HORSIN' AROUND WITH VAN HARGIS
"Hoof Care & General Maintenance"

A lot of people live in areas that have a lot of rocks and stones or a lot of clay: what we call "tight soil". If you ride your horses around tight soil -- especially with shoes on -- dirt has a tendency to collect in the hoof. Using a hoof pick to clean your horse's hooves should be a daily ritual; an everyday part of getting ready to ride.

To clean the hoof, pick up the horse's foot (in a natural position), and use the hoof pick to gently remove accumulated dirt, clay, and rocks from the horse's foot. As you clean, look for bruises, abscesses, or anything that looks abnormal. Having a rock stuck in this area feels to a horse like having a rock stuck in your boot feels to you. It can be pretty painful, and walking a mile on that rock can be very painful.

In covering hoof care, I also advise you to seek the help of a good farrier. If you have a hard time finding a good one in your area, contact the American Farriers Association. They can recommend someone in your area.

Along with hoof care and taking proper care of your horse's feet, you'll want to brush the horse on a regular basis. This gives you the opportunity to look for fungus or skin diseases, as well as making sure your saddle isn't causing the horse any health problems, such as sores.

I like to use a couple different types of brushes. Is use what I call a "cowboy brush". It has longer, stiffer bristles. Brush the horse with the grain of his hair, as opposed to against it. Do this over your horse's entire body, covering as much of the horse as you can. This stimulates the skin, giving your horse a shiny, healthy-looking hair coat.

The second brush I like to use is a finishing brush. It has shorter and very soft bristles. I use this one to brush the dust off the horse, as well as stimulating his coat. This also gives me one more opportunity to look for potential health problems or anything unusual on my horse.

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