tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post7054739304553359075..comments2024-03-27T00:20:27.185-07:00Comments on The Glorious Hoof: Posture and ConformationLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121469297442797836noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post-21295264546075161172012-06-11T13:59:51.638-07:002012-06-11T13:59:51.638-07:00June, feel free to either post a picture yourself ...June, feel free to either post a picture yourself for me to comment on or email me pictures and I will do a post about it! lcastle@gmail.com.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15121469297442797836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post-46410425020414614592012-06-11T08:46:13.624-07:002012-06-11T08:46:13.624-07:00Very interesting post! And you're so right abo...Very interesting post! And you're so right about looking at the whole horse. I should post a picture of our mare Rose to get your opinion. Her hinds look like maybe they have negative plantar angle or whatever it's called. And it's almost like her hind legs are too long, or that she's built too uphill. She has a lot of trouble shifting weight off her hind legs - as if there's too much that has to happen before the leg is freed up for movement. I looked at her hocks yesterday (for the first time?! What's wrong with me?!) and noticed this weird enlarged cord which the other horses don't have.Junehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13428008814751524182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post-29461877306084285742011-12-31T13:55:48.409-08:002011-12-31T13:55:48.409-08:00You hit the nail on the head, Lisa. This poor fel...You hit the nail on the head, Lisa. This poor fellow was at a lesson barn, but his brain and body were not lesson material. He had to start rebelling (bucking and such) before they finally adopted him out and the woman who took him loved him already and had barefoot clients. He was rescued, for sure!<br /><br />I think it is very important to look at the whole horse objectively and not force them into a mold.<br /><br />The more I read about wedges, the more I cringe at their use. Unfortunately, they gave the illusion of improvement, because the horse would actually land heel-first when we was first shod, even though the heel contraction was very obvious. This made it difficult to get management to listen, especially when taking his shoes off revealed how sore he was. Put the shoes back on was the general reaction.Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07335385366138424092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post-57997132126635267862011-12-30T14:22:47.923-08:002011-12-30T14:22:47.923-08:00Firstly, it must make you happy to hear the poor h...Firstly, it must make you happy to hear the poor horse has found a good home.<br /><br />I think we need to look at our horses honestly and recognise their limitations - a human with poor knee conformation (like me!) doesn't take up marathon running, does he? If a horse is not built to do a certain job, then find a new job for him that he can actually do, don't keep makin him sore. I think the horse you describe didn't have a biomechanical problem, he had ignorant owner syndrome.<br /><br />I also don't understand why farriers employ wedges in ANY situation, especially when there is such a simple and easy an answer as balancing the heels!Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15121469297442797836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284802968404489004.post-19380079852560341302011-12-30T10:58:45.051-08:002011-12-30T10:58:45.051-08:00Consider the discussion started...
I used to know...Consider the discussion started...<br /><br />I used to know a horse whom many of us felt suffered from caudal hoof pain. He had high (uneven) heels and a long hoof. The farrier was employing remedial shoeing techniques, such as pads and wedges. (Don't ask me why he wasn't employing heel balance. I was baffled.) <br /><br />The horse had a tremendously difficult time picking up the right lead and looked very humped under behind (think jumper's bump, but without the jumping). He had really big, heavy shoulders (QH/Paint) and front legs which were set pretty far under his base of support. He would often park out behind, when he wasn't humped under. He also had a short, short loin, which looked very tight. Clearly the farrier was not meticulous (competent), but how much of his problem was conformational and bio mechanical? I found that if he was worked with special attention to lateral balance and stretching his frame, his movement improved despite his poor feet. If he was ridden recklessly (or pulled into a tight frame) he went lame and would remain unusable for many weeks. It was heart-breaking watching this, and was part of the reason that I left the barn. The good news is that he was eventually adopted out and now lives bare and sound. :)Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07335385366138424092noreply@blogger.com