Phebes hooves look very different from Arabee's, especially from midway back towards the heel. This is probably (maybe?) because I'm still working out flaring in her front feet, so I don't feel at this point Arabee can be self-maintaining yet, I don't think we've reached optimal hoof shape yet.
On Arabee I can definitely see a line that keeps getting lower and lower with each trim of tight and close hoof growth vs. where the flare is growing out.
Also, I've got Arabee's heels trimmed even with the sole and it looks like Phebes's heel walls extend a bit past the sole. But she must be going sound, so it is working for you! I try really hard to line everything up with the sole, and I don't bother "scraping" away "dead" sole - I let her wear that away on her own time.
This is tough because it seems like everything I'm dealing with is TINY, but yet big (important). If Arabee's tender or lame, it's SLIGHT, if I have the trim perfect or a little off, it's SLIGHT. How do you determine what's a perfect trim for the individual horse, when any changes in gait or whatever seem so minute?
For me, barefoot trimming has been greatly rewarding, yet frustrating!
I saw your link to the hoofrehab site and I read this article w/ the link posted above about frog trimming because of you sending that link.
It is amazing to me that they are so willing to share their knowledge about hoof trimming when they could just make people pay to go to clinics and get books and videos. It's a great service to the horse public!
Anyway, this article made me think of the hoof discussion on here. I think it both supports and refutes some of the stuff each person is saying, but acknowledges that there is a fine line and each horse is an individual.
Thanks for posting up the hoofrehab link and your hoof pictures!!
Pete Ramey is the best out there in the field of barefoot trimming methods and rehab inparticular. There are other schools of thought, and I feel that you can take what you want from each of those. My husband has spent a lot of money on learning what Ramey has too offer. He took his original class from an instructor certified by Martha Olivio, but as he progressed he picked up ideas from Jamie Jackson and Pete Ramey. Ramey has done more for the public understanding of hoof function than anybody I know. There are vets out there that do not have the expertise of the hoof structure, the mechanics of how the hoof works, and the pathology of the hoof. The article you read is the basis of support for why we leave the sole alone, other than to find where the live sole plane is, and why we do not cut back the frog, and further why we are so particular about what we feed our horses, diets low in NSC's. Is Ramey's way the only way? It is the only way for my horses, but there are other valid arguments, and as you say, sometimes the differences are so small, we should each go our own way, doing what we feel is best for our horses. I don't think one person who has ever stopped by here has anything but the best interest of their horse in mind. We just might go about that in a slightly different way. That is A-okay :)
If you get the chance...look at my post on current tack. Potato Richardson posted a response. There is a link there for a free download of his advice on endurance riding. I purchased the DVD a couple years ago, and it was kind of cute. You might get a kick out of it. Mine has since been sold on Ebay, or I'd just give it to you. Good to see Arabee got out and about today! ~E.G.
Thanks for the pictures!
ReplyDeletePhebes hooves look very different from Arabee's, especially from midway back towards the heel. This is probably (maybe?) because I'm still working out flaring in her front feet, so I don't feel at this point Arabee can be self-maintaining yet, I don't think we've reached optimal hoof shape yet.
On Arabee I can definitely see a line that keeps getting lower and lower with each trim of tight and close hoof growth vs. where the flare is growing out.
Also, I've got Arabee's heels trimmed even with the sole and it looks like Phebes's heel walls extend a bit past the sole. But she must be going sound, so it is working for you! I try really hard to line everything up with the sole, and I don't bother "scraping" away "dead" sole - I let her wear that away on her own time.
This is tough because it seems like everything I'm dealing with is TINY, but yet big (important). If Arabee's tender or lame, it's SLIGHT, if I have the trim perfect or a little off, it's SLIGHT. How do you determine what's a perfect trim for the individual horse, when any changes in gait or whatever seem so minute?
For me, barefoot trimming has been greatly rewarding, yet frustrating!
http://www.hoofrehab.com:80/frogtrim.htm
ReplyDeleteI saw your link to the hoofrehab site and I read this article w/ the link posted above about frog trimming because of you sending that link.
It is amazing to me that they are so willing to share their knowledge about hoof trimming when they could just make people pay to go to clinics and get books and videos. It's a great service to the horse public!
Anyway, this article made me think of the hoof discussion on here. I think it both supports and refutes some of the stuff each person is saying, but acknowledges that there is a fine line and each horse is an individual.
Thanks for posting up the hoofrehab link and your hoof pictures!!
Nicole,
ReplyDeletePete Ramey is the best out there in the field of barefoot trimming methods and rehab inparticular. There are other schools of thought, and I feel that you can take what you want from each of those. My husband has spent a lot of money on learning what Ramey has too offer. He took his original class from an instructor certified by Martha Olivio, but as he progressed he picked up ideas from Jamie Jackson and Pete Ramey. Ramey has done more for the public understanding of hoof function than anybody I know. There are vets out there that do not have the expertise of the hoof structure, the mechanics of how the hoof works, and the pathology of the hoof. The article you read is the basis of support for why we leave the sole alone, other than to find where the live sole plane is, and why we do not cut back the frog, and further why we are so particular about what we feed our horses, diets low in NSC's. Is Ramey's way the only way? It is the only way for my horses, but there are other valid arguments, and as you say, sometimes the differences are so small, we should each go our own way, doing what we feel is best for our horses. I don't think one person who has ever stopped by here has anything but the best interest of their horse in mind. We just might go about that in a slightly different way. That is A-okay :)
If you get the chance...look at my post on current tack. Potato Richardson posted a response. There is a link there for a free download of his advice on endurance riding. I purchased the DVD a couple years ago, and it was kind of cute. You might get a kick out of it. Mine has since been sold on Ebay, or I'd just give it to you. Good to see Arabee got out and about today! ~E.G.