Hoof health is fundamental to horse welfare. Poor hoof care leads to chronic pain, lameness, and reduced quality of life. Evidence-based farriery and owner education are essential.
Hoof neglect is one of the most common and entirely preventable causes of equine suffering. Horses with overgrown, imbalanced, or infected hooves experience chronic pain that affects every aspect of their daily life: movement becomes uncomfortable, rest is disturbed, and normal social behaviour is restricted. Because horses are stoic and hoof pain develops gradually, owners may not recognise developing problems until lameness is clinically apparent. Prevention through regular farriery, daily hoof picking, appropriate ground management, and nutritional support is far preferable to treating established disease. Access to skilled, qualified farriers and veterinarians remains unequal, particularly in lower-income horse-keeping communities, and this disparity in access to care is itself a welfare concern requiring systemic attention.