# Arab feet?



## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

Have any of you all noticed whether you're arab's front hooves grow alot faster than the back ones? Deja's front feet need to be done every eight weeks or so, but her back feet grow so slow that they only need to be trimmed a little every other visit. The place I board at had an arabian mare named Mariah and they said that her feet were like that too. So do your arabs' feet grow like this or 'normally'? Is there a reason they do this? I haven't seen this in any other breed that is this pronounced.Really they are just pasture kept horses, no rocks or rough ground so I don't think that's it....But correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

My Arab's feet grow super fast too! She actually grows at a similar rate all the way around but her hooves do seem to grow extraordinarily fast compared to the other horses she's around.


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

Most of my horses do, arab or not


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

I just thought it was interesting since the there are three other horses out there and only Arabs' did that...


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Uh... Can't really say yes or no.
Some of my horses do. Some mares grow toenails like weeds while other's could go months without trims.
I think it all depends on the horse, instead of the actual breed.
BUT, it could be a breed trait, just one I've never come across!


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## isthatsavvy (Oct 3, 2009)

my arabs feet grow like that my farrier is always takeing off her front and only every few visits takeing off her back feet.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

In my experience, that's typical of all horses. They just don't wear their back feet down as fast. We have a whole mix of different breeds and they're pretty much all the same - some have a slower rate of growth then others, but pretty much all grow out their front feet faster.

My Arabs feet DO grow like dynamite though. We've had problems with her all summer because our new farrier, for whatever reason, keeps them trimmed long. Which is a disaster for us because it means within 4 weeks, Zierra's hooves are a complete disaster. Shay-las working with her now with a different trimming method because this just isn't working. She has itty bitty Arab feet and farriers keep trying to give her big feet and it just doesn't work. She grows to fast and her hoof wall is thin so she chips like crazy.

On the other hand, her dam had solid black horn hooves and the farrier never even took nippers to her. She never chipped, never cracked, and never seemed to grow. He'd rasp her smooth and balanced every 8 weeks when he did the rest, but that was all she needed.

So I don't think it's the breed so much as just the hooves. I know there's a lot of controversy over black horn VS white horn, but I have to say, in all my time around horses I've never had anything but problems with white horn feet and every black horn footed horse I know has perfect, tough as nails feet. Remind me to stop buying white legged horses, ROFL.


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## Lenuccia (Oct 3, 2009)

*Arab feet*

My arabs hooves grow evenly on all four. She is barefoot and has really good hooves. They grow quicker in spring time but I think all hooves do. 

Also, she has one white hind foot. And there is absolutely NO difference between the white one and the dark one. My trimmer has confirmed this.


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

That's interesting Macabre. Deja's back feet are white(mostly white with black stripes.) and they grow really slowly. I didn't know that there was a differance in black feet and white feet. what do you mean? Not to sound ignorant or anything, but I've never paid all that close attention to it really.


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

Caleb is 1/2 arab and 1/2 percharon. His feet are big, hard, and grow fast. When he needs a trim his front feet will start to chip, and his backs to flare. The last time I had him trimmed he was overgrown because we missed the farrier twice. When he did get trimmed the farrier said he had the same amount of growth as most horses get in six months! 

I think it's possible Arabs have fast-growing feet because where they originate is sand, and sand can really wear down hooves.


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## Marilyn (Sep 11, 2009)

I also agree!
My mares front hooves also grown faster than the back one!
she has very good strong and hard hooves!
she is no arabian


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