Embedded Files
Trim
Trim
Most horses can be perfectly comfortable and functional bare foot. When a horse is comfortable barefoot, we will work hard to try and keep it that way.
Trimming hooves aims to remove the extra horn in order to improve hoof balance and/or hoof structural strength. It is also important to leave enough horn to ensure proper hoof protection. Just like humans, it doesn't need to bleed to be painful.
Shoeing
Shoeing
When a horse needs more than a trim in order to be comfortable, or to perform the required work properly, is the moment shoes come into play.
There are usually 3 main recognized reasons to shoe a horse:
- Protection (ie. wear protection or protection in rough terrains)
- Performance (ie. adding/reducing traction)
- Orthopedics (ie. poor conformation support, chronic conditions, hooves injuries, etc.)
Regular / Performance shoeing
Regular / Performance shoeing
Most shoeings are done with open heels horseshoes, sometimes with minor modifications.
These shoeings aim to improbe the comfort of the horse by adding mechanics which cannot be achieved with a trim.
In sport applications, shoeing allows to either add extra traction (ie. show jumpers), or reduce traction (ie. reining horses). In other instances, shoeing can also be used to improve a horse's stance or movement arc by adding support to the back of the hoof or adding extra weight.
Since even "regular" shoeing can have a big impact on a horse's biomechanic balance, it is important to have it done by a qualified professional.
Orthopedic shoeing
Orthopedic shoeing
Orthopedic shoeing can be required for a vast list of confitions and can vary greatly in type and application.
Most of orthopedic shoeings are done in joint cooperation with a veterinarian. In most orthopedic cases, it is important to have good communication between all involved professionals and horse owner in order to get the best results.
In a lot of orthopedic cases, hoof radiographs are a true gold mine of informations, allowing both farrier and veterinarian to better assess the situation to plan the most appropriate approach.
Page updated
Report abuse