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White Hooves

4K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  my2geldings 
#1 ·
What is your thought on white hooves??

Good, Bad or does not matter?
 
#5 ·
I really don't think it matters.

My old boy (pally) had white hooves and was really soft-footed, yet the appy i ride now has 3 white hooves and his feet are fine.

i think white hooves show up issues earlier than black hooves but thats about it.
 
#9 ·
Nope! Die hards will argue that point but its just the genes of the horse. Twister has white hooves and they are harder than Dumas's black hooves. Dumas has thicker hooves just not harder.

Its a genetic thing not a color thing.
 
#11 ·
luv2show said:
I agree. Doesn't matter at all.

moomoo said:
but there are rules banning black polish on white hooves in bsps classes i think
You're not supposed to have black hoof polish on white hooves at all when you're showing... White hoofs are supposed to have clear hoof polish on. At least here that's what it is ...
Many people put black polish on like this (or just clear for local shows)

 
#12 ·
moomoo said:
luv2show said:
I agree. Doesn't matter at all.

moomoo said:
but there are rules banning black polish on white hooves in bsps classes i think
You're not supposed to have black hoof polish on white hooves at all when you're showing... White hoofs are supposed to have clear hoof polish on. At least here that's what it is ...
Many people put black polish on like this (or just clear for local shows)

I always believed the white hooves were weaker than the darker hooves. At least that is how it is with my herd...

As for the hoof black - it depends on how you are showing, QH all hooves are black, but arab, if you have one white hoof and the rest are dark, you show with three that are blacked and one that is clear.... I dont' think they even black them for hunt shows do they?
 
#13 ·
Thank you for your thoughts. I was interested in stregnth opinions because I have heard it all and don't really know what is true. My horse has two black one white and one striped. So, hopefully what lady dreamer said about striped being good luck will work out for me. I show reining cow horse so the different polishes will not be an issue.

Thanks to everyone.
 
#14 ·
Here's part of the article i read. It's about myths about hooves... from horsechannel.com

Myth: White hooves are softer and have more problems than black feet.
The color of the hoof is influenced by the color of the skin above it, so if a horse has white markings directly above the hoof, the hoof itself may carry the same pigmentation. Many people believe that hooves with black walls are stronger than hooves with white walls.

Master Farrier John Burt owns and operates the JDC School of Basic Farrier Science near Texarkana, Ark. He is a member of and tester for the Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association (BWFA) and a 2001 inductee to the BWFA Hall of Fame.
John says, "There is no quality difference on the same horse, no scientific data to sustain any difference. The white and the black hoof are both designed the same structurally; the texture and quality of the hoof is the same."

One of the foremost experts in his field, Doug Butler, Ph.D., of LaPorte, Colo., is the author of The Principles of Horseshoeing, one of the most widely used texts on horseshoeing in the world. He also has 30 years of teaching experience and acts as a consultant and lecturer on horseshoeing. In 1976 while doing research at Cornell University, he conducted a study on white versus black hooves by taking squares of hoof material and crushing them in a compressor.

"There was no difference between black and white," he agrees. "The main difference was in moisture content: The softer hooves fell apart easier." He notes that genetics also play a role in hoof strength. "Some Paint Horses have extremely brittle white hooves and others don’t. Appaloosas seem to have extremely strong feet, no matter what color; genetic propensity seems to be more important than the color of the hoof."
 
#15 ·
White hooves are known for being weaker than black ones. I'm not sure what that is I have seen its truth over the years of owning horses with both black and white hooves. They don't seem to be quite as strong and crack a lot easier.

Also the ones that did not do as good were the on the tbs who have been known to always have bad feet.

All other horses I have owned whom have had socks (therefor white hooves) never had issues. It all comes down to maintaining proper farrier hoof care.
 
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