A foal's future performance in competition, or as a pleasure riding companion, depends in large part on how his feet are cared for in the first six months of his life. Normally, hoof care for a foal is best started at 30 days, according to Stephen O'Grady, DVM, MRCVS, a professional farrier with Northern Virginia Equine in The Plains, Va.

 

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ANNE EBERHARDT

Proper foot care is necessary to make sure the foal has every chance to grow up with straight legs and good feet; if you wait too long to solve a problem in the growing foal, it can become a permanent issue

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Genie Stewart-Spears

Genie Stewart-Spears resides with her husband on Runamuck Ranch in southern Illinois, in the Shawnee National Forest. Now a pleasure rider, she competed in endurance for 10 years and has served as the Media Chairperson for the American Endurance Ride Conference. Her photography and articles appear in several equine magazines and many books, brochures, and advertisements.
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