Sidebones, hoof balance and work.

[Ranyhyn]

C has sidebones, both fronts. Pretty big medially (from memory) and lesser laterally.

She has had almost a year without shoes, being barefoot trimmed and has now gone back into shoes. Already I have noticed her far more comfortable so that I'm happy with.

However, when the farrier came, she picked up on the fact the lateral wall was much longer/higher than the medial wall. Could this be because she is loading the outsides MORE - to get weight off that large medial sidebone?

Also, bearing in mind the sidebones are worse medially could this cause discomfort lunging/schooling small circles?

Also in vet*

 

[Goldenstar]

This is a fasinating and to me a confusing subject.
When to reduce medial lateral imbalances that the horse is developing for its self
I use a BF trimmer for my horses who don't wear shoes ,my vets view is that you should trim to balance out uneven growth and to perfect the shape of a foot to a 'ideal ' shape.
Is the unevenness developing because the horse loads the other side of the foot and wears it more ?
Or is more horn growing on one side than the other in reponse to a need .
My trimmers view is that you tinker with things like this at your peril if the horse is sound and working , my vet would lobb it off.
Makes things difficult.
No help to you but I will look at this thread with interest to what those with more experiance than me say on the matter.
videoing your horse walking and trotting on a hard surface and slowing it right down would be very interesting to see exactly how he's loading his foot falls.

 

[Ranyhyn]

My farrier has offered to do this for me, (video)

Possibly the trimmer was letting the foor do its own thing while she was forcing it to balance "properly". I guess the proof will come now if horse stands up to work!