Year-Round Horse Hoof Care: Building a Routine That Works in Any Climate
Living in Montana means our horses deal with a little bit of everything. Dry summers. Frozen winters. Mud in the spring. Hard ground in the summer. Weather that changes overnight... And honestly, their feet show all of it.
One of the biggest things we’ve learned managing a barn is that hoof care is not something you only think about on farrier day. It’s something you pay attention to all the time because conditions change so fast here. A horse can look great one season and then suddenly start dealing with dry or chipped feet a few months later. Then spring hits and now you’re dealing with mud and moisture instead.
Especially with OTTBs, consistency can be hard. A lot of them come off the track with thinner soles or feet that are already adjusting to a completely different lifestyle. That’s why we try not to look for quick fixes. We focus more on building good routines and staying consistent over time. For us, that starts with the basics:
- Regular farrier care
- Good feed and nutrition
- Consistent turnout and movement
- Catching small changes early
But what you do between farrier visits matters too. We’ve learned that small things done consistently can really help, especially in a climate like ours where conditions are always changing. We started using Blue Hoof as part of that routine because we wanted something simple to help support moisture balance and hoof condition between trims.
And it’s not just our OTTBs. One of my favorite parts of barn life is getting to work with all kinds of horses. Some are performance horses. Some are retired pasture buddies. Some are babies still learning how to use their legs. Even young horses benefit from getting used to handling and building good routines from the beginning.
We’ve also had boarders start using and loving Blue Hoof after seeing it around the barn and asking about it. We’re always happy to share what works for us, whether that’s recommending our farrier, talking through management, or sharing products we actually like and use ourselves.
Because healthy feet usually do not come from one magic solution. It’s good care. Good nutrition. Consistency. Movement. Environment. And paying attention before small problems become big ones. And, in Montana, you learn pretty quickly that staying ahead of hoof care is a lot easier than trying to catch up later.
By: Kimber H. @trottybynature