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Hoof Health in Spring
Table of contents
What your horse really needs now
The first warm, sunny days make you want to head out for long rides, the horses reach their noses into the fresh greenery, and the hooves suddenly face a whole series of new challenges. Because what many underestimate: the transition from winter to spring is one of the most demanding phases of the year for the hoof. Moisture, mud, dietary changes, altered hoof growth and increased workload all coincide.
There is one principle that is often given too little attention: hoof health is a reflection of the horse's overall health. Hoof problems are rarely isolated events — they often indicate that something in the overall system isn't right, whether in metabolism, housing or feeding.
This article explains why hoof care in spring deserves special attention, which problems are typical, and what you can do specifically to support your horse's hoof health in a targeted way.
Why spring is a critical time for horse hooves
The hoof is not a rigid structure. It is a functional organ that responds to load, ground surfaces, metabolism and environmental conditions. In spring, all of these factors change simultaneously and often faster than the hoof can adapt.
Specifically, the following happens: the ground alternates between wet and dry, feeding shifts from hay to pasture grass, hoof growth accelerates, riding intensity often increases, and the coat change places additional strain on the metabolism. This last point in particular is often overlooked: the simultaneous coat change draws important building blocks from the body — amino acids, minerals, trace elements — which are also needed for hoof growth. This means: in spring, the hoof is in direct competition with the coat for the same resources.
During this phase, the hoof health of horses therefore requires particularly frequent checks — not only once problems are already visible. Targeted, consistent care helps strengthen the horn and prevent conditions such as laminitis, hoof abscesses or thrush before they develop.
In short: Anyone who pays close attention to hoof care during this season lays the foundation for a healthy hoof year.
Laminitis in spring: putting the biggest risk into perspective
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