Horse Hoof Care and Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Regular hoof care is fundamental to equine welfare - neglected hooves cause chronic lameness and pain that significantly reduces quality of life for horses and ponies.

Key Facts

Hooves grow continuously and require trimming approximately every 6-8 weeks
Neglected hooves can curl upward causing pain and lameness - a serious welfare failure
White line disease, thrush, and abscesses are common infections causing acute pain
Shod horses require regular reshoing - lost shoes cause rapid hoof damage on hard surfaces
The British Farriers Registration Act 1975 regulates farriery practice in the UK
Feral and semi-feral ponies (Dartmoor, Exmoor, New Forest) require periodic welfare intervention
Poor hoof care is one of the most common welfare failures identified in equine welfare investigations

Welfare Considerations

Hoof neglect represents one of the most preventable welfare failures in horse and pony ownership. Hooves left untrimmed for months develop deformities that change limb alignment, cause joint pain, and eventually make walking painful. Chronic laminitis - inflammation of sensitive laminae within the hoof - causes severe, sometimes excruciating pain that can last months. Regular farriery every 6-8 weeks is a welfare necessity, not a luxury. The cost of farriery should be factored into horse ownership from the outset - owners who cannot afford regular hoof care should not keep horses. RSPCA equine welfare investigations consistently identify hoof neglect as a leading cause of horse welfare prosecution.

What You Can Do

Ensure horses and ponies receive farriery at least every 6-8 weeks
Learn to recognise signs of hoof problems including lameness, heat, and tenderness
Budget for farriery costs before taking on horse or pony ownership
Report neglected horses with severely overgrown hooves to the RSPCA
Support equine welfare charities providing farriery assistance to owners in financial difficulty