What's the Difference?


Peachy Ice Cream Pie
Now, let's look at a "natural" hoof.

The colors marked are consistent with what is marked above. Notice the angles of the pastern, hoof wall and heel all match one another. The coronary hairline is just about a 30 degree angle and the heel is nice and short. One can just about visualize the ground parallel Coffin bone inside that hoof capsule. (blue - approximate positioning). Now, look again at the photo above and imagine how that P3 is sitting inside the hoof capsule.

The general guidelines for a good, natural trim are:

Approximate 31-33 degree Coronary Hairline 45 - 58 degree hoof wall for fronts and 50 - 55 for backs Short walls - no more than 3 ½" from coronary to ground Front hooves are nice and round while backs are oval shaped. All hooves, when viewed with an imaginary line going through the middle, are unilateral in balance and symmetry. Walls are not weight-bearing but taking the load equally with the toe callous around the hoof. Hooves are nicely concaved towards the frogs. Frogs are full and healthy looking and ground bearing under weight. Heels are just 1/8" to ¼" in length from the live sole at the seat of corn. Hooves are nicely Mustang rolled around and if needed, the toes are rockered for a heel-first landing during walking gait. Hoof walls are smooth with no ridges, waves or bumps. Coronary band is smooth with no dips or waves. Bars begin smoothly at the heel and taper gradually into the sole about mid-point of frog. The measurement of the toe to the apex of the frog is not more than 1/3rd the total length of the entire hoof.

If your farrier leaves any extremes such as long walls that carry the weight of the horse, long bars, heels or toes, ask him why he is doing that and request that perhaps he take the toe back a bit or the walls down to the levelness of the toe callous/sole. Ask him to roll the wall of the hoof all round to help prevent cracking, chipping and splitting.

Do some research on your own at some of the following websites:

http://www.barefoottrim.com http://www.barefoothorse.com http://www.ironfreehoof.com http://www.tribeequus.com http://www.hoofrehab.com http://www.barefoothorseman.com

There are other clinical signs of an unhealthy hoof (such as sloughing frogs, split heels, etc.) that are easily remedied with a good, natural trim but, if left unattended, will cause lameness for the horse. Do you research. Read about the natural hoof, its anatomy and functions and see how

The copyright of the article What's the Difference? in Horsemanship is owned by Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate. Permission to republish What's the Difference? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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