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?

4 comments

4 Comments

caseywalker2mo 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.betty2mo ago

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

miles_chen2mo 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?

caseywalker5d ago

Nah, I gotta push back a little on that. Watching them walk off isn't just basic, it's where you actually separate the okay work from the good work. For me, @miles_chen, I'm watching the whole rear end track the front feet, not just a limp. If the back foot lands way wide or crosses over, that tells me there's a medial/lateral balance issue I missed. A short toe on the stride? Might be too much toe or the horse is landing heel first. You can spot that breakover problem just by watching the hoof lift instead of the foot plant. It's subtle stuff, not just "yep, no limp, good to go.