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The sun has got his hat on and it’s a wonderful time of year to enjoy our horses. But beware the sun may have turned the ground to concrete and your horse’s hooves, brittle. Add to this an increase in stones, hard work, poor hoof quality or imbalance and you could find you have a lame horse. But problems can be prevented with good hoof care as Gil Riley, veterinary expert for the UK’s leading specialist equine insurer, Petplan Equine explains.

Weight-bearing

The weight-bearing hoof wall can wear down on hard ground so the sole takes more concussion, leading to “foot soreness”. To prevent wall wear and tear, a horse working on hard ground should be shod on all four feet, or at least on the weight-bearing front feet.

Ins and outs of cracking

Dry weather can lead to dry horn making it prone to cracking. Some cracks are incidental while others can run deep from the sole to the coronet. Known as ‘sandcracks’ these can cause pain and may require remedial shoeing. To reduce the potential for sand cracks:

• Apply hoof moisturiser on the horn daily, making it less brittle and more able to bend
• Feed a hoof supplement rich in the amino acids cysteine and methionine, the vitamin Biotin and the mineral Zinc to generate good quality horn

Balance

A well-balanced foot evenly distributes forces of concussion. Poor hoof balance - evident by long toes, collapsed heels or flat feet - means contact with the ground is not absorbed well and the foot does not “break over” into the next stride, which can lead to cracking. Re-shoeing should be determined by how quickly the horn is growing so that any conformation change resulting from growth can be corrected before it causes potentially damaging imbalances.

Stones

Dry ground leads to more stones so picking out hooves before and after turnout/work in dry weather is vital. Stones can lead to bruising or puncture of the sole, an abscess and lameness. To access a number of advice articles on how to care for your pony visit www.petplanequine.co.uk/advice

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For more information please contact:

Name	Telephone	Email
Charlotte Collyer	0208 707 8335	[email protected]

Petplan Equine is the UK's leading horse insurance provider offering a wide variety of flexible horse insurance and rider insurance policies which cater for all levels of experience.

Established more than 20 years ago, Petplan Equine is part of Allianz Insurance, one of the largest general insurers in the world.

For more information about a Petplan Equine horse insurance policy, please visit:
petplanequine.co.uk/insurance/quote.asp

Note to editors:

• Petplan Equine was founded in 1988.
• It is part of Allianz Animal Health, the largest provider of animal health insurance in the world and part of Allianz – one of the largest general insurers in the UK.
• In addition to horse and pony insurance options, Petplan Equine provides dedicated products for veteran horses and rider only insurance cover.
• It is the sister brand of Petplan, the largest provider of small animal insurance in the UK.
• Petplan Equine believes in supporting the equine community and provides more financial support to equestrian sports and activities than any equine insurance provider in the UK.
• The Pet Plan Charitable Trust was founded in 1994 to raise much needed funds for animal welfare and veterinary projects. Money is raised by Petplan and Petplan Equine customers giving an optional £1.50 to the Trust when they take out or renew their policy. To date, almost £5 million has been awarded by the Trust.
• Petplan and Petplan Equine are specialist insurers. As such, the company employs more horse riders and owners than any other and more former veterinary practice staff than any other to ensure the provision of specialist knowledge.
• Redwings Horse Sanctuary is the UK’s largest horse sanctuary, caring for over 1200 rescued horses at its nine sites around the country, with 500 more living in happy Guardian homes across East Anglia. The charity is entirely funded by public donation. Find out more at www.redwings.co.uk.