| MADDI |  |
| BREED | : | Irish Draft x SB/TB |
| AGE | : | Unknown |
| HEIGHT | : | 16 hh |
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COMMENTS
Previously Maddi's hooves were oddly shaped from incorrect trimming by a farrier after her shoes were removed and her soles were bruised and tender. After six months, Maddi's hooves are now healthy, tough and functional. She is completely sound, and competes in show jumping, hunting and endurance, and is exercised on concrete, gravel and various trails about four days a week. The hoof wall is now closely knitted, shiny and tough compared to the dull appearance beforehand. The hoof growth is correctly angled, and has no flares, chips or cracks. The heels are supportive and open with the toe short and rolled, promoting correct foot strike and movement. The soles have transitioned from bruised and flat to concaved, healthy and strong. The dysfunctional oval shape has become a more supportive circular one, and she has a tight laminar connection. The frog has transitioned from an under functioning and atrophied structure to a fully functional and supportive part of the hoof.
Her hooves looked unhealthy, painful and weak beforehand and now emanate health, vitality and strength from frequent exercise and six corrective 4 weekly barefoot trims.
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Before 1st Corrective Trim
Left Front - Side View
18.10.08 |
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Transformed 6 Months Later
Left Front - Side View
11.04.09 |
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Before 1st Corrective Trim
Right Front - Underneath View
18.10.08 |
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Transformed 6 Months Later
Right Front - Underneath View
11.04.09 |
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High heels - observation
The heels are too high, which promotes a toe first landing. This inhibits extension of joints in the limb, places stress on the tendons and ligaments, and incorrectly distributes weight onto the front area of the hoof - an area not designed to incur such extreme force.
Action taken
By lowering the heel height as much as possible, the weight is more correctly distributed which promotes a heel strike. This results in the correct utilisation of shock absorption structures, expansion of the hoof and also extension of the limb.
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Long toes - observation
The toes are too long from either incorrect or infrequent trimming. Break over becomes difficult and excess force is placed on the toe area of the hoof resulting in compromised wall/laminar connection.
Action taken
The excess toe has been removed as much as possible and a mustang roll applied according to the thickness of hoof wall. Leverage forces are removed, thus facilitating a tight wall/laminar connection.
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Splits and chips - observation
The splits, chips, cracks and breakages have occurred due to a combination of factors - usually poor hoof horn along with either infrequent or incorrect trimming.
Action taken
The splits, chips, cracks and breakages have been removed as much as possible. With consistent and correct trimming these will not reoccur.
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Flat soles - observation
The soles are flat due to shoeing, incorrect weight distribution or lack of exercise.
Action taken
By correcting the distribution of weight along with increased movement, the hoof will function as a flexible structure, and the sole will naturally become more concave.
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Thin hoof walls - observation
Thin hoof walls can originate from a number of causes, and are often an indication that the hoof is not functioning as nature has designed. Often genetic tendencies are blamed for thin hoof walls, but it is more often the practice of shoeing, incorrect trimming or lack of exercise which has created hoof dysfunction, and therefore can be corrected very easily over time with owner commitment.
Action taken
With frequent correct barefoot trimming, along with plenty of exercise on hard, flat surfaces, hoof walls will become thick and healthy.
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Frog contracted - observation
No ground stimulation has contributed to atrophy and contraction of the frog and heel bulbs. The force of impact is diverted to other areas which are not designed as shock absorbing structures.
Action taken
Removal of the cause encourages the hoof to function correctly, thereby activating long unused parts of the hoof. Over time the frog and heel bulbs will open out, expand and become functional shock absorbing structures of the hoof.
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