Honest answers - how often do you pick your horses feet out?

[canteron]

Just looking at a charity video saying it must be done every day. But I don’t, somehow it doesn’t make it into my routine and don’t really see many people who do!
Do you?

 

[teacups]

yes

 

[Roxylola]

At least daily. In winter any time they come out of the stable so potentially before mucking out, before riding and before bedding down in the evening, possibly on bringing in from our turnout area as well. In summer, as soon as they come in, then if they've stood in a bit before they leave the stable as well.

 

[welshwizzard]

No foot no horse ! Why would you not check the hooves? Its basic care. Just laziness!

 

[Connemara24]

Everyday, sometimes twice a day in the winter.

 

[Horsegirl25]

Everyday (if turned out) if it is during the winter and my horse has been in the stable all day due to bad weather I won't.
Apart from that I do everyday even in the summer when the ground is hard, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[cold_feet]

Every day in winter. Not so much in summer, if ground is dry and hard. I will often do a quick pick up and look, but not every day.

 

[Afon_34]

Yes everyday

 

[Bobthecob15]

I do every day, however my last livery yard definitely didn't, to be honest I have never seen them pick out the hooves of horses they bring in/out! And that was full/retirement livery.

New yard does it more regularly but they don't do every livery every day, assume due to numbers.

 

[Mrs G]

At least twice a day, if I ride its more. I think of it as the horses version of toothbrushing - basic hygiene! Ill pick his feet it before I ride (to get mud and any stones out), after Ive ridden (to remove bits of rubber, brush off the arena sand, or remove any stones we've picked up if hacking). In winter I'll do his feet before I turn him out (to remove poo and dirty bedding to stop it leaving a trail across the yard and because I dont want it stuck in his feet all day) and when I bring him in (to remove mud and stones from the field). When I look after my friends horse I can really tell she doesnt get her feet picked out as often - they smell! My farrier often comments how he appreciates having picked out feet to deal with but I really do think its a basic bit of horse care - you can spot loose or twisted shoes, stones that have got lodged in and could cause bruises or abcesses, signs of thrush, cracks or chips in the hoof that could be dealt with early to prevent them getting worse , the list goes on!

 

[SDMabel]

Everyday in winter .

Summer if she's having a day off and doesn't involve leaving the field ill pick all four up and check them usually dont need picking out if grounds hard.
If it's a day where she's worked we have to walk across a hardcore yard so pick all four out as tend to get little stones lodged in them.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

B is done every day, usually twice as done before and after riding.

Little A is done at least every day that has a T in it (so at least 3 x a week) plus on days she goes out for a ramble in hand.
The minimum of 3 x a week stems way back when I had youngstock etc as also meant they were caught up and handled regularly.

We are very stoney in places out hacking, plus if going in the woods a fir cone or bit of stick can get lodged in them.

 

[ihatework]

Depends -
Shod working horses, min once a day (usually more) whenever they leave stable.

Unshod field horses out of work - generally once a week unless there is a problem. They get caught and a foot pick, light rasp, anti-thrush spray. Then left till the next week.

Foal - every day religiously at the moment

 

[Tarragon]

My two ponies are unshod and field kept. I always pick out before riding to check for stones etc. (and I am taking one of the ponies out almost every day) but no, I do not pick out daily. They get a proper clean out and wire brushed once a week and I treat with Hedgewitch Frog and Sole (Brilliant stuff!), and I use a rasp if needed.

 

[eggs]

Used to do it every time they came in from the field, every time before they left their stable and every time before leaving the school - that was up to 13 horses moving daily. Now my back protests too much so for the working horses it is every time before they are ridden and for the retired one I check his weekly.

 

[smolmaus]

I try to pick out feet every day. The day I dont will be guaranteed to be the day she finds a sharp rock to wedge into her frog.

At the minute with the weather swinging from drought to monsoon season her frogs are having a terrible time so its picked out, worked, picked out again, hosed, disinfected and packed with hoof stuff or artimud probably 5 days a week and at least picked out the other two. Very much looking forward to only picking them out every day!

 

[Kaylum]

Everyday check for stones, loose shoes and infection

 

[EnduroRider]

Every day after having been in the field, so in the Summer that is every morning, and in Winter I'll do feet in the evening (yard have caught in in the afternoon but won't have done feet). I also do after every ride as they are barefoot and sometimes get small grit trapped in the white line but I confess I don't pick out after they've been stood in stables. I have big stables, large flake beds which stay tidy/dry, and no shoes so they don't really stand in droppings or have wet packed in to feet.

 

[Arzada]

Once every 7 weeks, 30 minutes before the farrier arrives.

 

[Burnttoast]

When the trimmer comes. Mine is retired and field-kept. I used to at least have a look most days but since I've been ill I've not even seen him many days in a row and have non-horsey help with the non-handling jobs. Perhaps not ideal but as it turns out his feet haven't fallen off.

 

[Annagain]

At the moment I'm not picking them out at all because the ground's so hard there's never anything in them. I also have a really bad back so struggle to pick them up. Luckily Wiggy picks them up if I tap them so he's showing me his nice clean hooves every day. Archie's not so well trained but he's barefoot and retired so he gets them checked about twice a week. In winter, with the ground swtiching really quickly from wet to dry, Arch was struggling a bit so was having them picked out twice a day and scrubbed and iodine spray applied daily.

 

[JBM]

Not often
See them every day but check feet about once a week mostly to remind them they can lift their legs!
Everytime I pick them up they’re empty as it’s a rush type field and the squishy nature of the field seems to keep them clean
Sounds silly but it makes sense in my brain

 

[MuddyMonster]

At least x 2 a day (AM & PM) but often x 4 a day if riding (before and after).

There's not always anything to pick out but I wouldn't want to not check them.

Pony is barefoot.

 

[Shooting Star]

Once a day (barefoot & out 24/7)

 

[planete]

Field kept barefoot pony. Before riding, plus check for thrush and treat with field paste if needed a couple of times a week.

 

[tda]

To be totally honest, not very often, but none are shod and all live out which helps, and I can often see clearly as they walk away that the hooves are not filled with muck

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Everyday and after hacking.

 

[equinerebel]

When barefoot and out in the field - once a week. Shod and/or stabled - once a day (plus before and after riding)

 

[GreyDot]

Every day, at least twice a day, always before and after riding. Not just looking for stones, but also to look at health of hoof.

 

[Hallo2012]

every day twice a day.