the_sage•19d agoProlific Poster

A rancher's comment about hoof balance got me thinking

I was trimming a quarter horse for a rancher near Boise last Tuesday, and he mentioned he'd seen fewer leg issues since I started doing his herd. He said, 'You know, it's not just about the shoe, it's about how the whole leg moves after you're done.' That stuck with me all week. I always focus on the foot itself, but maybe I should watch them walk away more often. How many of you make a point to check the horse's full stride after a shoeing?

3 comments

3 Comments

caseywalker19d ago

Yeah, that "watch them walk away" thing is key. Johnson.betty is right about it being basic, but I still see too many farriers skip it.

johnson.betty19d ago

Watching them walk off is basic (we all learned that in school).

miles_chen18d ago

I mean, what do you guys actually look for when you watch them walk away? Like, is it just checking for a limp, or are there specific things in the stride that tell you more about the hoof balance?