Questions and answers about common hoof problems

Healthy hooves don’t happen by chance. They depend on balanced nutrition, careful trimming, and the conditions a horse stands in every day. Owners might spot cracks, chips, or odor first. Knowing which signs point to trouble—and which don’t—starts with understanding what a healthy hoof should look like.

In this article three hoof care professionals share what they look for in a strong, sound foot, and how to prevent common problems from developing.

Building a Foundation for Sound Equine Feet

Our sources’ expertise comes from a variety of training backgrounds, and they live in climates as varied as the driest part of England, humid North Central Texas, and the coastal region of northern Massachusetts. They all agree that beyond good regular trimming, a proper diet and avoiding too much moisture prove key to healthy hooves.

Excess moisture weakens hooves, leading to problems such as softness or odor.

“I lived in Alaska for a couple years,” says veterinarian and farrier Sammy Pittman, DVM, who now lives in Texas. “And even in the wintertime, feet suffer from moisture.”

Pittman, who co-owns and -operates Innovative Equine Podiatry and Veterinary Services, in Collinsville, has been shoeing horses since his teens and opened the practice in 2010.

Simon Curtis, PhD, is a farrier in Newmarket, the region of England with the least rainfall. He, too, pointed to environmental and moisture concerns as leading causes of hoof problems.

“When people talk about the environment’s effect on the horse, I say, ‘There’s only one point,’ ” Curtis says. “Most of the horse is just surrounded by air. … It might be affected by heat and rain or whatever, but mainly, the biggest effect of the environment on the horse is what it’s standing in