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Narrow Heels
Post At
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
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dBoard Archive
Name: Jim PetersonSubject: Narrow Heels
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I have a client with a saddlebred mare that has very narrow feet. The mare has been barefoot and in pasture for 3 years, trimmed regularly. The feet have not widened at all in the 3 years. She's not lame, but might this become a problem? If so, what shoeing/trimming suggestions might you have?
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I have a client with a saddlebred mare that has very narrow feet. The mare has been barefoot and in pasture for 3 years, trimmed regularly. The feet have not widened at all in the 3 years. She's not lame, but might this become a problem? If so, what shoeing/trimming suggestions might you have?
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: Kim Hillegas(Feet First Farrier)
Email: Ladyshooz@aol.com
What are you calling a narrow foot?
Overall I feel that a narrow foot is predisposed to problems. The most common is thrush. Followed by sheared heels. Navicular syndrome is often seen in a narrow foot.
How big is the mare?
How old is the mare?
An older foot may not respond to trimming changes as well as a young foot.
Does she suffer from ringbone or sidebone?
Is she in Hoof to Pastern alignment?
Is she being used regularly?
Does she land heel toe or toe heel?
Is her foot in balance or does she have a sheared heel?
How much moisture is in the pasture?
How moist is the foot?
Usually introducing considerable moisture to the foot, coupled with regular excercise will encourage the foot to open up somewhat.
Is the frog full and healthy or dry and shriveled?
As long as the frog is healthy, the alignment is good, balance is good and growth is good I would not worry too much that her foot is narrow.
Email: Ladyshooz@aol.com
What are you calling a narrow foot?
Overall I feel that a narrow foot is predisposed to problems. The most common is thrush. Followed by sheared heels. Navicular syndrome is often seen in a narrow foot.
How big is the mare?
How old is the mare?
An older foot may not respond to trimming changes as well as a young foot.
Does she suffer from ringbone or sidebone?
Is she in Hoof to Pastern alignment?
Is she being used regularly?
Does she land heel toe or toe heel?
Is her foot in balance or does she have a sheared heel?
How much moisture is in the pasture?
How moist is the foot?
Usually introducing considerable moisture to the foot, coupled with regular excercise will encourage the foot to open up somewhat.
Is the frog full and healthy or dry and shriveled?
As long as the frog is healthy, the alignment is good, balance is good and growth is good I would not worry too much that her foot is narrow.
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: Jim Peterson
Email:
Answers to your questions...
The mare just has very narrow feet. I didn't write down the measurements, but just think pony-size feet on a 15.2 hand horse. Narrow at toe and heel, deep sulci somewhat prone to thrush, although that problem is much better now that the mare's in pasture and out of the stall.
The pasture is average Kentucky pasture: hilly, sometimes very wet, sometimes quite dry, but overall probably more damp than dry right now. The mare's 16 years old, and no ringbone or sidebone, just an old suspensory tendon injury in the left fore.
This mare's foot tends to be dry, but there has been plenty of moisture over the three years of pasture as mud. The feet have not widened appreciably. The mare gets little to no use, as she's a broodmare. No sheared heels and the frog's OK, and she tends to land flat or stay more on her toes now that she's barefoot.
Her feet are OK, and she's not sore except for the old tendon injury, just wondering if anyone had opinions on this.
Email:
Answers to your questions...
The mare just has very narrow feet. I didn't write down the measurements, but just think pony-size feet on a 15.2 hand horse. Narrow at toe and heel, deep sulci somewhat prone to thrush, although that problem is much better now that the mare's in pasture and out of the stall.
The pasture is average Kentucky pasture: hilly, sometimes very wet, sometimes quite dry, but overall probably more damp than dry right now. The mare's 16 years old, and no ringbone or sidebone, just an old suspensory tendon injury in the left fore.
This mare's foot tends to be dry, but there has been plenty of moisture over the three years of pasture as mud. The feet have not widened appreciably. The mare gets little to no use, as she's a broodmare. No sheared heels and the frog's OK, and she tends to land flat or stay more on her toes now that she's barefoot.
Her feet are OK, and she's not sore except for the old tendon injury, just wondering if anyone had opinions on this.
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: mark preston
Email: markp@netexpress.net
I see this once in awhile on the show horses I shoe. Usually pulling the shoes and turning them out will help their feet spread a little. Since that didnt help I would make sure you open the heels up as much as possible.
Email: markp@netexpress.net
I see this once in awhile on the show horses I shoe. Usually pulling the shoes and turning them out will help their feet spread a little. Since that didnt help I would make sure you open the heels up as much as possible.
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
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dBoard Archive
Name: Scott Anweiler
Email: scottdeb@eohio.net
Jim
These's a shoe I use to spread the heels of a horse, it goes by alot of different names, but I have always called it a slipper heel shoe. The way I make it is by beveling the shoe from inside to outside at from the third nail hole to the heel on both sides. The key is inthe way you trim out as much of the bars and sole as possible without hurting the horse, then just use the front three nail hole
s. I hope this is what you are asking for.
Scott Anweiler
scottdeb@eohio.net
Email: scottdeb@eohio.net
Jim
These's a shoe I use to spread the heels of a horse, it goes by alot of different names, but I have always called it a slipper heel shoe. The way I make it is by beveling the shoe from inside to outside at from the third nail hole to the heel on both sides. The key is inthe way you trim out as much of the bars and sole as possible without hurting the horse, then just use the front three nail hole
s. I hope this is what you are asking for.
Scott Anweiler
scottdeb@eohio.net
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: anna
Email: hobo_14@hotmail.com
Well I have a horse in much the same situation and we had tried all types of special shoeing and corrective work with out much success until we started trimming with the Dr. Strausser method mentioned about under the laminitis posts. Strausser's method includes keeping the hooves moist by soaking once a day and frequent trims and reduce the heel. In addition there are a few additional trimming instructions that help open up and widen the heels.
even Anton Lungweitz in his book "Horseshoeing A Textbook for Horseshoers and Veterinarians" stated the the main causes of contracted heels and narrow feet are dryness, lack of exercise and having too high a heel
Email: hobo_14@hotmail.com
Well I have a horse in much the same situation and we had tried all types of special shoeing and corrective work with out much success until we started trimming with the Dr. Strausser method mentioned about under the laminitis posts. Strausser's method includes keeping the hooves moist by soaking once a day and frequent trims and reduce the heel. In addition there are a few additional trimming instructions that help open up and widen the heels.
even Anton Lungweitz in his book "Horseshoeing A Textbook for Horseshoers and Veterinarians" stated the the main causes of contracted heels and narrow feet are dryness, lack of exercise and having too high a heel
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