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Lysane,
Frequently, people mistake trimming away the
overgrown bars, which lay down over the sole, for trimming away "too much
sole". If the bars are allowed to grow over the sole of the hoof
laterally, or to advance further than half-way down toward the point of the
frog, they can cause bruising of the sole and actually weaken the sole and
prevent the sole from growing beneath them. It is important to trim the
excess bar away to prevent bruising and deterioration of the sole beneath
it.
Also, sometimes a horse will just grow excess sole
if they are not kept in rocky enough conditions to wear it away. If the
sole itself becomes too thick, and especially if it is uneven in thickness (i.e.
the surface of the sole is bumpy) it can cause bruising and pain similar to
overgrown callouses on people feet (I mean the discomfort and the cause
it is similar, not the anatomy of the feet). I have noticed on
horses with which I have left the overgrown sole in place, that the
sole will often slough off on its own after a few days of wet weather. By
trimming it away myself, I'm just helping nature along in the dry Texas
conditions. My horses are almost always more comfortable after a trim than
before, with the exceptions being horses I have let go too long and subsequently
have already gotten bruises from walking on overgrown bars or soles, but these
are usually more comfortable as well, since the cause of the injury has been
removed.
Debbie Ager
trimmer of my own horses for nearly three years,
and quasi-successful endurance rider :)
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