Understanding an underrun heel is the first step to successful management. If left untreated, Dutch farrier Maarten van Hal explains at the 2026 International Hoof-Care Summit that the hoof capsule will eventually split. This is due to a difference in growth direction of the tubulars in the back half of the foot in contrast to the front half of the foot. 

“We have to remember that the solid structures — the bony structures — are in the front part of the foot. In the back part of the foot, we have the cartilage and the digital cushion. So, why do underrun heels happen here? It’s because there is more movement in the transition between the bony structures to the more flexible structures. So, we could define underrun heels as a problem. It’s not a conformation; it’s more of a pathology. It’s something that, in the future, will give this horse more trouble than it should have.” 

As the…