What tools do you keep on hand to care for your horses’ hooves? Many horse owners do not have a dedicated hoof care kit for their horses. If you don’t have one yet, now is a great time to build your own.

The Horse recently published an article, “Horse Hoof Care Essentials at Hand,” that listed twelve essential tools that all horse owners should have on hand when they’re caring for their horses. According to the article, “regular hoof care has many subtle benefits. It does so much for the horse, for his mind, and for his body, and it helps horses and owners bond.” We couldn’t agree more.

We wanted to highlight a few of the hoof care tools listed in the article, and make a few suggestions if you’re looking to add to or upgrade the tools you currently have.

Hoof Pick & Hoof Brush

The hoof pick is the number one hoof care tool that all horse owners likely have multiples of in their tack rooms, homes, trailers, and vehicles. Any time you’re going to look at your horse’s hoof or prepare to go riding, it’s a good idea to have a hoof pick handy to clean off whatever your horse has stepped in. We also recommend using a hoof pick and brush to clean up your horse’s hooves before you apply any of our Easyboot styles.

EasyCare has a couple of hoof pick options. The first is a basic hoof pick that is also magnetic, which is a handy feature that can help you keep track of it. The second is a hoof pick / wire bush combo so you can have your hoof pick and brush on one, solid tool.

Rasp

Even if you’re not a professional hoof care practitioner, a rasp can be a handy tool to keep around. It’s nice to be able to smooth out the edges or file down a crack on your horse’s hooves yourself. If your barefoot trimmer has to cancel or delay a recurring appointment and your Easyboots are a little too tight right at the end of the trim cycle, you can quickly take a rasp to your horse’s hooves to file them down just a little.

If you plan on gluing on any Easyboots or EasyShoes, it’s a great idea to use a rasp and/or a Hoof Buffy when you’re prepping the hoof before applying glue. You can also use a rasp to help take off any of our glue-on Easyboots or EasyShoes.

EasyCare carries the Save Edge Rasp, as one option to add to your hoof care kit.

Tools to Treat Hoof Pain

Many conditions can arise in the hoof that may cause your horse pain. Your horse could have thin soles, abscesses, founder, laminitis, navicular, or soreness from a hard workout, trailering, or stalling on hard surfaces. Always consult your veterinarian and/or hoof care practitioner when treating your horse’s hoof conditions.

It can be handy to keep a few things ready to go that your vet or hoof care practitioner may recommend, such as bandage material, poultice sheets, a mild antiseptic, and therapy boots.

The Easyboot Remedy or Easyboot Ultimate Remedy are great boots for soaking your horse’s hooves. Ice therapy can really help decrease inflammation and numb some of the pain your horse may be experiencing.

If your horse needs some immediate relief and cushioning, the Easyboot Cloud is also a great boot to have on hand for any kind of lower-limb problems.

If you take the time to take care of your horse’s hooves regularly, you can save yourself a lot of time and money in the future. Every time you pick up your horse’s hoof, you’re teaching or reinforcing good behavior that will make your life easier, as well as your vet’s and farrier’s. When you look at your horse’s hooves routinely, you’ll also be quick to notice any changes that may occur.

Hoof care is key to a horse’s health. All horse owners need to take their horse’s hoof care seriously, and keeping a few basic tools around can really help your horse and your peace of mind.