Hoof Care Guide

Hoof Care Routine Guide

Short answer: Good hoof care is a routine: daily picking, farrier consistency, clean observation, moisture management, lower-leg checks, and knowing when hoof pain or lameness needs a professional.

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The daily hoof routine

Pick every day

Remove packed debris, check for odor, stones, tenderness, cracks, and anything unusual.

Look at the whole foot

Check wall, sole, frog, heel bulbs, coronet band, and shoe condition if the horse is shod.

Watch movement

Short steps, reluctance, or unevenness can turn a hoof question into a professional-care issue.

Cracked, flared or tender hooves: what comes first?

If your horse’s feet spread outward, chip or crack and feel tender, start with a farrier and veterinary assessment. That applies to draft horses as well as lighter horses. A description such as “mushrooming” does not identify the cause, and a hoof dressing cannot tell you whether the foot is balanced or why the horse is sore.

Some surface cracks are mainly cosmetic. Deeper, unstable or infected cracks can cause lameness and may need professional stabilization as the hoof grows. Correcting the underlying problem and managing hoof balance matter more than choosing a product that promises harder feet.

What to tell your farrier or veterinarian

  • Which feet are affected and when the cracking or tenderness started.
  • Whether the crack is changing, bleeding or producing discharge.
  • The last trim or shoeing date, recent footing changes and the horse’s workload.
  • Whether the horse is reluctant to walk, turn or bear weight. Do not ride or drive a sore horse to test whether the problem works out.

Can Silver Hoof EQ Therapy® heal cracks or harden the hoof?

Silver Hoof EQ Therapy® fits a label-directed hoof-care routine. It is not a structural crack repair, a correction for flaring, or a guarantee that a tender foot will become sound. Ask your farrier where it fits after the cause has been assessed. Do not seal a bleeding or infected crack beneath a coating or homemade patch.

For routine application, read the Silver Hoof use guide. For uneven movement or hoof pain, see lameness versus routine joint support.

Veterinary reference: Merck Veterinary Manual: Hoof Cracks in Horses.

Where hoof products fit

Hoof-care products support routine owner care, but they do not replace trimming, shoeing, diagnosis, or treatment. Use products after you understand the situation and keep your farrier in the loop.

Silver Hoof EQ Therapy®

Hoof-care support for routine barn use where a hoof-focused product fits.

Hoof Care Collection

Browse hoof-focused Draw It Out® products.

Pastern & Heel Bulb Skin Care

Lower-leg checks that connect hoof, heel, and skin routines.

Farrier and vet red flags

  • Lameness, heat, swelling, hoof pain, or reluctance to bear weight.
  • Loose shoe, shifted shoe, nail concern, crack progression, or sole sensitivity.
  • Deep odor, discharge, puncture concern, abscess suspicion, or recurring problems.
  • Anything that does not improve or keeps coming back.
Rule: Hoof pain is not a cosmetic issue. If the horse is lame or painful, call the appropriate professional.

Hoof care links

Horse Health Library

Start here for whole-horse education and red flags.

Horse Care Start Here

Route by need before choosing a product.

Safety Guide

Safe-use rules and professional-care boundaries.

FAQ

How often should I pick my horse’s feet?

Daily is the best routine for most horses, especially before and after work, turnout, hauling, or wet conditions.

Can hoof products replace a farrier?

No. Hoof products support routine care. Trimming, shoeing, lameness, structural issues, and hoof pain need a farrier or veterinarian.

When should I call a professional?

Call for lameness, heat, swelling, hoof pain, puncture concerns, loose shoes, serious cracks, discharge, or non-improving problems.