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Discussion on Color of hooves
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 3:20 pm:
Does the color of hooves determine how strong the hoof is? My friend says lighter hooves are soft hooves. My 6 week old paint filly has white hooves, should I be worried?
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 3:44 pm:
White hooves are softer . . . easier to trim . . . but not, necessarily, weaker. What is more miportant is the width of the hoof wall and the suppleness of the hoof wall. I have seen both strong and brittle dark hooves; some with thick walls and some with thin . . . so don't worry about your horse's white feet. 
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Member:
Alden
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 4:06 pm:
White hooves aren't necessarily softer or weaker, now I'm sure there are horses with soft white hooves but that's the horse. My grey MFT has dark front hooves and light back hooves. The ferrier cusses them all equally because it's nearly impossible to get anything but a new set of nippers through them. They are very hard, but not brittle, and he's been barefoot nearly six years through NATRC and Endurance rides.
You won't know much about your filly's hooves yet. Good nutrition, good exercise, proper trimming and it's likely you have nothing to worry about.
Another thing to think about is the hooves on mine become harder and tougher the longer the horse is barefoot (our ground is very rocky).
Any pictures? We didn't have any babies this year so I need pictures We should have three next year and I'm worse than a kid waiting for xmas!
Good day,
Alden
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 4:53 pm:
[IMG]https://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/trishblo/hope3.jpg[/IMG]
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Member:
Qh4me
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 5:01 pm:
Oh Patricia, she is gorgeous. What a fancy girl!
I just created a new foal picture thread under Art & Entertainment -> Images, hoping that more will post pics of their foals. So if you got some more of her, please post them.
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - 5:30 pm:
Just lovely, Patricia.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 1:29 am:
The heck with the hooves! The baby's a beauty!
What footing is in the pen, Patricia?
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Member:
Erika
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 7:01 am:
Just LOVE those babies! She is a fancy one.
Good idea Shawna, can't wait to see that thread!
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 8:23 am:
Cute! Cute! Cute!
BTW, my mare has 3 dark hooves and one light hoof - I notice no difference in them.
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 9:06 am:
A well-known "equine podiatrist" I've heard talk a couple of times said there is no quality difference whether the hoof is white or dark. But blemishes and bruises can be seen more clearly in those that are light-colored. He has done extensive research including loads of cadaver work.
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 1:36 pm:
Hi Lee, in that picture she was on apple tree shavings, she's now on grass. Thank you for all the compliments. She's a little cutie.
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Member:
Redalert
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 2:58 pm:
Man oh man, You are making me NOT want to sell my broodmare... what a pretty foal! Well, if she does not sell, then I will get to have a foal next year! No comment on the white hooves, since you have already gotten great comments. Just had to chime in about the foal!
Nancy
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 5:12 pm:
Several of our Arabians have white feet and they are hard as rocks. In the summer our farrier always asks that we overflow the water tanks so their feet soak and soften up a little so they'll be easier to trim.
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2006 - 6:00 pm:
And...add me to the list of admirers of your foal. She made me chuckle when I opened up her picture. What a cutie! She's so clean. Where do you get apple tree chips?
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 7, 2006 - 2:46 pm:
Sorry it took so long to answer. In Yakima, Wa, where this foal was when the picture was taken you can ask the department of transportation, they chip all of the tree limbs they take from the side of roads. Yakima has a lot of apple farms and winery's. My horses are in Newport, Wa at my place now so no apple chips but more Ponderosa Pine chips...darn.
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 7, 2006 - 8:27 pm:
Thanks. I thought maybe it was something like that. They would be so good to have to put in muddy areas in the spring, and to cover our walkways between turn outs. We don't have a ready source, however. We get so much wind that shavings just blow away.
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 8, 2006 - 3:32 am:
One word of caution for wood chips: they're slippery even when a relatively small amount is mixed into the sand. I believe it's a very bad surface for fast turns.
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 8, 2006 - 12:18 pm:
She was there to foal and the amount of rain in Yakima is barely measurable this time of year so it was dry. Also, no riding or lunging is done on the chips. But I agree, they would get slippery when wet!
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