18 September 2010
I have lamented the fact that that every horse that has been presented to me with a suspensory issue, that was wearing barshoes, have all gotten sounder once I have been allowed to take the barshoes off. This was triggered by yet another horse that came to me with a hind limb suspensory issue that was "treated" with barshoes. The horse was so sore behind that he was a fight from the word go to the point where we had to lip chain the poor bugger to get him to stand. We reset him yesterday and he stood like a broke horse should. Amazing how good they can be when they don't hurt. Yet farriers, veterinarians and trainers still hold to the theory that the best thing for a suspensory issue is a stinking barshoe.
While I'll admit it's a stupid looking shoe and not the prettiest one I have ever made, sadly it's the only picture I have of what Big Roy Proctor called a "run down shoe." I call it a suspensory shoe. I have no idea what the French call it but thanks to Greg Gilchrist, I know that they manufacture such thing for the same purpose, so I know I'm not completely crazy. Further, for all I know, I have a 100% success rate with the thing. That is to say every horse that I have put this type of shoe on to help with a suspensory issue has gotten "better." Keeping in mind that nothing is perfect or is going to work and that part of the success of this shoe depends on proper hoof prep.
The theory behind it is that the broad toe and the tapered heels create a lower capsular angel when the hoof is loaded, thus taking the strain off of the suspesory ligaments of the lower limb. One thing Greg Gilchrist did note in our conversation about this shoe that you had the potential of irritating the coffin joint on the effected limb. I can't say that I have had that problem, but I have only applied it to two horses that have remained in work, both were horses with hind suspensory issues. Of the ones that had front suspensory issues, they were all on extended lay up, so I can't really comment to that.
While I'll admit it's a stupid looking shoe and not the prettiest one I have ever made, sadly it's the only picture I have of what Big Roy Proctor called a "run down shoe." I call it a suspensory shoe. I have no idea what the French call it but thanks to Greg Gilchrist, I know that they manufacture such thing for the same purpose, so I know I'm not completely crazy. Further, for all I know, I have a 100% success rate with the thing. That is to say every horse that I have put this type of shoe on to help with a suspensory issue has gotten "better." Keeping in mind that nothing is perfect or is going to work and that part of the success of this shoe depends on proper hoof prep. The theory behind it is that the broad toe and the tapered heels create a lower capsular angel when the hoof is loaded, thus taking the strain off of the suspesory ligaments of the lower limb. One thing Greg Gilchrist did note in our conversation about this shoe that you had the potential of irritating the coffin joint on the effected limb. I can't say that I have had that problem, but I have only applied it to two horses that have remained in work, both were horses with hind suspensory issues. Of the ones that had front suspensory issues, they were all on extended lay up, so I can't really comment to that.
Labels: shoes for issues
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