In the first three years in a horse’s life, adequate hoof development stems mainly from stimulation of the horse receptors during normal exercise and turn out; however, the intense training experienced by two-year-old racehorses puts excess stress on the immature bone structure. When the horse is shod to alleviate the resulting discomfort, the hoof receptors lose contact with the ground, which further weakens the foot. Without proper treatment, this will often lead to the development of chronic hoof problems.
In the early stages of a horse’s life, proper hoof development is primarily dependent on stimulating the horse’s receptors during normal exercise and turnout; however, intense training by two-year-old racehorses exerts excessive stress on their immature bone structure. When horses are shod to alleviate resulting discomfort, hoof receptors lose contact with the ground, which further weakens the foot. Without appropriate treatment, this often leads to chronic hoof issues.