Page 1169 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

Foot Care and Farriery 1135

their wall is rolled from one quarter, around the toe to NATURAL BALANCE HOOF CARE GUIDELINES
the other quarter (Figure 11.56). Even with these condi­ A general understanding of the term functional sole
VetBooks.ir some leverage from a medial and lateral perspective. In plane is needed before discussing the detailed protocol.
tions and activities, self‐maintained horses have reduced
References have been made previously to the amount of
the domestic equine world, we not only add the weight
of a rider and tack, but we also ask horses to turn in wall that grows or extends beyond the level of the func­
repetitive circles at high speeds. With that, we see many tional or live sole. The functional sole plane is established
soft tissue strains and injuries on the medial and lateral by scraping or paring the chalky or flaky appearing sole
aspects of the distal joints. out of the foot until the smooth, waxy‐appearing surface is
Perhaps it is not possible to use the self‐maintained revealed. It is important that when exfoliating the sole, it is
horse as a model for the domestic equine. Maybe the approached slowly and methodically so that the functional
parameters established in feral horse’s feet still place sole is not invaded or penetrated. If you go too far into the
too much stress and leverage on the distal joints of functional sole material, you will not only invade possible
the domestic horse. Perhaps we need to relieve even sensitive sole, but it also compromises the structures that
more strain and leverage in domestic horses based on will be used to balance the hoof wall and distal phalanx to
the increased loads and demands that they incur. the ground. The live functional sole has been found (with
Most of the current natural balance guidelines and few exceptions) to be an equal thickness beneath the medial
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protocols have been adapted more specifically to the and lateral aspect of the distal phalanx. Therefore, if the
domestic equine through further anecdotal and field goal is to balance the distal phalanx medially to laterally
research and observations over the last 15 years. The parallel to the ground surface, the functional sole is a very
Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO) is reliable guide.
one group that has taken the basics of natural balance
guidelines and have further developed and improved
upon them over the last 10 years. Practical applica­ NATURAL BALANCE EVALUATION, EXFOLIATION,
tions by a large number of farriers in both treating AND MAPPING PROTOCOL
lameness and improving performance over the last Recognizing Hoof Distortions
decade have helped to fine‐tune these methods of
balancing feet as well. Through a better understanding The first step in the natural balance hoof mapping
of healthy foot function and anatomy, the natural bal­ protocol is to visually recognize hoof distortions in the
ance and ELPO guidelines have become a more widely heels, bars, frog, and toe (Figure 11.57). Heels that are
used approach to trimming and shoeing domestic curled, rolled over, crushed, or end dorsal to the widest
horses. part of the frog are distorted. Typically, the further
One difference between self‐maintained feral horses dorsal the heels end to the back of the frog, the more
and our domestic horses is the fact that domestic horses distorted and less functional they have become. Similarly,
do not typically have the terrain, space, or activity to the more curled, laid over, and fractured the bars are, the
maintain their own feet and are therefore susceptible to more distorted and less functional they are. The bars
excess hoof growth and hoof distortions. Hoof distortions typically terminate into the frog commissures near the
are generally the result of hoof structures (primarily hoof widest part of the foot (WPOTF). If the heels are allowed
wall) that grow beyond the level of the sole in a direc­ to grow forward, the bars must curve and bend, because
tion that reduces support to the foot or cause increased the termination point of the bar cannot be moved
leverage to the foot. For example, a heel that grows forward, at least not at the corium level. Like hoof wall
beyond the level of the functional sole and forward and sole material, bars can become overgrown. The
becomes unstable and unable to support the weight and overgrowth at the surface can grow forward of the
force of the horse as the foot engages and loads into WPOTF and in some cases, such as laminitis, can grow
the ground. A toe that grows much beyond the level completely around the frog apex. However, actual bar
of the sole can become a flare, which further increases termination maintains its position near the WPOTF.
the leverage at the time of break‐over. A frog that fails A frog that has become atrophied and narrowed, and
to contact the ground and has become narrow and atro­ has the central sulcus closed up is often lacking in function
phied from lack of use because the heels have been and has become distorted. At the same time, if the frog apex
allowed to grow beyond the level of the sole fails to has become narrow and pointed, it is likely stretched and
absorb concussion and dissipate energy at the time of distorted as well. Furthermore, if the wall is allowed to
ground contact and load. grow much beyond the level of the sole, it will start to bend,
It is apparent that hoof distortions have a direct influ­ flare, and become stretched forward. A thickened outer
ence on function, support, and strain on the internal dorsal wall, inner wall, and white zone of the foot indicate
components of the foot and distal limb. When a foot that the extra leverage is stretching the components. It may
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is subjected to increased strain on the soft tissue in and be necessary to look closely at the dorsal wall to see a slight
around the distal limb, lameness and pathology are likely deviation below the coronary band, within the proximal 1
to follow. Therefore, it is the job of the veterinarian and inch of the dorsal hoof wall. As a rule, noticeable flares start
farrier to recognize these common hoof distortions and about halfway down the hoof wall.
eliminate them at the time of trimming or shoeing to Identifying distortions and evaluating the degree of dis­
improve or eliminate lameness. Moreover, if these dis­ tortion in all aspects of the foot helps determine the overall
tortions can be dealt with early, or even avoided, then health of the foot. Having guidelines to overcome these dis­
the prevention of lameness in horses can become a more tortions can help prevent lameness and improve perfor­
realistic goal. mance. The ELPO has further developed this concept of