At-home hoof care
Bruising
THE main cause of bruising is direct trauma to the foot – for example, when a horse has kicked the stable door or wall. Bruises can also occur when one foot has struck into the other in the field or during work, or when a foot hits a pole. If the horse is jumping on hard ground, the foot has to absorb much more concussion during the landing phase than if they were on a softer surface. Such knocks are often the result of conformational defects and the way the horse’s limb loads through to the ground via the hoof capsule.
HOW TO SPOT IT
KEEP an eye out for any unexplained lameness. Bruising will show more clearly on white hooves than black because of the pigmentation. Black feet do bruise as often and as much as white feet, but it is just more difficult to spot.
TREATMENT
IF you suspect that your horse has a bruised foot, speak to your farrier about how to proceed. It may be that your horse is at the end of his
