Re[2]: angles

Bonnie Snodgrass (snodgrab@ncr.disa.mil)
Tue, 26 Nov 96 07:42:26 EST

I'm jumping in late on this discussion. I have to disagree with Tom
and I guess a few others that said the matching of hoof to pastern
angle was not always necessary. Yes I know it isn't commonly done with
the runners (don't know the harness horses). Unfortunately, it's also
not commonly done by a whole lot of farriers, many who go by the
policy of 54 degrees is right and all horses get done the same way.
Long toes and low heels, often caused not by trimming the heels off
but instead setting the shoe too far forward on the foot which extends
the toe and removes support from the heel. This type of shoeing is
IMHO the likely cause of a lot of navicular problems.

I've had the chance to work with numerous horses who had never been
shod or trimmed by humans. Some of these horses were as old as 7-8
years. They all had great heels, thick walls, and blunted or even
squared off toes. Two that I recall had very sloped pasterns, one
fairly long pasterns and they had great heels, blunt toes and matching
angles. One big 3 yr old App was extremely upright, probably 58
degrees at least. I broke him to saddle and rode him out on the BLM
land primarily. He moved fine for a young, klutzy kid till the owner
had a cowboy put shoes on him. He dropped his heels and extended the
toe with the shoe instead of shaping the shoe to match the blunted
toe. He immediately started toe stubbing, tripping and forging.

The forum at Horseshoes.com is great, I don't agree with everything
said there but have read with interest the statements from numerous
farriers that incorrect shoeing is a probable cause of many cases of
navicular syndrome and many gait irregularities. I routinely ask my
farrier (had to change a couple of times this last 2 years) to leave
the heels alone, move the shoe back on the foot, spead the heels a bit
more and have the heels extend back enough to support the heels and
fetlock. I've been told my horse will grab the shoes and rip them off.
They don't if the horse is trimmed right and the shoe moved back OFF
the toe.

By the way, some forging is the result of letting a horse rush at the
trot and get on the forehand. Taking responsibilities for your own
riding is importent.

Gotta go,

Bonnie Snodgrass

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: angles
Author: ridecamp@endurance.net at smtp
Date: 11/25/96 3:45 PM

>I differ somewhat from this perception. What you're really looking for is a
>balanced hoof with proper breakover. To the extent that you're trying to make
>a match of shoulder, pastern and hoof angles ( a theory, not without some
>merit) without primary consideration to breakover and hoof balance, you're
>making a mistake. For example, if you try to duplicate the angle of a long
>sloping pastern in the hoof, you're going to have the same kind of trouble
>that was described in the beginning of this thread.
Are you saying there are times that hoof pastern angles shouldn't match?
When would this be a consideration?
Here's lookin back atya.......()()
Linda Eisele & Sareei and ('')\
hubby, Allen and the General (* *)\\_______~~~~~~~
linda@ghostridr.reno.nv.us ( )
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