How often does a horse go to the farrier?

In Switzerland, every 6 to 8 weeks. For heavily worked hooves, sport horses or in summer, shorten to 4 to 6 weeks. Barefoot horses in winter rest sometimes 8 to 10 weeks.

What does the sharer check on hooves?

Visual check for cracks, loose shoes, stones in the frog, thrush (black, foul-smelling frog), swelling at the coronet, heat. Pick hooves before and after each ride.

Who organizes and pays the farrier?

Routine: owner. Special appointments requested by sharer: agreed in advance, generally by sharer. Emergencies: owner.

Difference between barefoot and shod?

Barefoot means without iron, hoof only trimmed. Shod means iron nailed or glued. Both are common in Switzerland depending on horse, discipline and surface.

What can the sharer do on hooves, what not?

Pick, inspect, apply hoof oil if agreed. Not allowed: remove loose shoes, cut or file edges, assess lameness.

Guide

Hoof care and farrier interval: what the sharer needs to know

3 min read

The adage "no hoof, no horse" applies in horse shares too. What the sharer does daily on hooves co-determines the horse's health. This guide shows Swiss farrier intervals, daily hoof check and the clear line between sharer tasks and specialist tasks.

Daily hoof check

The most important daily task after haltering. 2 to 3 minutes per horse:

Pick hooves. Left front first, then right, then hinds. Hoof pick from heel to toe, never toward the horse.
Inspect for stones and debris. Small stones or wood splinters in frog or between shoe and sole.
Examine the frog. Black, foul-smelling frog signals thrush. Should be dry, firm, crack-free.
Hoof edges and wall. Cracks from heel to coronet rarely benign, small cracks on the wall often wear. Report anomalies.
Loose shoes. Press briefly with thumb or hand. Shoe that moves is reported immediately.
Heat and swelling at coronet. Feel with the palm if one hoof is markedly warmer than others. Early warning.

Farrier interval in Switzerland

Swiss practice has stabilized on 6 to 8 weeks between shoeings. Swiss Equestrian recommends this rhythm for most leisure and sport horses.

6 weeks: Sport horses, growing youngsters, fast horn growth or hard summer ground.
8 weeks: Standard for leisure horses with steady load.
Longer: Only for barefoot horses in unload phases (winter rest), with farrier agreement.

The farrier decides shoeing vs. barefoot, exact iron shape and interval. The sharer accepts this without questioning, except for clear anomalies.

Who organizes, pays, attends

Organization and payment of routine: owner.
Attendance at the appointment: possible but not mandatory for sharer.
Special appointments at sharer's request (different shoe for a competition): agreed in advance, generally by sharer.
Emergencies (abscess, lost shoe, urgent trim): owner. Inform sharer if ride days affected.

See guide on extra costs for the cost split.

What the sharer must not do on hooves

The line is clear:

Removing or adjusting a loose shoe. Inform farrier or owner immediately.
Cutting or filing hoof wall. Even if a piece looks broken off.
Treating thrush or hoof fungus with own remedies. Identify yes, treat no.
Assessing lameness. Identify and report yes, diagnose no.
Booking the farrier. Goes through the owner.

Swiss practical points

Hoof pick at a fixed spot per box or attachment area.
Hoof photos at each shoeing. One photo per hoof at the start helps track changes over months.
Hoof condition note after each ride day in the shared calendar.
Mud season (October to May). Hoof abscesses are common in the Swiss midland.
Summer heat. Hooves drying out. Owner may prescribe hoof oil or grease, sharer applies per instruction.

Frequently asked questions

How often to the farrier? 6 to 8 weeks in Switzerland. Shorter for sport horses or in summer.

What does the sharer check? Cracks, shoes, stones, thrush, swellings, heat. Pick before and after riding.

Who organizes and pays? Routine and emergencies: owner. Special at sharer request: her.

Barefoot or shod? Barefoot = no iron, trim. Shod = iron nailed or glued. Both common in Switzerland.

Sharer tasks on hooves? Pick, inspect, oil if agreed. No shoe removal, no cutting, no diagnosis.

Sources

Track hoof status in HorseCompanion

Hoof checks, farrier dates and anomalies are documented per horse. Start for free

Updated: June 2026