How to Identify a Foundered Hoof

Caring for horses is a full time job. They can be incredibly delicate creatures for their size and strength. Founder is one of the deadliest and most common horse ailments. The old saying, "No hoof, no horse" is painfully accurate. Knowing when a horse has foundered is often as simple as a close physical exam. With touch and good eyesight, you should be able to tell if a hoof has foundered or not. This article will give you some tips on how to identify a foundered hoof.

Instructions

    • 1

      Identifying founder is critical for horse owners. Founder is a condition where the coffin bone inside the hoof rotates and the laminae separate from the hoof wall. It can be a fatal condition if it goes too far. A foundered hoof can often be identified by eyesight, although milder cases are harder to spot. Make sure you can examine the foot in good light, and be able to pick it up, as well as watch the horse in motion.

    • 2

      Examine the hoof as the horse stands on all four hooves. Foundered hooves have a very distinct shape in most cases. The top of the hoof near the coronet band starts normal. Somewhere near the halfway mark, the hoof will take a sharp and dramatic turn out, under or off to one side.

    • 3

      Turn the horse around and look at the foot from all angles. The hoof will obviously be deformed from the "founder point" down. It may resemble a "sled" or a pointed toe shoe. There will be clear "ridges" in the hoof as well, almost forming "ripples."

    • 4

      Pick up the hoof and examine it. In some cases, the hoof will fold under, so that the hoof begins to appear clubbed. Again, you will see a healthy part of the hoof near the top, and the dead or dying part of the hoof where the "founder line" begins.

    • 5

      Feel the hoof wall closely by cupping your hand over it. Another thing to look for, besides obvious lameness, is heat in the hoof. When a horse is recovering from founder, which is possible and in fact happens more often than not, you can actually see and feel the healthy hoof growing in and the foundered hoof in obvious ridges below it.