Specialist in Natural Hoof Care, Hoof Rehabilitation and Soundness Management |
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Today the performance horse industry has become quite physically demanding of our equine athletes. Therefore it is vital that our horses receive the best of hoof care throughout their careers. As the old adage goes.... "No hoof no horse"
These photos are from a 22 year old breeding stallion that had succumbed to the improper hoof care and nutritional program that he had been receiving and therefore was physically unable to service mares. Notice the ripples in his hooves in the comparison photo due to laminitis. Also notice the trimmed portion begins at the lateral toe quarter and ends with the medial heel. This is a good example of improper peripheral loading as well as significant collateral laminitis. Following proper hoof care and changes to his nutritional program this stallion regained his ability to service mares. "The hoof is a book to the body" I specialize in Natural Hoof Care, Hoof Rehabilitation and Soundness Management and apply proven knowledge to every horse that is within my care, ensuring they have the greatest opportunity to succeed no matter the equine discipline. My goal is to optimize each horse's level of soundness therefore increasing trainability, performance and consistency in the arena, on the ranch or down the trail. I endlessly strive for hoof balance, symmetry and perhaps most importantly to achieve and maintain the true biomechanical relationship between the hooves and their respective leg columns to achieve a "honestly" sound individual.
My basic philosophy is that a distressed body will distress the hoof or a distressed hoof will distress the body. I would like to emphasize that hoof conformation
and soundness are affected by many variables. Some of the primary factors affecting the hooves and soundness of horses are proper nutrition, proper hoof care,
musculoskeletal soundness, adequate exercise, genetics and the environment in which the horse lives.
Let me explain........The natural equine hoof (healthy barefoot) houses the coffin bone, navicular bone and the distal end of the short pastern bone along with all of the many cartilages, ligaments and vasculature (blood flow). The coffin bone and navicular bone should uniformly exist in a transverse (across) plane mediolaterally/perpendicularly balanced to the median (vertical) plane of the pastern. In other words, their mechanical relationship should mirror the perfect "T". Remember the primary cause of laminitis in horses is excessive amounts of starches and sugars in the daily diet. The following are some discretionary food sources: grasses, especially those with seed heads like rye, wheat, bahia, oat and bluestem. Completely avoid grazing highly fertilized pastures of any forage. Be guarded when allowing free grazing on lush pasture. Use discretion when buying your hay/feed and be mindful of potential NSC and WSC levels. Learn about your geographical area and the local plants storage/usage of NSC & WSC's. Proceed with trepidation when considering legume pastures and/or hays such as alfalfa and clovers. Use caution when considering complete feeds or supplements especially those containing corn, barley, excessive quantities of oats and especially molasses. Finally, beware of Equine Digestive aids that contain fructo-oligosaccharides (used as prebiotics) because laminitis can be experimentally induced by the administration of 7.5 g/kg of body weight of Oligofructose (French and Pollitt, 2004). While a discernible degree of hypertension occurs in the body a pathological disconnect ensues between the hoof wall and the coffin bone. The epidermal laminae, basement membrane and dermal laminae begin to unlock weakening the laminar bond. This reduction in the laminar bond allows for the listing, descension and possible rotation of the coffin bone within the hoof capsule. Resulting in a net loss of perfusion (pumping of blood) surrounding the coffin bone due to the compression of blood vessels beside and/or beneath the coffin bone. A front view or side view venogram (a procedure for visualizing blood flow) will clearly show compression of the blood vessels between the coffin bone and hoof wall or beneath the coffin bone. The cumulative and detrimental effects of excessive NSC/WSC's are unequivocal and cause malalignment of the hoof capsule to the coffin bone and pastern minimizing skeletal and hoof soundness, hoof perfusion, sole depth and wall thickness and are most often perpetuated by improper trimming, flat shoes, mechanical shoes, pads, sole packing and the continuation of improper nutrition.
