Q: I have a horse I’ve worked on for some time who has shelly walls, no heel, a long toe, dead-flat soles and chronic laminitis. I’ve tried several things, including a Myron McLane full support pad, which didn’t seem to work due to the amount of frog pressure.

During a presentation at the 2006 International Hoof-Care Summit, Blake Brown discussed using various hoof pads in therapeutic situations. Here’s some of what he had to say.

For many farriers, the first exposure to a therapeutic shoeing situation comes unexpectedly. They arrive at a barn — perhaps after a frantic phone call from a client — and find a horse who has suffered an injury.

Quarter cracks are a common type of hoof capsule defect. Quarter cracks often cause foot lameness and/or decreased athletic performance in race and sport horses. They typically originate at the coronary band in the quarter of the hoof and progress distally