Listen here:

If your spring plans include a return to a more intensive riding routine, make sure your horse’s hooves are ready.

Hopefully, your horse was seen by a farrier regularly during the winter months. If not, make an appointment for as soon as possible and hold off on riding until then. Working a horse with long, chipped or out-of-balance feet can lead to soreness and injury, sidelining your horse for weeks or even months. A single visit might be sufficient to address any issues, but it’s possible your farrier will need to make corrections over a series of appointments.

Even if your horse’s hooves seem to be in great shape, discuss your upcoming plans with your farrier; For instance, how often and on what type of footing do you plan on riding? Based on this information, your farrier might recommend a shoeing change or possibly hoof boots to cope with harder or rocky footing.

There’s also plenty you can do yourself to care for your horse’s hooves in the months ahead:

• Make sure he has a dry place to stand.

The repeated wet/dry cycles of spring can provide the opportunity for bacteria to enter the hoof capsule, setting the stage for painful abscesses. Address drainage problems in your pastures or reinforce chronically muddy areas with crusher-run gravel or geotextile fabrics.

• Inspect his hooves daily.

Of course, you are picking out your horse’s hooves daily, but take a minute each time you do to really look at his feet: Are there any new cracks or chips? Does his frog look healthy? Is there no foul odor or discharge? If you see anything that looks unusual, snap a picture for comparison the following day, or send it to your veterinarians.

• Consider adding a supplement that contains biotin.

A B vitamin, biotin supports the production of keratin, a protein that provides the structural basis for hair and hoof horn. Studies have shown that supplements containing biotin improve the growth rate and quality of hooves. It takes approximately one year for a horse to grow a new hoof from the coronary band to the ground. Because supplements can only influence new hoof growth, it may take many months to see results from these products.