There is an old saying that is pertinent when maintaining a healthy horse. No foot no horse is an old term used by many horse traders
over the decades. Horses generally when well cared for don't manifest many serious illnesses. The feet of a horse are paramount to it
being useful and manageable.
Horses are roaming herd animals and nature and environment kept a horse hoof from overgrowing and in the wild a horse would not stand
voluntarily in a waterlogged field, or in a confined space such as a stable. When we place a horse in a confined area we can take
away the natural means of foot care in that animal.
There are many methods of taking care of a horse with problem feet. Of course there are the medicines and salves you can obtain from
a vet and their advice is relatively sound, but there are some other methods that can be overlooked. You can take a horse with
painful corns along to a nearby beach and let him take a daily salty paddle, this can work very well if they are caught early but
also can work effectively alongside any vet care. A horse with cracked feet could benefit from homeopathic medicine which is a natural remedy. Oils and daily treatments can prevent
thrush and cracking of feet.
You must always clean a horse's feet daily and the best advice can be sought from a farrier who obviously specialise in the feet of a
horse. Special shoes can alleviate pain and soreness, strategically placed shoes can also help with the position of the foot and help
with some tendon issues.
Laminitis is one of the more serious afflictions suffered by equines and can be fatal. It is always prudent to seek a vets advice in
any treatment but more so should your horse be struck with laminitis. Though it has to be said many holistic methods used can help
and what you feed your animal has an effect on this painful condition.
As with all illness the animal can't speak to you but a lot of them can be prevented with good stable management and daily
inspections. Observing your horse can be the first step to keeping it healthy and of course keeping the vet bills down.
