|
Shoeing To Where The Foot Should Be
Not To Where It Is
Most often we see a horses foot
shod to the perimeter of
the hoof wall, all of the way around from heel too heel.
Below would be an example of this shoeing
practice.
Photo.1
This foot however can ill afford to be shod in this
manner. As subsequent photos will show the foot needs to
be shod somewhat differently. The foot or hoof capsule
on this horse is displaced to the lateral of the bony
column. And the center of gravity is not at Duckets Dot
(the yellow dot above)
The
photo below shows that the foot is quite a bit out
side of the leg. (Looking at the front of the left leg)
Photo.2
The
higher percentage of weight bearing on the medial
(inside) of the hoof wall has crushed the wall till it
cracked and is quite useless, and placing the center of
weight bearing as the photo below would suggest.
Photo.3
The
horses only recourse for some comfort was to stand
with his feet very close together, in order to relieve
the weight from the very sore inside hoof wall, and
place more of the weight on the outside hoof wall, were
there is some strength and support.
Photo.4
So, two things need to change in the shoeing pattern of
this left foot, as well as the right front on this
horse. (Note: this foot is due to be re-shod.) The foot needs to be supported further aft
of the heels, and evenly on both sides. (Red line
photo #3.)
Next the shoe should be extended past the hoof wall to
the inside, so as the medial and lateral ground support
that the shoe will give, will be an equal distance from
the true center of weight bearing.
Photo.5
As we shall see this will properly support the leg, and
as a result will make the horse stand as he should.
Below is the new shoe on the foot, And both feet are
shod the same with much shoe exposed inside of the foot.
Photo.6
Below I have placed the
photos, to look as though, we
were looking up through a glass floor at the left and
right Feet.
Photo.7
Photo.8
The end result is that the horse is standing correctly,
with his feet wider apart, carrying his weight the way
he should. (Remember how close he stood Before in
Photo.4)
Photo.9
You can also see the amount of shoe exposed to the
inside of each foot.
Photo.10
Photo.11
Of course the first fear is that this horse will never
keep a shoe on. And for sure he will step on it and pull
it off.
Oh really?
Five days or so after the shoeing of this horse, I
received a phone call from the horses owner, as per my
request to be informed of the progress;
"Hi Bradley, the shoes are still on,
and he's not clicking or clacking, he's doing well.
Thanks,
and be sure to book me in for six weeks."
Note 1: Three weeks later I was called to shoe another
horse at this stable and the shoes were still on. This
horse gets normal turn out every day with other horses.
The one was then pulled in the field at five weeks
(never found). So we then scheduled the horse to be
reset at a five week interval.
Note 2:
We also found that the horse was
doing what seemed well enough, but I felt that if we
wished to see better results, we would need to make
the shoe into a heart bar shoe. Thus enabling us to
relieve some medial/inside hoof wall pressure,
allowing it to grow out, maybe. At this suggestion
the owner, opted to not have me out any more.
Bradley SaintJohn |
