Page 1149 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

Foot Care and Farriery 1115

load all of the structures in the palmar foot, both of load‐sharing effect can be accomplished by using a
which will tend to increase the ground surface of the straight‐bar shoe with a pad or degree pad placed
VetBooks.ir the two basic landmarks on the ground surface of the bar shoe is useful if the frog and digital cushion have
between the shoe and the foot. A properly fitted heart‐
hoof wall at the heels.
24
Foot preparation for low heels begins by visualizing
sufficient structural mass to withstand the pressure from
foot: the widest part of the foot and the base of the frog. the frog plate. An open steel or aluminum shoe with a
The palmar section of the foot is trimmed using the plastic or aluminum stability or “spider” plate riveted to
widest part of the foot as a starting point; using a rasp the shoe, a thin heel plate welded or riveted between the
the heels are then trimmed to healthy horn, making sure branches of the shoe, or a plastic bar wedge attached to
that all of the structures of the heel and the frog are on the shoe can be used to distribute the load. Holes are
the same horizontal plane. The toe is shortened accord­ drilled in the heel plate or bar wedge, and some form of
ingly, again using the widest part of the foot as a guide­ silastic material is placed underneath the plate or wedge
line. With low‐heel conformation, the frog is often to create a deformable interface to spread the weight‐
situated distally below the level of the hoof wall at the bearing function over all the structures in the palmar
heels. When a prolapsed frog is present, the shoe should foot. The holes drilled in the plate or pad are necessary
be removed, any loose or exfoliating horn is trimmed to keep the impression material in place. Impression
from the frog, and the horse stood on a hard surface such material is placed on the ground surface of the entire
as a rubber stall mat for 24–48 hours. An alternative to foot, in the case of the spider plate or starting in the mid­
this is to fabricate a frog pad from a full wedge pad to dle of the frog and extending palmarly as far as desired
place focal pressure on the frog, tape it on the foot, and with the others. The shoe and plate or pad are placed on
stand the horse on a hard surface. This technique creates the foot, and the heel of the shoe is pressed gently into
a level, flat surface in the palmar foot with all structures the impression material, forming a slight wedge. Two
on the same plane. Having the structures, regardless of nails are placed in the toe of the shoe, and the foot is
their integrity, on the same horizontal plane redistributes held off the ground until the impression material cures
the weight creating a “load‐sharing” effect. in the desired position (Figure 11.33). Glue‐on technology
The trim is complemented by a shoe that attempts to may be helpful to improve the structures in the heel but
place the load over the entire palmar foot, not just on should not be applied long term because damage to the
the hoof capsule at the heels (load sharing concept), and hoof wall is thought to occur from the heat generated by
provides heel elevation to correct the HPA when possi­ the composite. 53
ble. If the structures of the heel are intact and the hoof Farriery for low‐heel conformation is often based on
wall angle simply needs to be raised, an open aluminum trial and error and combinations of various methods
wedge shoe or an open steel or aluminum flat shoe but depends on assessing the integrity of the structures
with a wedge pad can be used to achieve the desired present, the footing, and the athletic pursuit of the horse.
heel angle. If the heels are damaged or compromised, a Any form of heel elevation should be accompanied by

A B
Figure 11.33. Impression material is placed in the palmar section of the foot, and a pad is used to distribute the load across the heels
(A). Heel plate shoe with impression material is placed under the palmar section of the foot (B).