unfortunate events will unfold…
Here’s why hoof care is EVERYTHING for performance horses:
𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐨?
• Absorbs concussion (they hit the ground with thousands of pounds of force)
• Pumps blood back up the limb
• Supports joints, tendons, ligaments, and the entire skeletal system
• Dictates breakover and stride timing
If your horse starts to become imbalanced, negative angles, or hoof wall issues you may start to see…
• Short striding
• Shoulder soreness
• Back tightness
• SI issues
• Tendon strain
Basic Hoof Care Non-Negotiables
✔️ Consistent farrier schedule (every 4–6 weeks for most performance horses)
✔️ Balanced trim — medial/lateral and toe/heel alignment
✔️ Proper breakover
✔️ Daily picking & monitoring (pick their feet before you load them on a trailer!)
Even a 2–3 mm imbalance can change how they load a limb.
𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩…
Here’s where we level up from “basic” to elite care:
Icing / Cold Therapy (cryo therapy, ice boots)
• After hard runs
• Reduces inflammation in the laminae
• Helps prevent post-work soreness
We love packing feet with Magic Cushion before long hauls… or packing feet with Animal Intex pads with soft rides for long trailer rides! Pulling out inflammation is key!
Modalities like our equiscope, shockwave, PEMF can also be amazing for feet!
Therapeutic Shoeing
• Wedge pads for certain heel conformations
• Rolled toes for quicker breakover
• Bar shoes for added support
• Glue-ons when walls are compromised
This is where having a farrier and sports-minded vet that communicate matters.
Radiographs (when needed) most great farriers WANT you to do this… we work regularly with amazing farrier, NONE too proud to have radiographs done to check their work and better PERFECT their craft.💪🏻
X-rays of the foot can:
• Show coffin bone alignment
• Identify navicular changes early
• Help guide corrective trimming/shoeing angles (whether wedges may need to be added, removed, etc)
Guessing costs more in the long run than imaging. And remember we as humans do not have xray vision… so your farrier will appreciate this!
Once a quarter would be a great time to snap a couple of farrier rads… in an ideal world!
Nutrition
Hoof quality reflects diet 8–12 months later.
• Biotin (15–25 mg/day for most horses)
• Zinc & copper balance
• Amino acids
You can’t out-shoe bad nutrition.💪🏻
If you need farrier radiographs, give us a call!
📱 208-565-0344
