article
Leverage Reduction
Boots

The new diagnostic
tool.
Provides information
unobtainable from
any other equipment.
Fig 3. The horse on the left is standing ‘under itself’ and
would be considered normal. The horse on the right is
standing ‘in front of itself’, this is indicative of a problem. As
a rule of thumb, poor stance and hoof deformities seem to go
hand in hand (Fig 4). I believe that some deformities can be
reversed if caught in time and proper care is applied
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Performance
Fig 4. Heel support points ‘moved back’ while stance improved
Leverage
to be more ‘upright’
Reduction
Shoes
assessing a particular horse’s conformation, care should be taken

in addressing the external health of the hoof and the internal bone
Designed to
alignment in order to discover what we are dealing with. I try to Allow for easier
improve the state of the hoof first, before worrying too much about turning and
what is above it (the leg, the shoulder, and so on). co-lateral ligament
Deformities are more insidious to recognise using the naked eye,
relief.
when a horse stands under the bony column and the external hoof

conformation looks acceptable.
Fig 5 shows how the shoulder angles have modified as internal bone
alignment (seen in the radiographs) has changed. The difference in
coffin bone angles (from 9.6 degrees to 4.2 degrees) has affected
the shoulder angles. It is easier to track changes in bone alignment
through radiographs than subtle soft tissue shifts within the hoof itself. Five Oaks Road, Horsham
The cause of these shifts can be traced to poor bone alignment, but
West Sussex, RH13 0QW
also to changes in the structure of the hoof capsule. The hoof capsule
T 01403 79 1000
is the keratinous part of the hoof. This capsule is highly deformable
F 01403 791 008
depending on trimming and shoeing methods, weather conditions,
E post@tfp.uk.com
and so on. (Trail Blazer, 2005). Changes in the capsule may cause
www.totalfootprotection.com
the following soft tissues to shift and/or compress: the collateral
Forge | October 2009 5
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