Farriers may find themselves dealing with at least three distinct types of coronary band injuries. They include irritation and damage to the coronary band and sandcracks.

How do you correct a horse that’s pigeon-toed on the front end? How would you shoe that particular horse so after a certain amount of time, it will have an ideal position?

Are there any long-term effects from using frog support pads? — Ohio Farrier

Among many of the challenges a farrier must deal with are sheared heels. Scott Morrison, the veterinarian and farrier who leads the Podiatry Department at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Ky., says this problem is usually the result of less than ideal conformation. Usually the horse toes in or out, putting more stress on one side of the hoof wall (and heel) than the other. When a horse develops sheared heels, the stressed heel becomes jammed upward, the hoof symmetry is distorted and one heel is bearing most of the weight.