Horseshoe Pads
Healthy hooves keep horses standing and running comfortably, but it's a challenge to tell when a hoof is perfectly healthy by its appearance. In most cases, it's easier to identify when it's in need of care. When the health of a hoof is compromised, horses need horseshoe pads to help them recover.
How Do I Know When I Need Horseshoe or Heel Pads?
Look for signs that your horse's hooves may be traumatized or unhealthy, such as:
Remember that the texture of horse hooves changes season by season. During growth spurts in the summer, they may appear dry and hard, but are more likely to turn soft and moist in spring and fall's wetter weather. In the winter, hooves tend to grow more slowly.
Learn to identify what a healthy hoof looks like and watch out for more obvious signs that hooves need extra attention. If you notice cracks, bruising, or irregular markings, it may be time to add a horseshoe pad to your horse's feet.
What Do Horseshoe Pads Do?
Horseshoe pads stabilize and protect the hoof. They help soften the impact of walking and running so that hooves have a better opportunity to naturally heal, especially when given extra care, attention, and rest. In some cases, you can preemptively employ horseshoe heel pads to help horses cross particularly rough or dangerous terrain without causing pain or injury.
Horseshoe pads vary in construction, and each kind is designed to perform a particular function. If you're a farrier, you likely have been trained in the use and selection of pads and may have deep experience with using them to heal or prevent injuries. If you're a horse owner, trust your farrier to recommend the right kind of horseshoe pads for your horse's feet.
Only the Best for Our Farriers and Horse Owners
Our horseshoe pad selection is curated to serve as many needs as possible. A wider selection allows us to offer comprehensive solutions for the variety of problems that may compromise the health of a horse's hooves. Watch your horse's hooves carefully and gauge their reactions to certain terrain, then grab the horseshoe pads you need to heal and ride on.
Talk to us about your horse's or clients' needs and we'll make sure you find the right horseshoe pads today.
