Central Sulcus - What’s Normal?

[GraceLikeRain]

I covet the beautiful giant wedge frogs on barefoot horses with a barely thumbprint central sulcus. I’m curious how people define a healthy frog and normal variation in the depth and size of the central sulcus? Will a shod horse always struggle to have that level of frog health because of ground contact?

Every winter having a shod pasture kept horse I start getting in my head about what’s healthy variation, especially with seasons of very wet weather, and what is something that should be investigated.

I’d love to see pictures if you’ve got examples of what you see as healthy or unhealthy.

[NancyM]

I don’t have pictures, but since we moved our farm to semi arid country, away from constant rain, mud, and high humidity… the quality and condition of hooves has been amazing. I no longer have shoes on horses for regular work. Have done some horse shows, hunter jumper, barefoot… no problems. If I was showing at Spruce Meadows, 5’ in the mud, I’d shoe and use appropriate studs. If I was riding out on the rocks and up and down mountains for 12 hours a day, roping bulls like some of my friends do, I’d shoe my horses. But on sand footing (and grass as long as it’s dry not mud), jumping courses… my horses have had no issues. Big wide frogs, healthy thick walls, tough thick soles.
But it’s not just the “barefoot” thing… it’s the dry environment. You can’t do this in a damp/wet environment. Horses did not evolve to handle living in constant “wet”. And “wet” isn’t just water, mud etc. It’s even just high humidity. Horses hooves need arid, abrasive ground, and dry air to be able to perform barefoot with great feet. IMO.