Heresy?

Heresy on a Monday morning...or the Rockley version of reality.  Its not gospel, its not written in stone, its not golden rules (except perhaps the last one) but its true nonetheless and may be worth considering.

• Hooves which look strange and are asymmetric can function better for some horses than hooves which appear "perfectly balanced" to the human eye.

• Many barefoot horses in work will benefit from not being trimmed every 6-8 weeks.  This is particularly true if the farrier or trimmer is determined to "re-balance" the hoof or trims sole or frog.

• Celery is an extremely useful, though currently under-rated, trimming tool.  Its not always applicable, but it can be a lot safer than the alternative.

• Hooves which are rapidly changing don't always benefit from trimming. This horse, for instance, will continue to grow hoof at the new angle despite the long toe of his old hoof capsule.  Backing up the toe would reduce leverage but put huge stress on his ligaments and is likely to make him much more uncomfortable. 

• Infection in frogs need to be dealt with but aren't going to benefit from being carved out.  The horse is not loading the area because its sore, so making it more sore isn't a solution - the frog needs more engagement, not less, if its to regain long term good health.

• You will never improve a horse's soundness by imposing your own ideas of foot balance or trimming to the detriment of the horse's comfort.  Horses suffering from soreness after trims are just that - sore - its not a "post trim reaction", its an injury.  Thats not a beneficial thing, its a mistake  - and sometimes a serious mistake. The horse really does know more about his feet than you do - so LISTEN.