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Autumn: When the Ground Changes and the Feet Start Testing You

There’s always a point where summer quietly disappears. 

The ground softens, the mornings cool off, and the horses that have been standing on concrete paddocks suddenly start moving on something with a bit more give. It’s usually around the same time you get your first lost shoe.

Autumn doesn’t tend to get much attention, but it’s one of the more important transitions of the year. It’s not dramatic, it’s just… different. And if you don’t adjust with it, things start to get pretty inconvenient fairly quickly.

From Hard and Dry to Soft and Slightly Unpredictable

After a long dry period, hooves are generally harder, tighter, and more predictable to work with. Then moisture comes back in, and things start to change. I say goodbye to my half round nippers and pull out my knives that have been in hibernation and pop a bottle of Hoof Hygiene liquid in the top of my box!

The hoof softens, nail hold reduces slightly, and you get a touch more movement than you were seeing a few weeks ago. Nothing major—just enough to keep you paying attention.

It’s also the time where bacteria take advantage of the situation. Thrush starts creeping in, white line stretches a bit more easily, and feet that have been low-maintenance all summer suddenly need a bit more thought.

It’s rarely one big issue. It’s a collection of small ones. 

Shoeing: Same Principles, More Attention to Detail

Nothing about Autumn requires a complete overhaul, but it does tend to highlight any shortcuts. Fit matters more. Nail placement matters more. And what you’re putting in the foot needs to behave consistently, even when the hoof itself isn’t.

I find myself being a bit more particular with nail choice through this period. If the wall has softened slightly, you need something that’s still going to give you a clean, predictable line without causing unnecessary disruption.

I’ll often lean on Mustad Slim nail depending on the foot—nothing fancy, just reliable. They do what you expect them to do, which becomes more important when conditions aren’t as consistent.

Shoe fit becomes less forgiving as well. A cheated fit through the quarters in dry summer conditions might leave you feeling like you’ve finally gathered up that dinner plate! A sprinkling of moisture will soon put that though back in its box. Moisture means a bit more movement through those walls, and that’s when you start seeing clenches lifting, feet flaring, collapsing or shoes shifting earlier than expected. Don’t be tempted to gather the foot in too much, all your doing is weakening the hoof wall even further and encouraging that flare.

Oh and please check your weather app. If you feel like the heavens will open in the next few weeks PLEASE don’t nail their shoes on to the coronary band for a flash Instagram post. The feet soften but the nails don’t, it’s going to be sore.

That said, it’s not about changing everything—it’s about tightening up the details.

Shoes Staying On (or Not)

This is usually the season where you find out how secure everything actually was.

Horses that have been fine all summer suddenly start coming in minus a shoe—often in the least convenient place possible, usually involving mud, water, fences or their pals.

Part of that is hoof condition, part of it is environment, and part of it is just horses being horses.

For horses in regular work, I tend to stick with something like a Mustad Concave Shoes. They’re consistent, give a good balance underfoot, and cope well with varied surfaces without overcomplicating things.

Because at this time of year, simple and secure usually wins.

Workload: Softer Ground Isn’t Always Easier

It’s easy to assume softer ground is kinder—and in terms of concussion, it is.

But it also asks more from the horse. Deeper or holding ground takes more effort, and you’ll often see horses working slightly harder without it being obvious straight away.

You notice it in small ways: They tire a bit quicker. Movement changes slightly. They’re just doing a bit more work than they were on firmer ground.

Nothing drastic, just something to be aware of. All of this is putting more stress on tendons / ligaments and structures that might not have been working so hard before. Autumn might be the month to really pay attention to what the rider is telling you.

Daily Management (Still Not Optional)

Autumn is where the basics start to matter again.

Picking out feet daily makes a difference. Not occasionally—daily. Especially once moisture is involved.

Keeping horses out of consistently wet areas where possible helps, although that’s not always realistic. At the very least, being aware of how long they’re standing in it.

And just keeping an eye on things:

• Early thrush 
• Slight changes in hoof quality 
• Shoes starting to lift 

It’s all fairly straightforward. It just needs doing.

If you’re using pads or packing, you’re probably already looking out for these early signs, that unforgettable smell and the hidden black slime. Switching to thrush treatments such as ComfortMix Thrush treatment around now is the perfect first way to (try) keep it all at bay. 

The Usual Autumn Pattern

Every year follows a similar theme:

• A few more lost shoes than you’d like 
• Thrush appearing where it wasn’t before 
• The odd abscess as feet adjust 
• Hoof walls not behaving quite as well as they were 

None of it is unusual. It’s just seasonal.

Looking Ahead

Autumn isn’t about reacting—it’s about adjusting early enough that you don’t have to.

You don’t need to change everything. Just be a bit more aware, a bit more precise, and make sure what you’re using—whether that’s your approach or your materials—is still working in the conditions you’re in.

For me, that’s where consistency in tools and products matters most. If everything else is changing, it helps if the things you’re relying on aren’t.

Because once winter properly arrives, it’s usually too late to wish you’d tightened things up earlier.