NO FOOT, NO horse is a well-known adage among horse folks.
Hoof care is an important part of horse ownership.
Not only do overgrown, unbalanced hooves contribute to lameness, but it also causes chronic, ongoing pain to horses.
And yet, there are so many horse owners who think nothing of neglecting their animal’s hooves.
It’s so maddening to hear and see so many owners who think it’s OK to never trim the hoof.
I hear it all the time, “Well, wild horses don’t ever get their feet trimmed and they do just fine.”
The answer is both simple and complex.
Wild horses that are constantly on the move to find food and water can, in essence, keep their hooves healthy given the right terrain, with ground that’s solid and compact; not constantly moist, soggy and wet as we have here.
Then, too, in the wild it’s survival of the fittest.
Those that end up lame more often than not die because they can’t constantly be on the move for food and/or become food for predators.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced enough painful injuries to my feet that cause me much misery.
Just as there is more than the eye can see to the human foot, the hoof is an intricate and complicated host of tissues, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and bones.
The whole package is sealed within a hard, horny shell — the hoof wall.
The hoof supports the horse’s weight, absorbs shock, provides traction, conducts moisture and helps pump blood.
In addition, it resists wear and has the capability of replenishing itself.
I try to maintain my own feet by wearing shoes with a thick sole, good arch support and that don’t easily twist from side to side.
The point is, just as horses require good nutrition — be it though quality hay and a few supplements (not the so-called hay mowed from someone’s field that’s full of weeds) — they also require regular hoof maintenance.
A key aspect of that maintenance is trimming.
How frequent depends on the time of year (hooves grow faster in the spring and slower in the winter), how much the horse is ridden and what type of riding.
For horses competing in events such as barrel racing, roping and jumping, have the farrier scheduled every six to seven weeks.
I have my farrier schedule every eight weeks, and I know as that eighth week approaches I take a chance on losing that shoe, because as the hoof grows it loosens the nails holding the shoe on.
Whether your horse is wearing shoes or hoof boots, properly trimmed and maintained hooves are a must for those going on trail rides, especially on logging roads or through the Olympic forest.
I’ve found one of the best ways to learn about our region’s trails and good horsemanship is though local Back Country Horsemen groups.
I hope to join the Peninsula chapter ride for its Dan Kelly Breakfast and Olympic Discovery Trail ride today.
If you can get there, the ride is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.
They meet on Dan Kelly Road off state Highway 112.
The road is about 1.5 miles from the U.S. Highway 101 intersection.
Head south on Dan Kelly Road, up the hill to the parking lot on the left at Colville Road.
There are two large lots with a short connector road between them.
Horseshoes or hoof boots are recommended for Forest Service gravel roads.
On Saturday, July 9, the BCH group has a ride scheduled at 10 a.m. at Miller Peninsula.
A potluck dinner and overnight stay are scheduled following the ride.
The group plans to stay at Layton Hill Horse Camp, 2514 Chicken Coop Road in Sequim.
Horse corral/water and an outhouse are provided on a donation basis, just bring everything you need to camp out.
To RSVP, call Linda Morin at 360-681-5030.
To reach Miller Peninsula take U.S. Highway 101.
Turn on Diamond Point Road and follow it straight a couple miles to the sharp right turn.
About 1/4 mile after the curve is the state park entrance on the left, which has a paved parking lot for horse trailers.
Hoof boots are recommended for unshod horses on the gravel Aerospace Road.
July 17 is the Peninsula chapter’s general meeting and picnic pot luck at Dan and Debby Dosey’s place at 3974 Palo Alto Road.
This is a great opportunity to get to know more about the organization and the folks in it.
To RSVP, call the Doseys at 360-461-9774.
Two more events are the Patterned Speed Horse Association shows at the Crosby Arena on Fransom Road in Agnew ending today and also from July 2-3.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also write Griffiths at PDN, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
