Re: foot angles & conformation

[Abby Bloxsom <goneriding@snet.net>]

Kristene -

Forget the shoulder angle.  Whatever the "ideal" should be, what you 
have is what you have, and the pastern may or may not bear any relation 
to that.  You cannot change a horse's leg angles by shoeing, his body is 
where it is.  The only thing a shoer can do is to provide the largest 
possible base of support for the bony column of the leg without getting 
in the way of what the hoof wants to do.

That means setting the shoe back under the foot, allowing plenty of room 
on the surface of the shoe for hoof expansion, and shoeing to the angle 
of the pastern. (and that's only a fraction of the mystery)  Trying to 
force a hoof into an angle it was not intended for can do all kinds of 
damage throughout the leg and the rest of the horse's body.

To prevent forging/overreaching intereference, the front foot needs an 
early but natural breakover and the hind foot needs support throughout 
the foot, including the toe.  I used to thing squaring the hind toes was 
de rigueur for forging, but I have since been convinced otherwise.  I 
now focus my atttention on getting the front foot out of the way rather 
than changing hind hoof flight/landing.

Don't think that you focus on shoeing the front feet and then just 
"square the hind toes and forget about 'em".  The hind feet are the 
traction portion of the horse's drive train, and breakover, flight, and 
landing are equally important there, if not more so!

Gotta go ride.
Happy shoeing.
-Abby B



Kristene Smuts wrote:

> Some clarification needed on the hoof angle thing, please.
> 
> All the conformation videos and books talk about the angle of the hoof / pastern to be the same as the shoulder angle.  Ideal shoulder angle should be in the region of 50 or 55 degrees, therefore the hoof angle to be that??????
> 
> Thanks
> Kristene
> 
> 
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-- 
* * *
Abby Bloxsom
ARICP Certified Instructor
Level III Recreational and Distance Riding
Colebrook, CT USA
goneriding@snet.net