It has been estimated that over 80% of all equine joint lameness originates from the coffin joint (coffin bone, navicular bone and the distal surface of the short pastern bone). It's important to note that the coffin bone and navicular bone share an articulating surface with the distal surface of the short pastern bone. Although the coffin and navicular bones are indeed two separate and distinct bones they form a proficient synergistic "socket" for the distal surface of the short pastern bone. This unique synergy of the coffin joint, coupled with the lateral cartilages and ligaments of the hoof capsule, provides the natural hoof (healthy barefoot) with more than sufficient flex and torque capabilities during locomotion........an independent suspension of sorts. The elasticity of the natural hoof, when three dimensionally balanced to the coffin joint, advocates for enhanced hoof hemodynamics, stored potential energy (PE) and minimizes concussive forces by more than half when compared to peripheral loading, all of which maximize and facilitate musculoskeletal efficiency.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words! The x-ray above is a good example of how excessive starches and sugars combined with peripheral loading (whole weight of the horse rests completely on the walls and ligaments of the hoof) cause destruction to the entire dynamics of the hoof. You will notice about half way up the front of the hoof, there are two arrows pointing towards each other. This is where the dermal and epidermal laminae interlock. On the front of the hoof, you will notice an illuminated (radiopaque) paste that highlights the hoof wall from the ground surface up to the hairline (coronary band). You will notice two horizontal lines near the coronary band. The upper horizontal line represents the coronary band and the lower horizontal line represents the top of the coffin bone (extensor process). The distance between these two lines, which is 3/4 inch, represents not only how much the coffin bone has descended down into the hoof capsule but also the amount of sole lost. In a natural hoof (healthy barefoot), the extensor process should reside at the same location with the coronary band. The two lines should almost become one as you move the extensor process upward towards the coronary band. You will notice near the bottom of the x-ray, we have only a little over 1/4 inch of sole depth. This is a serious compromise of the vascular supply beneath the coffin bone. Dr. Ric Redden suggests that the "minimum amount" of sole a hoof needs to protect the vital internal structures is 5/8 inch to 3/4 inch. Further, Dr. Redden states to adequately protect the internal structures, a hoof should have 13/16 inch of sole and upwards. Can you see that if we add the sole depth this hoof possesses, 1/4 inch, to the amount the coffin bone has descended, 3/4 inch, we would have 1 inch sole depth. According to Dr. Redden, 1 inch sole depth would be more than adequate to protect the internal structures besides tremendously improving the energy absorbing/dissipating abilities of the hoof. Finally, I would like for you to notice the strange foreign materials. These are laces constructed out of stainless steel wire and steel tabs and have been used to stabilize a significant "quarter crack" (www.equipodiatry.com/qtrcrka.htm) which this hoof has suffered as a result of increased pressure to the walls due to deterioration of the entire hoof capsule. Once again, the cumulative and detrimental affects of excessive starches and sugars coupled with peripheral loading are unequivocal and cause destruction of the hoof capsule and minimize energy absorption/dissipation, soundness, hoof perfusion, sole depth and wall thickness. "...whatever tends to defeat the purpose of nature in organizing the locomotory apparatus, by interfering with or
misdirecting its normal movement, will ultimately result in that loss of harmony and lack of balance by disabled functions and testified by lameness."
--Prof. William Russell, 1903
If the synergy between the hoof and pastern is compromised due to mediolateral, perpendicular, proximal/distal(up/down) and/or dorsal/palmar(front/back) imbalances
then some musculoskeletal insults will precipitate such as navicular
disease and/or syndrome, bone spurs, fractured splints, OCD's, joint effusion, bone chips, strained or torn tendons and ligaments, loss or damage of joint cartilage/meniscus,
chronic chiropractic problems, chronic hock, stifle, knee and ankle pain, chronic muscle pain, and the list goes on and on. The continuation of improper hoof care leads to
the overuse of cortisone (steroid) injections which causes further damage to the musculoskeletal system. Applying proper hoof care and nutrition, with good soundness
management practices, will normally restore or maintain a sound hoof that maximizes soundness in the musculoskeletal system. "De Agony of De Feet" ![]() My customer took this photo of a 17 year old stallion which shows the egg bar shoe(upside down) with pad and copper rivets that came off of him a year and a half earlier. This photo should have been taken while holding the shoe further down his hoof, because that would give you a better understanding of how this horse was actually wearing the shoe before we removed it. After a year and a half of proper hoof care management and being barefoot which promotes natural hoof mechanics and soundness, this horse's heel quarters spread out nearly two inches, therefore completely eliminating navicular pain and lameness. This stallion continued to travel honestly sound..... barefoot in the limestone country of Central Texas. ![]() [Replacement Heifers] [Training Program] [Horses For Sale] [Links Page] [Home] |
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