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Information sheets   |   Elsenburg infopaks   |   Animals, management: 4

Hoof care and shoeing of draught animals Afrikaans | Xhosa

Click to enlarge!		 There are especially two reasons why hoof care is important:
  1. Draught animals are kept under man-made environments, often in confined quarters and quite wet conditions.
  2. Additionally, they are used for work that makes higher demands on their hoofs than would have been the case if they had just moved around normally as they would when grazing. The limited accommodation and wet conditions counteract the normal wear and tear of the hoof and an animal kept under kraal or stable conditions without it receiving the correct hoof care, tends to develop hoofrot.

Click to enlarge!		 What is to be understood by good hoof care?

The hoofs of the draught animal must be made to resemble their natural form and angle as closely as possible. This is done with the aid of basic hoof-care tools such as a hoof pick, a hoof knife, a file and a trimmer. It is also necessary to retain the suppleness of the hoof by avoiding conditions that are either too wet or too dry. Good hoof oil is very useful for this purpose. Draught animals that are used to traverse long distances or rocky surfaces may need to be shod.

Foals of draught animals must be taught from a young age to lift up their feet so that their hoofs can be attended to. Begin with the hoof pick and scrape all loose matter such as pebbles and manure out of the hoof. Smelly hoofs are an indication of rot.

Click to enlarge!		 Use the hoof knife to trim away all the dead tissue so that the bottom of the hoof is clean and white.

Click to enlarge!		 Then trim away all excess hoof material. This is the part that protrudes above the sole of the hoof. The toe of a horse's hoof must not be trimmed shorter than four-finger thickness. In order to keep the angle of the hoof unchanged, the back of the hoof is not trimmed away so much.

Click to enlarge!		 The angle of the hoof is that angle which is formed by the middle of the pastern bones and the hoof. The ideal hoof looks as if it is an elongation of the middle of the pastern.

Click to enlarge!		 After the hoof has been trimmed to the required length and correct angle, the bottom of the hoof is filed smooth. To prevent unnecessary cracking of the hoof, its edges must be filed to a round shape.

Basic principles to be borne in mind:

  • Daily remove all pebbles and foreign matter from the hoofs before the animal is put to use. No animal showing any signs of lameness should be used.
  • If blood blisters occur under the hoofs of draught animals, consider having the animals shod.

Click to enlarge!
  • Regular oiling of the hoofs will prevent them from cracking. If the hoof has an open and flat appearance, trim it as short as possible and file it to a round shape.
  • If cracks occur that begin at the hairline, the hoofs must be oiled.
  • If the draught animal's hoof is hot to the touch, the animal should not be used. Immediately withdraw all grain-feed from the food rations.
  • Smelly hoofs must be cleansed thoroughly and all rotten, dead matter must be trimmed away, after which a fungicide must be applied to the hoof.
  • Do not shave off short the feathers of the draught animal.
  • Dry the pasterns if the animal perspires a lot when at work.
  • Do not over-feed the draught animal with grain-feed, neither give cold water to animals that are hot from working.

Click to enlarge!
  • Walk all animals up and down properly after they have worked or before they are fed.
  • Remember: The hoof of the draught animal does not consist of dead material; it can be compared with the human nail. Just consider the inconvenience of a long nail, or the painfulness of a cracked or blue nail.

A last thought: If you care for your draught animal, you will take good care of its hoofs.

AG Erasmus
ELSENBURG / LITTLE KAROO ADC