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[RC] pulled shoe - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: ti tivers@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== A few questions I'd thought I'd ask since we're on the topic: How exactly does a shoer incorporate the angles and toe lengths of a particular horse into his shoeing technique for that horse? Are X-rays necessary to measure the angle and toe length? I'm a relative newbie and my horse has a bit of a clubby foot so the difference in angles of the front feet noticeably affects his way of going. I imagine that careful shoeing is important in maintaining soundness over miles and miles of trail. Thanks! ~Katie> The club foot on this horse probably indicates a lameness that is undiagnosed and untreated in that leg--the horse isn't using it. Sounds like a horse that cowgirl ed might have shod. With a given healthy horse, it is probably a good idea to start with hoof xrays--but not absolutely necessary. Ideally, you want the horse to carry the same angles and toe lengths in both front feet and in both back feet. Front angles should probably be between 52 and 54 degrees with toe lengths somewhere in the neighborhood of a little over 3 inches. But you're shoeing for efficient gait with no interference--so these numbers are somewhat flexible in moving toward that goal. The basic gameplan is to grow as much hoof mass as you can while keeping the hoof balanced--front to back and laterally. In general, the hoof will grow to where you put the shoe--shoe full and the feet will gain mass; shoe short and the feet will lose mass. Most horses are short-shod for the convenience of the farrier--a too small shoe is put on and then the hoof is rasped down to fit it--"horseing the shoe". A large percentage of lamenesses originate in poor shoeing and are actually located, first, in the feet. If you shoe too long and low, you're going to have heel and quarter problems. If you shoe too high and short, you'll have toe problems. If the hoof is unbalanced laterally, another half dozen problems show up, including injuries higher up the leg. By building hoof mass you're not only giving the horse proper support and stressor resistance, but also giving a good farrier an opportunity to work with something when it comes to balancing the horse's gait. The very best shoers are those who shoe Standardbred trotters, where a balanced gait is "everything". The very worst shoers are those with one shoeing religion or another who, like cowgirl ed, make the same mistakes time after time after time--and who can talk for hours about their theories but cannot get your horse properly balanced. Virtually every shoer you meet will have something nasty to say about the last guy who shod your horse. That is, they are professional liars. Find a farrier who pays a lot of attention to the way a horse moves, one who takes and records accurate measurements, and doesn't horse the shoe to make his work look pretty--and doesn't really have a lot of time for chatter. Finding one who will work with a talented veterinarian is even better--but the vet had better know what he's talking about or you'll have two fools at work wrecking your horse. Again, Get Rooney's The Lame Horse. Once you've fully digested that, move on to the BIG BOOK--Stashak's (Adams') Lameness in Horses. When you've digested both books, you'll know something--something you are responsible for knowing. ti =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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