Q A
Q A
: Should a “club foot” be in any diff erent type of shoe than the other three?
: I think of caring for a true “club foot” as a “maintenance” issue rather than a “special shoeing” issue. A club foot is very upright and tends to
grow heels fast. T is type of hoof needs to be trimmed more oſt en. I tend to re-trim a club hoof every 2 to 3 weeks and the other hooves every 4 to 6 weeks (Figure 5). I have noticed that “club hooves” and most high-walled
: How can you tell if a hoof is get ing some kind of
infection—by sight or smell?
: Hooves have a natural tendency to smell, so a somewhat bad-smelling
hoof is not necessarily a sign of infection. If you start to notice some strong smell along with black oozing liquid coming out of the hoof (see Figure 4), It is very likely that the hoof has an infection, such as thrush (see my article, “Stamp Out T rush,” in the January 2011 issue of Trail Blazer).—Monique Craig
hooves tend to contract further when shod with metal shoes. In my opinion, it is bet er to leave these types of hooves barefoot or use alternative protec- tion methods (boots or composite shoes.)—Monique Craig
Q
: What kind of hoof care would you do on a foundered horse? My farrier wants to put an iron shoe on him with a bar across it.
A: No shoe or trimming method (Figure 6) is of help to a foundered horse if the underlying cause of the laminitic epi- sode is not addressed. It is important to check for metabolic problems, such as in- sulin resistance, Cushing’s disease, thy- roid issues, etc. It is also very important to adjust the diet for a laminitic horse. My approach to laminitis is to lower the heels if the palmar angles are too high (Figure 7, and see Footnote 2) and sup- port the entire sole with an alternative shoeing system that facilitates good sup- port of the frog while allowing the hoof to f lex as intended.— Monique Craig
FIGURE 6: Laminitic hoof in a “banana” shoe. Its effi cacy is questionable!
62 | December 2011 •
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