For the November meeting, focus on horse hoof anatomy.
(I’ve included several links where you can find more detailed information if needed.)
First, draw the bottom of a horse hoof on a white board or a piece of poster board. Start with the basics and then add as many as you’d like depending on the skill level of the kids.
Let the kids work together and write in the parts of a horse foot. Depending on how many kids there are, you could also separate them into groups and make it a competition to see which group can correctly identify the most hoof parts.
Once you’ve finished with the bottom of the horse foot, then draw a picture of a horse hoof from the side.
Name a part of the hoof and have one of the kids show you where it is. If their skill level is a little higher, then tell them the function of a part and ask them to identify what and where it is.
After you’ve finished discussing horse hoof anatomy, it’s a good idea to talk about some common problems with horse feet.
Show the kids pictures of overgrown horse hooves and explain why they need trimmings and what can happen if they don’t get them.
Trimming a horse’s feet is important to their health and well-being. A domesticated horse doesn’t wear down their hooves like wild horses do. If the hooves get too long, it’s uncomfortable for the horse to walk and can cause damage to their legs and other parts of their body. Also, with a good trimming, bacteria will be less likely to get into the crevices of the foot keeping them healthier.
Talk about thrush.
Thrush is an infection of the grooves of the frog causing it to rot away. If a horse has thrush, you will notice a very foul-smelling, black discharge from the frog. The frog may have softer spots and an irregular shape.
Thrush is caused by a variety of reasons:
- Unhygienic environmental conditions such as a constantly wet or marshy pasture or standing in a wet stall for prolonged periods of time.
- Lack of foot care. Not cleaning or picking the feet out often enough.
- Poor or incorrect hoof trimming or shoeing.
- Bad foot conformation
If a horse has thrush, the underlying cause should be addressed and corrected. The horse should be moved to a clean and dry area and daily cleaning of the foot is a must. A topical treatment with an astringent medication can be used. If the infection is severe, a farrier or vet should be involved in the treatment plan.
Explain what laminitis or founder is.
Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae of the foot. Laminae are the soft tissue structures that attach the coffin bone of the foot to the hoof wall. This inflammation and the damage to the laminae causes extreme pain and leads to instability of the coffin bone. In more severe cases it can lead to separation of and rotation of the coffin bone within the hoof wall.
It’s possible to manage laminitis but there’s no cure for it and it can be fatal to horses. Prevention is key.
Lastly, give a general talk about farriers – who they are, what they do, and how they take care of the horse hoof.
Simply put, a farrier is a professional that takes care of horse feet. Not only do they need to know how to shoe horses but they need to make sure that the horse’s feet are well balanced, healthy and placed correctly.
Some of the tools they use include a rasp, nipper, hoof knife, shoe puller, clincher, and hammer.
If any of the kids are interested in what a farrier salary is, it can vary. According to Google, the average yearly gross income of a full time farrier is approximately $116,486.
Even if you are only talking in generalities when it comes to horse feet, it’s hard to fit everything into one meeting. You may need to break it up into two or more meetings or lessons. Or, you could move the section about farriers to a meeting about horse careers.
There’s a lot to learn about the hooves but remember to keep it fun! Feet aren’t exactly the most exciting part of working with a horse.
**It is my goal to always be completely honest and transparent with my readers. Please be aware that as a member of Amazon Associates as well as other affiliate programs, many of my posts contain affiliate links. Any qualifying purchases you make through these affiliate links may result in a commission to me at no extra cost to you.