One of the best pieces of advice I can pass on regarding the fitting of shoes is to keep the outline of the shoe to the outline of the presenting hoof capsule until the hoof capsule moves back into the optimal position in relation to the distal bone structure of the presenting limb. I always try to keep the shoe to the alignment of the hoof capsule and slowly start a program of orthopaedically balancing the foot. Only when the hoof capsule is in its optimal alignment with the internal structures of the foot can you bring the shoe's outline out at the heels of the hoof capsule by one to two millimetres past the outline of the hoof capsule? The normal flexion of the equine hoof capsule is approximately two millimetres. If the hoof flexors more than that, then the internal structures are being placed under stress and therefore become dysfunctional.
The other vital criterion for orthopaedic shoeing is that the weight-bearing surface of the hoof capsule and the horseshoe need to correspond. The heel branches of the horseshoe must also finish before entering the space of the medial-lateral grooves of the frog. The correct heel placement will allow for the correct internal heel pressure of the foot and ease of natural cleaning of the frog and sole area. Correct placement is achieved by drawing a line from the apex of the frog to the widest part of the heel bulbs and ensuring that the branches of the horseshoe do not continue past this point of alignment.
Comments