Quick Explanation of Sole Depth Assessment for Hoof Balance

[@PiXie232]

How do wild horses not have any issues (or not typically) with their un-shoed hooves, but horses that people own and use for work have to have shoes put on?

[@hoofcaretv]

It is a combination of many aspect that include but are not limited to the quality of the foot they have developed from birth, due to living in the wild vs. a domestic environment, the condition of their feet in a feral environment where they get 5 - 20 miles of activity a day vs. a stalled environment where activity is far less and usually in less abrasive or challenging terrains, and it has to do with what domestic horses are asked to do vs. wild horses, as far as types of movements, speeds of moments and overall demands placed upon the feet, limbs and body. Domestic horses have many unnatural demands of activity and movement that wild horses do not, yet they tend to not have had the ability to develop as strong of a foot as wild horses due to their more guarded upbringing. Many domestic horses do great barefoot for the demands asked of them and for the time dedicated to help them establish a more suitable foot, but many domestic horses do not possess the same quality of structures, have a too varied environment they must work on, or have physical demands that are greater than their feet can hold up to, so GOOD shoeing is the best and most humane way to care for these animals.

[@Max-cd8fm]

I'm told to leave the sole in my drafts feet but take it down in my regular horse's feet...why am I being told this ? The drafts obviously need plenty of wall, but why would the theory be any different for breeds ?

[@LamenessPreventionOrg]

That would be a good question for you farrier, as he may have a reason that he see's in your horse's feet that require sole to be exfoliated from some and not others. I don't know of a specific breed issue that would make that a hard and fast rule. If anything, there is probably more of an environmental aspect that would be applied to some horses and not others, otherwise the amount of sole material to exfoliate should be based on a foot by foot situation and even that might change from one trimming/shoeing to the next. Regardless, the sole is one part of the foot that needs to be evaluated each and every time, and what the ELPO teaches is guidelines on how to evaluate the various parts of the foot and then make the best choices on how to trim (or not trim) each of those parts. Hope that helps.

[@Max-cd8fm]

@ 3 farriers gave me 3 different answers. Now it's done, found a 4th farriers who cleaned the sole and frog...looks great !!