By keeping the horse's bedding clean and the hooves cleaned out, thrush can be minimized. Sometimes regular trimming and treatment with lime, copper sulfate, or hydrogen peroxide are helpful if thrush persists. Most horses wear their hooves off at the same rate that it grows and minimal trimming is needed. Many horses should have their hooves trimmed about every 6 to 8 weeks. This will prevent cracks in the hoof wall and seedy toe.
Seedy toe is an infection between the wall and the sensitive tissue of the foot.
The hoof should be trimmed to maintain the same hoof-pastern axis. That is, the hoof at the toe should be in a straight line with the front of the pastern. When the hoof wall is wearing off faster than it is growing, the sole can get bruised and the horse will become lame. The horse needs to be shod if the wall is wearing off faster than it can grow or possibly when traction is needed or the gait needs to be corrected or complemented. Shoes are a necessary evil and should be reset every 5 to 7 weeks as the wall of the hoof cannot wear off while the shoe is on, and contracted heels can result.