Discussion Board Archives from 1999

Name: Steve WalthallSubject: narrow heels

Email: SWalthall@aol.com

First, make sure he's not heel sore, if so, treat the heel soreness and the foot will change by itself. However, I'm assuming this is purely conformational since these feet have kept this shape for a while now. Those seem tough to change dramatically, and any change comes very slowly. I'll also assume you want these feet to broaden out. You'll have to make up your mind on how to approach it and stick with it for quite a while. I'll shout out some things I've tried. I am pretty convinced that if you look at the coronary band by sighting down the limb from the top, it gives you the best indication (besides a radiograph)of what the perimeter of the coffin bone is shaped like. This puts in perspective for me just how much and how quickly I can remodel a foot. In other words, if you have a mis-shapened (extremely narrow) coronary band, the hoof capsule will be pretty tough to mold into what you see as the "ideal" foot.

If he's going to stay barefoot, just try to keep his heels as low as you can. You may only trim heel and taper it up to nothing at the toe. Try to round up the toe by dressing it from the front.

If he's shod, you can play quite a bit. Go a size up on the shoe, punch new nail holes on the inner web of the shoe. If he's base narrow, you may have to fill in the void on the medial side with your favorite hoof repair material to keep the shoe on (bell boots are good too). If that's too much trouble, you can get a similar effect by boxing the shoe with the round side of your hammer to stretch out a slight extension. You might snap a picture of the foot, because the change is ussually pretty slow.