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