The assignment of English II

Karina Sun
Professor Truscott
English II
9 March 2008

How to Clean Horses’ Hooves
Audiences: new members of Horse-riding Club

　　Cleaning horses’ hooves is a job full of challenges and caution for beginners. Following these steps will make you get into the situation easier and faster, but one still needs practice to be skillful. Before we get started, please make sure that your horse isn’t frightened during the process, and the surroundings are safe and noiseless. First of all, you need a hoof pick to start cleaning. Then, stand beside the horse’s left foreleg (you should stand in the opposite direction as it does.) with a hoof pick in your hand. Bend down, and touch its left foreleg with your left hand from up to down, to let it notice your action and your intention, and grab its cannon (the part between knees and hooves) up gently. Successfully, the horse is now raising its hoof, and you have to hold it with your left palm firmly. Now, start cleaning its hoof with a hoof pick in your right hand. There follows two steps of using a hoof pick. First, use the side with a pick to weed out the dirt and dung stuck inside its shoes and hooves. Secondly, after picking, use the side with a brush to brush off what you just picked out, especially the seam between hooves and shoes. During this process, please be aware of that you are not facing its hooves. You’ll be in a great danger if the horse is frightened by sudden accident or noise. After cleaning its left foreleg, please repeat the procedures just explained above while you’re going to clean its right foreleg. However, please note that this time you have to use the hoof pick with your left hand, and hold the hoof with right palm. It’s opposite from cleaning the left hoof. When both front hooves are cleaned, it’s hind legs’ turn. Generally speaking, it’s almost like what you do with its forelegs, but you must pay double attention to it because they are the most powerful yet dangerous part of a horse. And again, please be aware of your “face-hoof position,” so that the whole process will be harmless and peaceful. It might be difficult for beginners to clean horses’ hooves, and it’s always not easy for the first few times. Nevertheless, it’ll be better off after you practice and earn more experiences. Besides, observing those skilled and experienced ones demonstrate/teach the process is also helpful.