Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Buster does it better than bar shoes

Time for a Buster update - he has been here 5 weeks and its high time for new hoof photos.  When he arrived he was in bar shoes, which were intended to stabilise the weak back of his foot.
Bar shoes have their uses, perhaps, but if a foot is weak, it can only become stronger by developing internally.  Bar shoes stabilise, but they also effectively prevent frog function and any sort of shock absorption by the back of the hoof - both of which are essential for good hoof function. 
Proper rehabilitation does allow the foot to improve - starting with the frog, heels and bars.  This is the change over just 5 weeks...
Buester's toe is still too long and the back of his hoof will continue to improve, as will the wall separation - that's just the result of the nail holes and isn't really a worry. 
Look at his hoof from the palmar/caudal view...
...out of the bar shoe, critical frog and digital cushion development can now happen. 

From the lateral view, a shorter toe and lower heels are the key - again, lots more improvement to come.  Its not trimming which has done this, but developing and strengthening the hoof.

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