<< The one I had out before this
was AWFULL. My horses toes were so long she looked like she had foundered
after he trimed her. When I asked him to shorten them he said " Look, Hon, I
know what I'm doing. This is how we shoe racehorses." I told him to get out
NOW.
Thaks for letting me vent.
Jane >>
Jane, you're entirely correct. It is unfortunate that even show and endurance
shoers have been influenced by TB and QH track shoers, who know nothing of
biomechanics and ruin more horses each year than do the vets with their
corticosteroid injections.
You have to get your horse off herself because every "click" means that she's
going to try to do something extra with her back, her hocks--any other part
to try to get off herself--lameness, muscle soreness, back soreness--all
these will result. Again, the principle that will work, a step at a time, is
to shorten the toes and raise the angles in front--lengthen the toes and
lower the angles behind. But it has to be done a little at a time--no more
than 2 degrees change per shoeing.
If you go down to a local builder's supply, you'll find an "angle finder"
that they use for setting roof angles--under 10 bucks. If you stand your
horse on a level surface and place this device on the toe of your horse,
you'll get a good instant reading of toe angle. Dr. Ric Redden says that the
ideal angle for most horses is probably 54 degrees all around. However, you
adjust to the animal--what works is real.
There are other tricks, like squaring or rolling the front toes, or using
shoes designed to break over more quickly, or extra weight in front or
behind--but start by getting the angle and toe length balances correct before
trying any of the more aggressive "corrective" shoeing techniques.
Next time you come in contact with that track shoer, give him a punch for me.
ti