Corrective/Pathological Shoeing

[DVeritas@aol.com]

I would respectfully caution riders, who ride the miles required in 
endurance, against considering "trailers" on rear feet, particularly on 
horses who are "old enough to do endurance".
    Corrective shoeing to "correct (help, aid, etc.) hoof growth, underslung 
heels, etc., is, for the most part, okay.
    But when "corrective" shoeing is employed in the rear to "straighten-out" 
cowhocked horses, then years of limb-alignment and biomechanisms that the 
horse has employed (and has learned to manage) are impacted in such a way 
that serious descript and non-descript lameness can occur.
    Motion control in humans is one thing, but for the four-legged variety, 
should be approached by only the most experienced and knowledgeable farrier, 
or farrier with vet-assist.
    I have seen "trailers" succeed in the show ring, but seldom on horses who 
do a lot of miles (read, "fiftys, hundreds and multi-days).

Frank.

 


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