Hoof advice - part 2

wild at hoof said:
But the original OP said he was concerned that the horse had base narrow hooves ... which is quite evident from the pictures ... im simply saying if the break over was bought back at the toe to where it should be, not only would the hoof grow down to where it should be but because that was then not influencing the rest of the hoof the sole and white line would no longer be stretched and the quarters would be allowed to move out to where they should be. this has nothing to do with aesthetics ... but everything to do with how the horse moves and how the hoof functions ... simple logic.
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I can see where you're coming from and I have to trim my naturally narrow hoofed horse this way or else we get problems at the toe.
 
Always open to others thoughts on stuff but being aware of those for whom rockley didn't work for (IMO they do all go home improved but I do wish they talked a little more about the ones that go home and aren't rock crunching and will likely never be quite right) the only way you could know if that was because of the system and whether an alternative trimming method would work would be to try the alternative trimming method. Do you have any you have done that with? Otherwise I am just thinking we can't separate out the reasons it didn't work ie trim/other issues the horse may have etc. My gut is that it likely gets most of them the best that horse can manage.

Personally either way with a newly deshod horse I would rather wait and see what a hoof without shoes generates on it's own and then assess what I had rather than making alterations straight away.
 
ycbm said:
But the hoof doesn't grow down to where it should be because you chop back the toe. It grows down to where it should be by changing the angle at the top through diet and graduated work and removal of shoes.

I do agree that bringing back the toe will make some horses move better. But my experience is that it will happen whether you trim it back or not, as the angle changes at the coronet band and that change grows down.

PS I'm not the original poster who asked for comments, it sounds like you think I am?
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Nope I don't think you are the op :) don't worry

Plus I wasn't suggesting chopping off the toe. On the horses like this I have worked on (including my own tb mare) I simply start by using a stronger bevel to the white line at the toe (instead of half way through the inner wall)

Usually it takes a few trim cycles but then the foot is just fine.

It's just a nudge in the right direction.

Also I've never suggested front hooves should be round for aesthetic reasons. Hooves should be the same shape at the bottom of the hoof as they are at the coronary band. If they are not and the toe and breakover is too far forward it is very bad for the horse and the hoof.

There are lots of articles and papers on the importance of breakovers. And also a lot of shoes trying to replicate it (cytek and natural balance to name a few). So it's not just my opinion ... it's scientific logic.

:)
 
Fascinating reading...I'm not sure why I hadn't seen all of these replies. Thank you all for taking time to comment. The little girl still has yet to put a (rather upright but work in progress) foot wrong. We're longlining around the village now and ride and leading with my gelding, so she's having plenty of life experience. I've just ordered a box of red horse products to deal with the sulcuses as my neem oil doesn't seem to be doing much. I love new lotions and potions!
 
To me, I would treat the central sulcus for thrush - there is quite a hole in the sulcus - which mine also has and which can take quite some time to get rid of - and this does cause pain - quite a lot and could impact on your heel first landing.

Not trimming, but treating for thrush - might help.
 
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