Baby Horse Hooves: Essential Care Tips For Healthy Growth

For horse owners, every detail matters when people comes to the health of their foals. Another important, but sometimes underestimated, element in the young horse’s health and growth is baby horse hooves. If baby horse hooves are good care, they also promote growth as well as prevent future complications that may hinder the comfort of the animal.

If you are curious about baby horse hooves. Let’s explore this article and discover important information about baby horse hooves and how to properly care for them. From simple grooming activities such as trimming to feeding, here are all the things you need to know. Spend a few minutes reading on to provide your foal with the best foundation for strong and sound legs and feet.

Does a Baby Horse Have Hooves at Birth?

Yes, when baby horses are born, they have already hooves which are very useful right during the first period of the horse. In the wild foals should be able to stand and run shortly after birth to avoid being taken by predators that are attracted by the birthing process. Hence, baby horse hooves are well formed at birth though they may appear somewhat strange at first glance.

Baby horse hooves or Eponychium (ep-uh-nik-ee-uhm) is a soft smooth layer of tissue that covers the newborn foal’s hooves. The tissue also referred to as the deciduous hoof capsule is protective. Consisting of horn tubules, keratin, and lamellae just like the adult horse hooves, they shield the mare’s uterus and birth canal during delivery. The eponychium helps avoid mishaps that may be occasioned by the foal’s feet as they kick within the womb during pregnancy and at birth. 

Eponychium’s name comes from Greek, meaning “on top of” and “little claw,” stressing the fact that baby horse hooves are a temporary but vital tool in the first days of a foal’s life.