Claiborne Chronicles: Importance of Hoof Care

On any given day at Claiborne Farm, I can be in one of three places. The first two, the foaling barn and the stud lot, are self-explanatory. The third “place” is not as concrete.
On Fridays, Saturdays, and every other Sunday, I am an “extra.” On these days, I may be doing anything from working on my own at a barn, to assisting the resident veterinarians, to taking mares off the farm to be bred.
Last week, I spent an entire day as an “extra” holding mares for the blacksmiths. Once a month, three blacksmiths come to the farm and trim the feet of every horse. There could be more than 500 horses on Claiborne Farm depending on the time of year, so this task is completed over several days.
BLACKSMITH AT CLAIBORNE

When the blacksmiths come to the farm, the horses to be trimmed that morning stay inside until they have gotten their pedicures, while the horses to be trimmed in the afternoon are brought inside early. The mares are taken out of their stalls and held in the barn aisle as a blacksmith works on their feet. Most of the horses here do not wear shoes. Whether or not they have shoes depends on the individual horse’s soundness and if he or she has had a history of foot problems that would necessitate wearing them. Since Claiborne’s blacksmiths have worked on the farm’s horses for many years, they know the history and hoof characteristics of all of the stallions and mares.
HOOF CARE AT CLAIBORNE

Trimming mares with foals can be more difficult, but it gets done. When a mare with a foal needs her feet trimmed, she is taken from her stall, and the door is closed behind her, leaving the foal in the stall. The mare is then turned around so that mother and baby can see each other through the door. Nonetheless, the barn becomes consumed in a chorus of frantic whinnying and nickering.
The most important duty for a handler is to make sure that the mares are still paying attention to him or her so that the blacksmith does not get kicked or stepped on. Once a mare has had her feet trimmed and/or shoes replaced, she is reunited with her foal, and the barn quiets down.
Trimming the feet of foals is a rodeo all of its own. Like with mares, the foals are taken out of their stalls and face their stall doors so that they can see their mothers. However, foals are handled by two people during trimming. These trims are the first time that they are having their feet worked with, so good luck getting these babies to stand still!
WAR FRONT COLT OUT OF INDIAN CHARLIE MARE

The blacksmith watches every foal walk before and after its feet are trimmed to determine how best to manage its hooves. He uses his knowledge of the foal’s sire and dam to anticipate how the foal might grow and what foot issues it might be predisposed to.
Different trims and corrective shoes can be used to help prevent conformational faults or prevent them from getting worse. For example, if a foal looks like it will toe in or toe out, special shoes can be applied that redistribute weight on the foal’s foot so that its legs straighten as it grows.
WAR FRONT COLT OUT OF DYNAFORMER MARE

Most of the foals at Claiborne are visited by the farrier once a month. However, foals with hoof and/or leg issues that need to be monitored more closely are checked every two weeks. The truth to the saying, “no hoof, no horse” cannot be overstated, especially when these hooves will be expected to carry a half-ton animal running at nearly 40 mph.
TRAPPE SHOT COLT OUT OF PURGE MARE

As of this writing, there are almost 80 mares still to foal at Claiborne. More than 50 are due in April alone, and we are still waiting on several mares who are already past their due dates (it is not uncommon for mares to be late). Each foal that is born here represents another bundle of cuteness, and, more importantly, another potential star. It is also another four hooves that will be carefully watched by Claiborne’s diligent farriers to ensure that every foal will have the best chance to realize its potential on the track.
SECRETARIAT MEMORIAL