The main objective of farriers has always been to protect horses’ feet and preserve their health. Iron shoes have thus allowed the use of the horse for war, agriculture and transport for hundreds of years. The modern use of the horse for sports and leisure has had a direct influence on the contemporary farrier, who wishes not only to protect the feet but also to ensure the animal’s biomechanical health and promote good sporting performance.

But how do we get there? The authors’ research proposes new methods for studying foot proportions to optimize shoe adjustment and horse biomechanics.

Coronary Band Shape = Sole Shape

In a first of its kind study of foot physiology conducted on more than 300 horses and ponies, the authors found that the shape of the coronary band is identical to the white line. Using a 3 mm welding rod, the asymmetries of the coronary band were discovered to be identical to the asymmetries of the white line. This is generally related to the conformation of the limbs (Figures 1a & 1b).

FIGURE 1a-b: The…