The following assumptions will be made in order that we may discuss this subject with clarity and understanding:
1) Any trimming technique must do no harm.
2) Sound shoeing is always based upon a sound trim.
3) Each horse must be individually evaluated.
4) Solutions for each horse will be unique.
5) Conformation (structure) and gait (way of going) are highly heritable.
6) Domesticated horses are not like wild horses.
7) All domestic horses do not need shoeing.
Why Horseshoeing? Horse’s hooves need to be shod when:
1) Hoof wear exceeds hoof growth.
2) Hoof integrity is compromised.
3) Increased traction is desired.
4) Decreased traction is desired.
5) Skeletal support is desired.
6) Foot protection is desired.
7) Gait enhancement is desired.
Why Trimming Only? Horse’s hooves can be trimmed and not shod when:
1) Hoof wall growth exceeds wear.
2) Integrity of hoof will warrant trim only.
3) Conformation of horse will warrant trim only.
4) Use of horse will warrant trim only.
5) All hooves need attention every two months.
6) Problem feet need attention every month.
Why do some persons insist on a trim only?
1) They have been sold by a “trimmer.”
2) They have had a bad experience with a “shoer.”
3) They believe trimming is physically “easier.”
4) They believe trimming takes “less skill.”
5) They recognize they are not skilled in the farrier’s craft.
6) They focus on the foot and not the horse.
7) They believe fad promoters who say a horse never needs shoes.
What Constitutes a Sound Trim?
How to make a sound trim:
1) Evaluate the whole horse.
2) Cut enough off the hoof to create three- dimensional balance.
3) Do not cut the hoof so short that the sole is soft or it bleeds.
4) Align the base of the hoof perpendicular to the limb axis (X).
5) Align the hoof shape symmetrically to the center of the foot (Y).
6) Align the upper one-third of the hoof wall to the pastern axis (Z).
7) Round the edges of the wall if the horse is to go barefoot.
8) Be wary of fads that prescribe “one size fits all rules” such as “cut the heels down to the widest part of the frog” that ignore the horse’s conformation. (However, shoes can be fit to the widest point of the frog for support when warranted by the horse’s conformation.)
Summary
Wild horses do not make a good model for humane domestic horse care. Nature is not as humane as mankind can be. Fredrick Remington said, “Nature is not kind, indeed she is merciless.” Examples of feet from wild horses show the same results as severe neglect by humans. Horses in the wild do not live very long and often could be helped dramatically by a professional farrier.
If we use our common sense (horse sense) we will see when horses need to be shod and when they only need to be trimmed. Every horse has different needs. Horses with good quality hooves, that wear away at about the same rate they grow, and that are ridden in low abrasion environments, may never need shoeing. All hooves need attention at least every two months. Problem feet need monthly attention.
Modern domesticated horses resulting from our poor breeding choices often are unsound for the uses intended for them. This situation combined with unwise husbandry practices makes it necessary to shoe most performance horses today. Evaluation of the whole horse by a professional horse-shoer is often the only viable solution for soundness.
For more information on hoof trimming, consult The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3).
