Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
Just had a round-robin email about hooves,and it posed the very interesting question of why Mother Nature has designed a horse's frog to be the shape it is.
Not something I have ever even thought about before.
The theory being that the frog is "designed" like that so it enables both sides of the hoof to flex separately and not as a "pump" as some people theorise.
The article: Very slightly edited
When you observe the frog, you see that it is triangular in shape. Did you ever stop to ask yourself, why this is? If it were truly meant to be a pump, why not be shaped like the pad on the bottom of a dogs foot, filling the entire sole of the hoof? It is a triangle for another reason, in part to aid in traction. The "V" shape helps to decelerate the foot upon impact. Th e "V: however serves a more important role. It allows the heels to move independently of one another. This movement aids in reducing torque (twisting) on the coffin bone. You see, the entire back of the foot has a foundation of cartilage, where the front of the foot has a foundation of bone.
Hoof Trimming
Here is where things get interesting. Cartilage does not get its nutrition directly from the blood supply, it gets it from direct pressure on surrounding tissue. And where does this pressure come from, the frog right? Not directly. The frog has a unique conformation to it that conventional veterinary medicine does not recognize. On the inside of the frog, up inside the foot, there is a structure called the "Frog Spine." This frog spine serves a major function; it is responsible for directing energies (pressure) to the appropriate heel bulb (lateral cartilage) during impact and throughout the stride. It literally moves from side to side inside the back of your horse's foot, provided the foot can distort (as when shoeless). This movement directs the pressure to aid in the proper development of cartilage, the foundation of the caudal foot! frog spine. Regardless of increased circulation, if the frog spine is not allowed to function correctly, the conformation of the caudal (back half) foot will suffer.
Do you want to have a healthy foot under your horse? Help return health to the frog spine. Treat infections of the central sulcus, and introduce light exercise allowing the foot to distort.
Discuss
Not something I have ever even thought about before.
The theory being that the frog is "designed" like that so it enables both sides of the hoof to flex separately and not as a "pump" as some people theorise.
The article: Very slightly edited
When you observe the frog, you see that it is triangular in shape. Did you ever stop to ask yourself, why this is? If it were truly meant to be a pump, why not be shaped like the pad on the bottom of a dogs foot, filling the entire sole of the hoof? It is a triangle for another reason, in part to aid in traction. The "V" shape helps to decelerate the foot upon impact. Th e "V: however serves a more important role. It allows the heels to move independently of one another. This movement aids in reducing torque (twisting) on the coffin bone. You see, the entire back of the foot has a foundation of cartilage, where the front of the foot has a foundation of bone.
Hoof Trimming
Here is where things get interesting. Cartilage does not get its nutrition directly from the blood supply, it gets it from direct pressure on surrounding tissue. And where does this pressure come from, the frog right? Not directly. The frog has a unique conformation to it that conventional veterinary medicine does not recognize. On the inside of the frog, up inside the foot, there is a structure called the "Frog Spine." This frog spine serves a major function; it is responsible for directing energies (pressure) to the appropriate heel bulb (lateral cartilage) during impact and throughout the stride. It literally moves from side to side inside the back of your horse's foot, provided the foot can distort (as when shoeless). This movement directs the pressure to aid in the proper development of cartilage, the foundation of the caudal foot! frog spine. Regardless of increased circulation, if the frog spine is not allowed to function correctly, the conformation of the caudal (back half) foot will suffer.
Do you want to have a healthy foot under your horse? Help return health to the frog spine. Treat infections of the central sulcus, and introduce light exercise allowing the foot to distort.
Discuss
