| Owning a horse is a huge responsibility. One of the | | | | the opposite of what you were trying to accomplish |
| most important issues of ownership is the prevention | | | | by moving the shoe to the rear of the foot in the first |
| of lameness. If your horse comes up permanently | | | | place. As the foot continues to grow forward in |
| lame the fun is over. Vet bills, therapy, wasted time in | | | | invariably pulls the heels with it (under slung heels) or |
| rehab, can all take the fun out of owning horses. | | | | (sheered heels) which is yet another problem. |
| Correct horseshoeing is an absolute must. Finding the | | | | The reasoning behind "Not" rasping the extra toe off |
| right Farrier is crucial if you want to exercise "an ounce | | | | of the hoof wall is simply the worry the rasping will |
| of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and keep your | | | | weaken the hoof wall at that point. In theory you could |
| equine friend free from lameness throughout its life. | | | | agree. However a 16 year study with rasping the toe |
| Simply put, there are shoeing methods that are faulted | | | | as far back as possible has produced not one single |
| which can and do lead to your worst nightmare | | | | issue or problem "Ever". The correct method is to |
| -lameness. Obviously you want to steer clear away | | | | place the shoe to the rear to improve foot travel and |
| from these types of methods. | | | | "Rasp" the excess hoof wall at the toe. Have the hoof |
| One such method is the practice of placing a shoe on | | | | wall at the toe rasped back to the shoe so it not only |
| the foot rearward but without rasping the extra hoof | | | | "IS" correct but looks correct as well. By doing so you'll |
| hanging over the shoe at the toe. You'll recognize this | | | | prevent hoof wall stretch due to the excess toe and |
| method just by looking at the horse while standing- | | | | you'll reduce tendon and ligament stress as well as |
| you'll see the hoof hanging over the toe area of the | | | | coffin bone torque and rotation and more. |
| shoe - it will look as though the shoe is not fitting | | | | There is much more to shoeing horses than is |
| correctly. | | | | commonly understood. Textbooks and Farrier schools |
| Moving the shoe toward the rear of the foot is actually | | | | are outdated and teaching faulty methods to Farriers |
| a good idea but leaving the toe hanging over the shoe | | | | who then go off and ruin horses - possibly your horse. |
| is not. Explanation follows: The shoe to the rear (the | | | | Let's prevent the possibility of lameness. |
| good idea) actually helps the foot travel - the foot will | | | | The author of this article has a 16 year 100% track |
| break over easier reducing stress on the tendons in | | | | record - "Not One Single Lame Horse" under "Any" |
| the leg and foot, especially the deep flexor tendon. | | | | condition and any riding style. You can get his method |
| The "bad idea" (not rasping the toe back) causes the | | | | by simply visiting the website below in the Author Bio. |
| hoof at the toe to still come in contact with the ground. | | | | Thank you, safe and sound riding and remember to |
| The contact with the ground is the bad part. By that | | | | Care4Horses. |
| part of the hoof still contacting the ground the contact | | | | Reprint rights allowed providing nothing is changed. |
| stimulates the foot to keep growing forward - which is | | | | |