American Farriers Journal
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
Figure 2a & 2b
Supporting the Digital Cushion in a Long-Toe, Low-Heel Horse
Understand the causes & ways to support its function with a whole-horse approach
Takeaways
- The digital cushion is a vital structure in the hoof that supports internal structures and promotes blood flow. A healthy digital cushion has a firm texture, and the frog is firm but elastic with good moisture content.
- A weak digital cushion is linked to long toes and low heels and can be caused by breed, environment, nutrition, exercise, grazing stance and the intervals and quality of hoof care.
- Frog and palmar support are critical for weak digital cushions and can include options like pour-in pads, dental impression material and glue-ons.
As the largest structure in the hoof, the digital cushion is a vital part of the equine foot, and its health should be accounted for when considering a shoeing package. Weak digital cushions are more likely to exist alongside long toes and low heels, which can be shod in a variety of ways to support healthy growth, including with frog support, pads and glue-on options.
“If we’re going to help the digital cushion, we need to know what it is, what job it has and what affects it,” says Minnesota farrier Roy Williams with Glue-U at the 2026 International Hoof-Care Summit.
The digital cushion is a wedge-shaped structure in the back half of the foot composed of elastic subcutaneous adipose tissue, fibrocartilage, collagen bundles and modified skin glands. There are limited studies on the exact function of the digital cushion, but it seems to support internal structures and modulate blood flow up the leg.
“There are at least three…
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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
Anatomy, Trimming and Hoof Protection
Date: 06/20/26
Location: Quincy, CA
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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.
Designed as a...
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.