Throughout this series, I have illustrated the concept of systems anatomy. Veterinary education and that of traditional farriers are based on regional anatomy, which studies regions and the anatomical components of each. The perspective of systems anatomy is that bodies are organized hierarchically, i.e. building up from small functional units (for example, cells or single tissues) to subsystems (for example, organs), which work together to make up a major system such as the nervous, circulatory or musculoskeletal system.

Using a “big picture” approach of assessing the whole horse — from topline to toes — can identify factors in the animal’s body that might affect hoof shape and condition. Paying attention to how a horse uses its body can provide a farrier with practical insights into the best way to trim or shoe the animal to maximize its performance potential, says Mike Stine, a Marshville, N.C., farrier and own­er of Equine Dy­namics.