Hooves and their Care and Function

Physiology of the Horse's Hoof

Anyone who owns horses should have a good solid informational base about hooves and their care and function. With the internet today plus a library in every town there is no excuse not to do some self study to at least find out what a normal hoof should look like, how it works and what a proper trim looks like. It is merely a part of the tremendous responsibility we take on when we take on horses.

Every healthy horse is relatively the same physiologically. They all have 4 hooves and all hooves have the same basic mechanics. Just as every human has 2 legs and 2 feet that all work the same regardless of socio-economic background, sex, nationality, size or environment. However, each horse's hoof is unique to its own and should be viewed as such. Because the horse's entire physical and biological makeup is dependant upon good hooves it is imperative to be able to care for them in the very best manner possible. The adage "no hoof, no horse" is so true.

Let's take a look at the PARTS OF THE HOOF and the physiological function of each part.