Oh I’ll check that out! I do need the cradle, as that’s the position that hurts me the most actually. Thanks!
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I found it on a quick google search. I was planning on ordering some stuff from Valley Vet in a few weeks and I might get one. I’ve been dealing with an abscess and having one to set the foot on while I wrap would be a back saver for next time.
Yep that’s the one that I have!
You could try hoof clay as part of your packing also. That’s one thing the barefoot / glue on expert around here uses a lot of.
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With a chainsaw file.
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Update again: I managed to pull the shoes and have him trimmed. Getting those shoes off was a PAIN, but I think I figured it out. The cuffs are more durable than they look 
I don’t have pics of the bottom of his feet, but I now know I’m dealing with a ton of white line separation and he’s desperately laying down sole. This is probably good because his soles were dangerously thin when I started this - it just makes his feet look a little lumpy.
The struggle appears to be that he needs his toes shortened/brought back, but he has barely any sole and goes lame if they take all the wall height down. Meanwhile, his heels have run under but his frogs are still sooooo weak that taking his heels back isn’t good either. Basically all that I know can be done is to roll the walls in front of the white line, slipper the heels, and trim out any laid over bar.
I’m worried about the heels especially. Here are some pics that show the curving hairline and lumpy wall (ignore the shoes, I was test fitting sizes):
His hinds look like this too, but he’s basically walking on his heel bulbs.
He was sound in boots all around between pulling shoes and trimming, but the boots rub his pasterns pretty good… the rubs are a big reason why I hesitate to put him in boots and maintenance trim him weekly as some have suggested 
. I’m probably going to try just front shoes + boots behind for riding and see how that goes. I can always put hind shoes on him if it doesn’t work.
You can almost see the angle his foot WANTS to grow at the top, but the toe is yanking everything forward. I put a really good breakover into the shoes and from my understanding the horse is just going to have to grow some well-connected white line over time, which he will do if we keep the leverage off of his toes.
I have Artimud and soft hoof packing under the shoes, so I’m hoping that will help build his frogs up to where we can take more heel off. I’d really like to see him with nice, healthy feet!
Does he go lame with a shoe and packing material if you bring the toe and heels back more? You still have too much foot and too much flaring/distortion if you are seeing a junky white line.
You know, I didn’t ask that version of the question
My understanding was that the sole pressure is the problem because there’s not much sole. Taking the wall down to sole level and then putting the shoe on (placed properly) would make sense 
I’ll chat with my farrier again.
ETA: farrier agreed, and will do a more aggressive trim next rotation to try with the shoes!
