in the same area (around Canberra) in summer I used to let the hose run on the ground near the feed bin a few times each week so that the feet stayed a bit soft and didn't crack. Routine for the pony club set to oil the hooves every day, but it didn't really work for ponies with black feet. The hose trick came from the dry country in South Australia.
Throwing the horse was considered a routine skill where i did part of my time in North Queensland (much bigger and still rougher than texas
). I could do it safely by the time I was about 14. The problem was that the horses were often only brought in for a few weeks each year for mustering, and only had their feet picked up for shooing. Putting the horse on its side, feet tied together and a bale of hay or pack bag between the legs was much safer for the bloke doing the work.
I have a couple of photos stashed away somewhere – pretty hard work and not sorry it is past. But I still have the tools
just in case.