S Scotch bottom (or couping) techniques for the hind limbs.
As long ago as 2004 the International League for the Protection of Horses (now World Horse Welfare) and the Scottish Equine Welfare Seminar tapped into this shoeing evaluation system to test the horse.
“Couping” is nailing on hind shoes that don’t cover the horse’s inside heel area. Shaped like a sickle, the shoe has a large lateral calk and exaggerated quarter. These shoes have reportedly been used in Scotland for centuries to help Clydesdales with their work, such as navigating narrow rows of crops.
In the show horse world, it was used to present horses in-hand with hocks that touch; a tendency to sickle hocks being a desired conformation in the breed. With the help of the shoes and the horse’s generous feathers, an optical illusion is created: the hind legs appear as one limb.
The technique potentially Scotch bottoms or couping is indeed a controversial matter and so much so that there was consultation going through parliament to consider actually making it illegal. There was consultation and involvement of interested parties and independent professional experts and even a study which meant there was independent horseshoeing evaluation tests to compare the gait and characteristics of a Clydesdale horse before and after shoeing with traditional (and controversial) Scotch bottom (or couping) techniques for the hind limbs.
As long ago as 2004 the International League for the Protection of Horses (now World Horse Welfare) and the Scottish Equine Welfare Seminar tapped into this shoeing evaluation system to test the horse.
Critics (including an independent body made up of such as vets, farriers and also people who show and work Clydesdale horses) point out that the horses are now in modern hard-floored stables and transported to shows and that very few are actually routinely and frequently worked on soft ground.
Its supporters point out that its designed for a horse that works in soft ground, where the outside calk is helpful. They also argued that the horse is overall sound when shod this way.
Welfare advocates and the Scottish parliament became concerned about couping a few years ago, when a farrier blew the whistle on the practice and called for its elimination. It’s of particular concern with young horses as it’s been argued that it intentionally throws them off balance.
As a result, the Clydesdale Horse Society worked with master farrier David Wilson FWCF BEM and published revised guidelines for hoof balance and shoe coverage, but couping itself was not outlawed.
Haydn Price DipWCF pointed out to Hoofcare & Lameness that while the shoe itself is a radical instrument of imbalance, the hoof is generally prepared according to normal balance parameters, so the test horse can be legitimately tested barefoot, and shod in two different ways without having to re-dress the foot. Noted Clydesdale farrier James Balfour AWCF of Dundee, Scotland is preparing the test horse.
It was arising from that the Clydesdale Society revised it’s shoeing guidelines and to alleviate the need for legislation. It’s believed that guidelines managed by interested parties and education and existing regulations relating to horse and animal welfare and particularly the general provisions of the Farriers Act will cover the situation eg the fact that it is illegal to cause unnecessary suffering. So the push to separate legislation was dropped purely because it was judged that what existed and backed up by guidelines from the Breed Society, would protect the interests of the horse.
I’ve not seen a horse that has couping in years.
I was at the Royal Highland show which is the largest entry just last June and with a farrier’s class and nothing there .
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Indeed it wouldn’t be so bearing in mind the Clydesdale Society’s revised guidelines for shoeing. It should be understood that these guidelines were published in order to address this controversial subject matter:
[I]Standard for show shoes on Clydesdale Horses with effect from March 22nd 2003.
The Well Balanced Foot
The correctly trimmed foot should allow frog pressure. This facilitates the absorption and distribution of concussion, thus minimising fatigue and wear to bones, joints and ligaments. The feet should be trimmed to suit the configuration of the leg and excessive flairs removed. Hind feet should be well balanced and trimmed to a natural shape without excessive flairs or distortions.
Shoes
Front Shoes: Front shoes should be fitted to give maximum support at the heels and the bevel should follow the contour of the well balanced foot.
Hind Shoes: The hind shoe should be fitted to the trimmed foot with an outside heel of no more than the thickness of the material. Inside of shoe to support the last bearing point of the foot. The bevel on the outside of the shoe should follow the contour of the outer edge of the wall.
Clips
Clips should be broad and should not terminate in a sharp point. They should relate to the width of the shoe and be fitted to conform to the configuration of the limb.
(These guidelines were drawn up for the Society by David Wilson Senior.)[/I]
As you said, you (and certainly I) may never get to the top of the game in that ring at the huge shows (and I’ll probably never even show there!) but our horses like us, and at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.
