Like old wives' tales, older horsemen have tales of their own. One denotes their dislike of white hooves in horses. Their old saying goes like this. "One white foot, buy him. Two white feet, try him. Three white feet, look well about him. Four white feet, do without him."
I have also heard it said, "Four white feet, and a long white nose, knock him on the head and feed him to the crows." Wow- what a way to examine a horse!
Actually, we know now, with modern science, that the only thing different about a horse with white hooves is that he or she has less pigmentation in the hoof wall, and that the color of the hoof has nothing to do with incipient issues with lameness or other problems.
There are many owners though, that will debate endlessly and passionately about hoof color. Most of those owners are firmly convinced that a horse with white hooves must be shod to maintain soundness and usability. In my time as an equine hoof care provider, I have seen many white footed horses prove that theory wrong.
Appaloosa horses have a reputation for either having strong, quality hooves, or their hooves being weak walled and prone to lameness issues. Are you surprised to learn that Appaloosas, along with Paint horses, often have striped hooves? Actually, hoof color just varies. It varies from horse to horse and from breed to breed.
In actual fact, the health of the hoof is determined by several other factors other than breed, age, sex, and job. Having a properly trained hoof care provider is essential to good hoof health, as is proper nutrition for your horse.
Turning your horse out as much as possible, preferably twenty-four hours a day with access to shelter from the sun and elements, will promote the healthiest hoof growth and strength.
In case of white hoofs, the injuries or cracks are more visible than in case of dark colored hoofs. That creates wrong impression that the white hoofs are weaker than the dark hoofs. Actually the science has proved that it is just a difference of level of color pigments & it has nothing to do with strength or health of a hoof. Proper diet, exercise & health care will keep the horse fit & strong and the owner happy.
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