picking out feet. HELP

[Remi]

okay, this probs sounds silly but I really have no idea.

Do you still need to pick out a horses feet if he's barefoot? All the horses at my yard are shod and the thought struck me...

Ta

xx

[star*]

Yes you do have to pick them out it makes no difference if they have shoes or not.

[lachlanandmarcu]

They tend to get a lot less stones jammed in their feet cos no shoe, but def should be cleaned out exactly the same.

The only place I dont bother is when Ive only been in the school - my shod 17 hander can bring out a ton of school in his soup plate hooves, but squeaky barefoot girlie never has anything in them (and if there is a tiny bit it helps to keep the mud in the field from sticking!)

Its much quicker tho so will onkly take you a sec, and quite often you just pick them up to check them and theyre clean. Most important to do them if they have been standing in mud, or in the stinky stable litter.

hope helps!

[wonkeywoody]

You must check for small stones/grit in the white line and pick them out ( a bent shoenail is perfect) to stop them going up into the white line itself.
Not only are you picking out feet it is the time to check for other probs eg bruising or probs with the frogs etc.....

[coss]

ditto wonkeywoody - check for grit, it can be very awkward to get out but needs to be picked out.