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Re: [RC] Interference and Forging - Vickie

There is a difference between interferences and forging, IMHO. Interference is when a hind foot or front foot strikes the opposite hind leg or the opposite front leg doing damage to the skin or hoof tissue. Forging is when the hind hoof strikes the bottom of front hoof sometimes this can mean striking the heel bulb or back of the pastern and doing damage or it can be striking just the bottom of the hoof and doing little or no damage.
Sometimes the horses conformation plays into this or could be that they are tired or out of shape , or have an injury, also.

Vickie

"I do not believe in a fate that falls upon us no matter what we do. I do, however, believe in a fate that falls upon us if we do nothing."
Ronald Reagan

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
Thomas Jefferson


-----Original Message-----
From: steelsidedown@xxxxxxx
To: ridecamp <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Michelle Aquilino <michelle.antoinette@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Aug 9, 2009 4:06 pm
Subject: Re: [RC] Interference and Forging

Interference at the rear fetlocks is usually due to the hinds out of balance.  
(unbalanced hooves equal a unbalanced flight path)

Most horses are slightly cow hocked, wearing the lateral hoof wall faster, it 
also becomes denser due to weight load, thus tends to grow at a slower rate.  
While the medial is less dense and grows at a faster rate.  (Have you ever 
noticed nails seem to be "higher" on the medial side of your horse?  This is due 
to the hoof material being less dense, the nail is able to travel farther.)

When trimming (then shoeing) horses with this conformation you must take care to 
keep them in balance - trimming little off the lateral side and much more off 
the medial.  Hold the leg at the canon and look down to check balance.  (not at 
the fetlock, you can manipulate that joint too easily)

All that said, a horse in their teens that has been left unbalanced will likely 
have quite a bit of arthritis and not appreciate things being changed.  
Sometimes in those cases its better to buy the interference boots.  :-(

Barefoot horses will still interfere, they just don't do as much visible damage 
to themselves. 

Jen
(farrier in VA)


---- Michelle Aquilino <michelle.antoinette@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> Ok, so my horse has never in the past interfered or forged or had any
> movement problems at all.  She started forging and stumbling quite a bit
> about a month ago.  Now today (she got brand new shoes on Wednesday) she had
> horrible interference problems.  She bloodied both rear fetlocks, and her
> front right bulb.  I know horse's movements change as they grow, get fit,
> etc, but I remain somewhat skeptical in my situation.  What is the
> likelihood this is all because her rear toes are too long?  Or something
> similar related to her trim/shoe job?
> 
> And not to shift people away from this possible problem, but what about her
> interference/forging as an indication of saddle problems?  I have worn my
> saddle on her for the last 2.5 years, and never had problems before.  I had
> always used just a plain thin dressage pad that I had gotten for free from a
> friend.  Now I use a dixie midnight no sweat and a skito, and have recently
> noticed a small rub spot on her withers.  Fyi, I use an ansur treeless.
> 
> Or would maybe the feet/shoeing problems cause a change in her gait, and
> thus a change in how the saddle and pads fit?  Just trying to figure all of
> this out, as I want to continue conditioning, but don't want to hurt her,
> and definitely want to solve the problems before doing another ride...
> Hoping to get some advice from others who know more than me!  Thanks =)
> 
> -Michelle
> 
> -- 
> "Don't breed or buy while shelter animals die"


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Replies
Re: [RC] Interference and Forging, steelsidedown