Hoof-Care Experts: I Need Advice

[phippsie62]

I’m riding in H/J and eventing with a 6-yo mare I’ve owned for nine months. I knew when I bought her that she’d been subjected to some bad farrier work and that her left front hoof had very little heel compared to the right, which looks okay. I had her evaluated by an equine chiropractor who said the mare was not naturally “high-low” in front. Her shoulders are evenly developed and front legs are of equal length, indicating that her imbalance is indeed the result of bad farrier work.

I started by getting advice from an excellent barefoot trimmer, who advocated pulling all the shoes and putting her out to pasture for a year so she could grow a new hoof capsule. I was reluctant to do that, so I started working with my farrier to raise the heel slowly, over many trims. I’ve been using all the hoof-growth promoters he recommended. I tried to keep her barefoot, but she was just too uncomfortable so I put front shoes on. She went fine barefoot in back. She’s been great in work, but recently I’ve noticed a few bad steps here and there, and going over her legs obsessively as I do, I can feel some small bony changes in the leg.

After nine months there’s been no appreciable growth in the low heel. I thought about turning her out barefoot for a year as originally recommended, but it seems there’s no assurance that the low heel will recover even then–seems like it’s a maybe yes, maybe no situation. At the end of a year I could have a horse no better off, but now one who’s lost her enthusiasm for work.

I know farriers don’t like to correct with wedges, as they believe they crush the heel. But her heel is already pretty “crushed,” so I’m wondering about rim pads–which I’d choose because they allow me to inspect her frogs, etc. and not cover them up.

What do you think about wedges generally and rim pads in particular?

[Scribbler]

I think we need photos, side and solar. Are you talking about a heel that is run forward and crushed, or simply missing hoof wall?

[Larbear]

Though there are no pics to go by I’m willing to bet you do have growth but the heels are running forward. The heels (and toes more than likely) need to be trimmed and moved back. They can be moved back with the rasp and once back, they actually do tend to seem to be higher and more ‘plumped’ up. I know the concern is typically that they don’t have heels and don’t want the heel bulbs to be physically lower to the ground but by actually trimming and moving them back, the heel bulbs won’t be lower. Also, if the heels are moved back, things won’t be likely to be crushed if wedges are used.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

Pictures of the feet will help a lot so we can see what’s going on. Please try to get us photos like these:
http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/good-hoof-photos.html

Here is a good article on high/low hooves. Pretty much everything on Pete’s site is good reading
https://www.hoofrehab.com/HighLowHooves.htm

[kashmere]

Hmmm. Definitely would need pictures to give any good specific feedback - but the good news is that there is almost certainly a reasonable middle ground between “turnout for a year” and “shoe with wedges”

With high/low situations, even if the specific instance seems to be one created at the hoof level, it usually requires addressing postural and body issues higher up, too. Finding every opportunity for the horse to stand square is a good start. If you currently feed off the ground, feeding at a raised height can be a good way to start breaking the grazing stance that is generally a contributing factor to H/L (low foot back, high foot forward). At best, whether this was created by subpar farrier work or something that was present to a degree and exacerbated with trimming etc. is really a chicken/egg scenario. You definitely have to address the feet, but I would be prepared to take a second look at postural compensations and how to address them, too.

You mention you have tried hoof growth promoters - are those topical treatments? dietary supplements? The best way to promote good hoof growth is to make sure your diet is balanced to provide enough key minerals. Common deficiencies are copper and zinc. Both of which are also affected in terms of absorption by high levels of manganese and/or iron. Excess sugar will often also sabotage strong laminar connection. Take a look at what you’re currently feeding, you should aim for about 150mg of copper and 300mg of zinc daily.

Lack of heel is often coupled with an overall weak caudal (back part of) foot, including unhealthy frogs, contracted heels, thrush in the central sulcus etc. All of these things can contribute to a horse being reluctant to land on its heel, which is ultimately what stimulates strong/healthy growth. Treating for thrush - if there is any crack in the central sulcus, thrush is in there! - can be on its own have a huge positive impact on getting a healthier heel.

I have personally had a lot of luck addressing low/crushed/run forward heels by managing excess toe length and floating the heel on a bed of DIM either in a cast or boot. Composite shoe set ups with caudal support are another great option here. The actual growth pattern of the heel tubules - are they truly crushed and short, or are they actually long and curled over/run forward - would determine the best trimming approach, here. One has to strike the right balance of addressing distortion without removing height at the back of an already too-low foot.

H/L is definitely tricky, but it can be addressed!

[betsyk]

You asked about wedges. Farriers all have their opinions on how to use them, when, why, for how long, etc. I’ve heard some really interesting presentations by vet school farriers about wedges and while I can’t begin to explain it to you, I came away with a new appreciation for them as one tool in their toolbox to line up the bones in the foot. In the end I think it depends on your farrier’s level of expertise with wedges and their goal and plan for using them.