Our domesticated horses have life too easy and that is the reason we must
trim their feet. Steady trimming activates growth, thickening and
hardening just as hard wear would. Wild horses trim their own feet which
includes abrading the hoof wall. As someone mentioned, a horses hoof
should be a straight from the coronet band to the ground. If you look at
the top 1/2 inch of the hoof from the coronet band the hoof tells you how it
wants to grow. Unfortunately I see too long toes all the time on shod
horses. As the toes get long the force pulls the wall away from the
laminae. [Imagine taking your finger nail and pushing down on a hard
surface bending the nail away from the nail bed - that is what is happening to
the hoof wall and the lamina]. In response, the wall thickens and a
vicious cycle begins. Rasping the wall of the hoof is a good thing.
It does not harm the wall in any way. It does not cause dryness and, hoof
dressing, in my opinion, is totally unnecessary. There are many wonderful
sites filled with information about good hoof form. If anyone is
interested please email me and I will be happy to provide those to you.
candy
Candace Kahn Naturally Bare Hoof Care www.boaboots.com authorized dealer of Boa
Hoof Boots, Barefoot Treeless Saddles, Supracor and Equipedic Saddle Pads,
Best Friends Grazing Muzzle Painted Sky Ranch PO Box 639 Jacksonville,
OR 97530 541-899-0149
