If your farrier has your horse on the correct angle and properly balanced, it has all the support it needs. Open heels also allows the foot to clean its self out for the most part as well, when you close the heels up, dirt packs into the foot.
That’s not what the research is showing. The foot is not supposed to clean itself out. The commissures are designed to pack with dirt and this helps support the back of the foot and aids in the function of the proprietor’s and hemodynamic system.
If you can do without shoes, it`s always the best. I have a heavy horse, and the entire hoof deforms visibly when the weight gets on it. The shoes all have the disadvantage of stopping the natural deformation of the hoof. It has to impact on blood flow but im no vet or doctor
If your horse has correct heel height and proper balance, regular shoes are best. The foot still flexes, and increases blood flow with six nails per shoe. It also allows the foot to clean itself out for the most part.
The foot does not need to clean itself out and is actually meant to pack itself with dirt. This packing aids in the function of the hemodynamic system which comes from the engagement of the frog with the ground which is difficult to achieve with open heeled shoes.
If you close the horseshoe you take out the shock absorption or the spring from the leg bones needed to ease the impact. If you close the horseshoe is like putting yourself a shoe with smaller size.
I was a farrier many years ago. My belief always was to pick the lessor of the evils regarding the type of shoe, pad, barefoot etc. Now to convince the owner of the steed. Good job explaining the situation.
Just subscribed to your channel. Nice informative video. One question. Most horses are worked in deep footing, arenas, tracks, etc. They are not working on solid ground, so why would the back of the foot collapse when it is being supported by deep footing? I trail ride in a variety of terrain so it makes sense there, but a barrel horse, for example, is working in deep soft footing.
Very good sense idea. Farriers used to make a rocker shoe that was similar to a heart bar but had a cross bar instead of tge heart over the frog. The full round shoe gave that support to the heel and the cross bar supposedly gave support off the heels and navicular bone. Not sure if they really were that effective but they were trying out that idea of supporting the heel.
I’ve seen jumpers with bad feet, less than perfect conformation who were still great jumpers but the feet are not well understood and farriers get offended by too many questions.
Barefoot is best. Use hoof boots till the hoof acclimates to the terrain you want to ride on. Shoes cause contraction, poor hoof quality, poor blood flow and more. Natural hoof conformation is compromised by nailing metal onto them.
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If your farrier has your horse on the correct angle and properly balanced, it has all the support it needs. Open heels also allows the foot to clean its self out for the most part as well, when you close the heels up, dirt packs into the foot.
That’s not what the research is showing. The foot is not supposed to clean itself out. The commissures are designed to pack with dirt and this helps support the back of the foot and aids in the function of the proprietor’s and hemodynamic system.
If you can do without shoes, it`s always the best. I have a heavy horse, and the entire hoof deforms visibly when the weight gets on it. The shoes all have the disadvantage of stopping the natural deformation of the hoof. It has to impact on blood flow but im no vet or doctor
Great info! Definitely will make you look at hoof maintenance differently!
If your horse has correct heel height and proper balance, regular shoes are best. The foot still flexes,
and increases blood flow with six nails per shoe. It also allows the foot to clean itself out for the most part.
The foot does not need to clean itself out and is actually meant to pack itself with dirt. This packing aids in the function of the hemodynamic system which comes from the engagement of the frog with the ground which is difficult to achieve with open heeled shoes.
If you close the horseshoe you take out the shock absorption or the spring from the leg bones needed to ease the impact. If you close the horseshoe is like putting yourself a shoe with smaller size.
That only applies to solid inflexible bar shoes and not to flexible for support or composite shoes.
I was a farrier many years ago. My belief always was to pick the lessor of the evils regarding the type of shoe, pad, barefoot etc. Now to convince the owner of the steed. Good job explaining the situation.
Thanks for sharing!
Just subscribed to your channel. Nice informative video. One question. Most horses are worked in deep footing, arenas, tracks, etc. They are not working on solid ground, so why would the back of the foot collapse when it is being supported by deep footing? I trail ride in a variety of terrain so it makes sense there, but a barrel horse, for example, is working in deep soft footing.
Great point. They do have some support in deeper footing, especially when there is moisture in the footing. But it's most likely not sufficient.
Very good sense idea. Farriers used to make a rocker shoe that was similar to a heart bar but had a cross bar instead of tge heart over the frog. The full round shoe gave that support to the heel and the cross bar supposedly gave support off the heels and navicular bone. Not sure if they really were that effective but they were trying out that idea of supporting the heel.
Interesting!
I agree shoeing for 30 years
My horse goes real bad with pressure on the frog...
I’ve seen jumpers with bad feet, less than perfect conformation who were still great jumpers but the feet are not well understood and farriers get offended by too many questions.
No shoes if possible! Composite shoes are supposed to be alright I hear.
Barefoot is best. Use hoof boots till the hoof acclimates to the terrain you want to ride on. Shoes cause contraction, poor hoof quality, poor blood flow and more. Natural hoof conformation is compromised by nailing metal onto them.
I disagree with you totally.