Hoof neglect is one of the most common forms of horse welfare abuse, causing chronic pain and lameness that can be severe enough to make affected horses non-ambulatory. Prevention requires regular professional farriery.
Horse hoof neglect is a welfare failure that often develops gradually and becomes visible only when significant damage has occurred. Hooves that are not regularly trimmed develop outgrowths that distort foot angle, create pressure on sensitive internal structures, and cause progressive joint degeneration. Horses with severely overgrown hooves walk on the sole and wall edges rather than the designed bearing surface, causing pain with every step. Neglect can result from financial difficulty, ignorance, or deliberate abandonment. Regular farriery — every 6-8 weeks — maintains correct hoof length and angle and enables early identification of hoof conditions including thrush, white line disease, and laminitis. Access to qualified farriery is sometimes limited in rural or low-income areas, making community farriery support services important welfare resources.