What Do You Do If....

You walk out to the pasture, and see this?

This may not be the best picture, but yes, that is a hoof with a piece of wall sticking up away from the hoof. This is NOT serious, and can easily be managed by you, the Horse Owner.

I had to stop a moment and really think about this. What is the best way for someone who may not have the same tools that I do, to remove this offending flap?

Here are a few options:
1: The wall is generally very flexible at this point, and you may well be able to pick up the hoof, brace it against your leg, and flex it back and forth until it breaks off. Time consuming, but if you have no other option, it will work.

2: Most horse folks I know carry around a small but very sharp pocket knife. You can cut the wall away, or at least score it for easier removal with your hand. **DO NOT** try to hold the hoof between your knees!! Have someone hold the opposite foot in the air, and work while the hoof is on the ground. Why? Two reasons. A) Most horse owners do not know how to hold the leg properly, and they wind up getting hurt should the horse yank their leg back, and B) if you slip with that knife, and it winds up buried in your thigh, you really won't be happy.

3: Pruning shears. Or garden shears, whatever their actual name is. We use them for goat and sheep feet, and they are strong enough to remove a bit of wall like that.

4: Being a food nut, I also keep on hand a strong pair of kitchen shears. As a last resort, I suppose those kitchen shears could cut wall.

What if the worst of it breaks off, and there is a sharp, jagged edge left? And you don't have a rasp to smooth it off with?

A heavy grade sand paper might smooth the sharpest parts off. Or a finer toothed wood file would work in a pinch. The best bet though, is to be prepared ahead of time, and ask your hoof care provider for an old, used rasp. We generally roam around with old ones in the back of the truck, and speaking for Dear Husband and I, we are happy to share. The tool is not worn out to the point of no return- but by the time we are done with them, trying to do several client horses in a row works us harder and takes longer than using a sharp tool would.

We need to look at why remove this offending piece too. First is a safety issue. This particular hoof has the piece pointing away from the opposite leg and hoof. Good for the horse, but it might just reach out and catch on your jeans, startling both you and the horse. Were it pointing the other way, to the inside, there is a chance the opposite leg could get cut.

Second, removal will prevent additional damage. This piece could trap dirt and debris under the flap, pushing the flap further up. It could also introduce bacterium into the hoof through micro-cracks, resulting in damage in time.

Tools to have on hand in a Hoof Kit:
- Ideally, a pair of inexpensive nippers. They have more uses that just taking off bits of wall in situations like this. When used with care, you can also do an emergency shoe pull, preventing more damage to the wall (for which your horse will thank you.)

- An old rasp. Duct tape the pointed end, so that you don't poke your horse by accident. Use the fine side if you have doubts- remember- all you need to do is smooth away sharp edges that will catch more material, creating more breakage.

- A pair of pruning shears, if the nippers are not an option. These may not be quite as versatile as the nippers, but can prevent damage. (And care for your roses!)

- Duct tape. It literally holds the Universe together. When in doubt, clean the area, dry it well, and tape it up. If nothing else, this will keep more dirt etc from getting up in there, creating more of a weak area, and more breakage.

The remaining contents of my first aid kit?
- Large 4 x 4 gauze pads
- Triple antibiotic
- Provodine Scrub
- Q- tips
- Cotton balls
- Expired injectable penicillin (for EXTERNAL USES ONLY)
- Listerene in a spray bottle


What do you guys keep on hand?