There is alot of research and observation going on right now--mainly due to the "Barefoot movement"-- (Don't start flaming , this is not ot start a war, rather to inject some thought).
After 10 years with the same 3-4 horses and having them under daily obsevation and during some research and now my own trimming-- and having some interesting feet to do it on.
The current observations seem to lead the; just in it's infancy, Barefoot proponets and researchers to note that ," the foot seems to compensate for problems higher up and to grow what it needs for that compensation."
Having a tb for 10 years, who got a knee injury , then trying to learn to trim him with a BF trimmer, I have watched his growth pattern change to compensate for the injury and arthritis and loss of rotation in his knee (by my vet orthopeadist and x-rays). As his ability to use that knee and favor it changed so did the type of growth on his foot.At first the BF tried to get his heels down (as most BF would do following a wild horse model-- but he was too sore by my obsevation, so they felt he needed a bit of heel, too many years of racing, eventing, jumping. so we aim for comfort.You try to work to find what is comfortable for the horse.
There have been some horses who had "navicular syndrome", and the owners tried the traditional treatments and it was time to give up by everyones' accounts-- but then they tried the newer trim techniques and many have become sound again.
There are stories and pictures of "club feet" also and with the certain trims and living arrangements have gone away. But trying to make them look the same usually creates some form of lamness.
Tied up with this , just to make it more complicated ,it that movement or lack of and feeding contributes to many of these problems. Often a change of feed-- and turnout make all the difference along with proper trimming.
I have another horse who is now 5 and he was born with some deviation up in his shoulder so that his legs turn out a bit. His feet are different in front and always have been a different shape . One is rounder and the other is a bit longer and a bit more forward. He has a good hard hoof and functions well.. He has always been on full turnout since birth, and his movement is balanced.
My mare has one front foot that is rounder and a bit bigger than the other. It has always been this way.
My main trail horse has more upright conformation and when in training he puts on more hoof as needed, when not in training his growth slows.After conditioning him for a couple years he started to put on more growth slightly to the inside, seems to be toeing in a bit due to ? who knows muscular development based on his comformation and way of going.
I just notice these tiny changes as now I measure growth and have a little meter to check angles by degrees, I then write in a notebook my observations and keep track of what is going on. I also am in charge of their feed and turnout and training -- for lack of a better term --- it is more "wholistic"and I notice these tiny changes.
I think perhaps farriers, trimmers, vets, barn managers researchers even ,just get a part of the picture. How many follow the same horse, or herd of horses their entire lives and notice the changes?
There is alot of infomation coming on now that more quesions are being asked and new things being tried.
It seems that the horse grows the shape/type of foot it needs for balance and survivability. But it can get out of wack by too much of the wrong feed and not enough consistant movement.
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