Why do horses need shoes to walk when wild horses don't wear them?

As long as she's receiving regular foot care and examinations from a farrier, I would not be too concerned. If she seems in pain, or your farrier is recommending shoes to help protect her feet, I would follow their advice.

Wild horses are different from domestic horses in that they are not tamed and they are used to harsh conditions. Domestic horses are bred for specific reasons, such as hunting, jumping, dressage, western riding, etc., so they have different requirements than wild horses. They won't be as hardy, so a winter blanket may be needed to help keep them warm in the winter. It's best to have them wear a winter coat and to provide shelter from the cold weather.

This could be a sign of laminitis, a hoof abscess, inflammation or arthritis of the joints, tendinitis, etc. You will need to make an appointment with your equine vet for an exam. The least your vet will give or prescribe is pain medicine and anti-inflammatory medicine, If there is an abscess or infection your horse will also need antibiotics.

Hello. I do not believe the color of the hoof indicates strength in the foot overall. Is she shod? You may need to have a farrier out to see if she needs a reset or perhaps pads added to protect the sole. If she continues to come up lame, despite plenty of rest, you really need a vet to come out & do a through lameness exam. This will involve a good physical exam of the leg & foot, blocking the leg/foot to isolate exactly where the pain is coming from & possibly x-rays. She may have not completely recovered from the bruise, or there may be other changes in the hoof/leg at work here. Knowing exactly what you are dealing with will tell you how to keep Flirt comfortable & working pain free for years to come. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The hoof cracks are not that bad in the photos. Cracking can be due to any number of things: * hoof being too dry * injury to the hoof * poor nutrition Your farrier can help you more regarding what care you need to do for the hooves. There are no quick fixes. There are biotin supplements you can use and hoof dressings but I honestly don't think they work that great. They won't hurt though if you want to use them. Getting him a good diet is the most important. ( https://www.jefferspet.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&animal%5B%5D=&q=biotin&button=search ) ( https://www.jefferspet.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&animal%5B%5D=&q=hoof+dressing&button=search ) As for the face, I would not be concerned; I don't see anything that looks diseased. The hair should grow back over time with a good diet. He probably just rubbed it off. Keep in mind that all horses, especially rescues, need to have their teeth checked. I suggest you have a vet out to examine the teeth. If there is an issue he can't chew or digest his food properly.

Unfortunately it looks like Cayenne has significantly damaged the part of her hoof from which the growth starts - her coronary band. Additionally the part of the foot that attaches the hard part of her foot to the deeper living tissues, the lamina, appears to also be damaged. The most likely cause of this was a bad bout of laminitis and, possibly, ongoing damage over the intervening years. When this happens, the coronary band cannot produce a normal hoof and the laminar damage makes the foot grow abnormally. These problems can also set her up for chronic foot infections along the white line. To maximize her comfort and health, you need to partner with both a veterinarian and a farmer. The veterinarian can do some tests to try and see why this happened and prescribe medications, if needed, to reduce the incidence of flare ups. They will also take x-rays to assist the farrier in providing the best foot trim and, likely shoes. This condition cannot usually be cured, but management can help make her more comfortable. Thank you for using pet coach!

That looks like an abscess may have ruptured in that location or it's a puncture wound/injury. Both can make a horse lame. A hoof abscess doesn't always smell. I strongly suggest you get your vet out there to check him. If the vet doesn't think it's an abscess then he may need to have x-rays taken to make sure there is not something stuck up inside the hoof or that there are no fractures present (like a fracture of the coffin bone). While you are waiting to have the vet out I would confine him to a box stall or at least a very small paddock and I would soak the foot in warm Epsom Salt water to see if that will help draw out any infection that might be present. Soak for 10-15 minutes twice a day. Also, if you can, I would put a boot on his foot to protect it and keep it clean. Do they sell Easy Boots in Ireland? Either an Easy Boot or something similar. https://www.easycareinc.com/our_boots/easyboots/Easyboots.aspx I hope this helps. Best wishes. If you have more questions please post again.