Rolled toe debate (from Barb Peck)

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Barb Peck bpeck@together.net
I agree with Truman on this one.
(There is no "universal"
right way... and there are plenty of wrong ways
to shoe a horse).

A horse beaks-over approx. 1 inch ahead of the
tip of the frog (you can see the edge of the
toe callous there on a horse that's bare foot).
This is where the leading edge of the coffin bone is.

There's more than just the toe involved with impulsion
and push off. 
If the toe was the primary component enabling the horse
to push off the ground, 
 then toe grabs on a shoe
would not be the bane they are... and they've pretty
much been proven to cause alot of problems. Same
goes for excess toe.


IMO, most problems occur because the shoe's aren't
placed at the proper break-over point, regardless
of the method or name of the type shoeing.

I didn't read the article, so to be fair to the
author, he may be talking about "full fitting" a
traditional shoe, AND if he's working on a well
balanced foot (one that doesn't have the toe all stretched
out from improper previous shoeings) the horse
would travel just fine... and break-over would rocker
the shoe in the proper place.

One thing's for sure... if you have a horse ridden long
distances, you'll find out pretty quick what works the best
on the feet you've got.

Regards,
Barb