American Farriers Journal
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
Understanding the Equine Digital Cushion
A farrier’s research reveals how this structure affects hoof strength & long-term soundness
Takeaways
- The digital cushion, which is the largest structure within the hoof, is made up of collagen fiber bundles, adipose tissue and elastic fibers.
- The lower parts of the digital cushion contain more collagen, while the higher areas have more keratinized tissue. This indicates different regions have different jobs.
- The organization of the tissues is more important than what’s in the cushion. Highly organized tissues add stability to the back of the foot, while weak cushions appear disorganized.
Hidden deep within the equine hoof lies one of the horse’s most misunderstood — and overlooked — structures: the digital cushion.
What started as frustration for one farrier turned into a groundbreaking study revealing how this structure may hold the key to hoof strength, balance and long-term soundness.
Despite its crucial role, the digital cushion has long existed in the shadows of hoof research. Farriers have worked around it, veterinarians have speculated about it and yet few have truly understood how it functions — or fails.
That’s what drove David Hallock of Dansville, Mich., to dig deeper. His work bridges the gap between farrier work, science and anatomy, challenging assumptions about what the digital cushion is made of and its role within the equine hoof.
The Story Behind the Study
Years of working on horses with collapsing heels and narrowing heel bulbs set Hallock on the path to study the digital cushion. This left him searching for answers that traditional methods couldn’t solve.
“We’ve all seen horses where the back half of…
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American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
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Events
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Top Directory Listings
Doc Foal's | The Black Pads
At Doc Foal's, we manufacture The Black Pads and The Black Pads PLUS (featuring embedded magnets and copper). Our hybrid pads work seamlessly with your choice of conventional horseshoe, combining metal for structure with polyurethane for exceptional comfort and shock absorption.
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Sunrise Farrier Supply
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Equilox International
Equilox International Inc. specializes in equine horse hoof adhesives. Developed in 1988 after many trials and extensive research at leading universities and equine centers throughout the U.S., the Equilox Adhesive Hoof Repair System was originally used to treat competitive horses. Now, Equilox Adhesive is used by farriers, equine centers, and horse owners — as well as various zoo and wildlife centers — throughout the world.