Hoof to Body Correlation
Here are the photos I have compiled of 24 horses including my own 3 horses. There are a lot more I have, but I think you get the point for this educational purpose. These are their body photos and also their hoof photos so you can see the correlation between an unhealthy hoof and the body stance that results from it.
A huge thank you to my clients & friends for sending me photos, allowing me to take photos so that others can learn as you have. By doing this, you help other horses and there are owners and horses all over who are grateful for you!
Let’s dive in! Some of the “goat on rock” stances are worse than others, some are subtle. Eventually long term goat stances will shift to being parked out as the hoof moves towards laminitis. Founder and navicular are really inevitable when the hoof capsule is so squished as my horses were – which is why I made the changes I did after their increased body pain, behavior issues such as moodieness, bucking me off, cross firing, tripping/limping on tiny stones, developing what the chiro thought was kissing spine and more. It really was only a matter of time as I’ve witnessed in other horses. Dealing with founder/laminitis in the past with my Arabian and now remembering how her hooves were at the time she did; they had the same core issues.
A couple of these horses pictured I have never put hands on because they are scattered throughout the United States, but most of them I have put hands on. Some are California, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, Indiana and more.
This goes to show that it’s a crisis across the board in regards to hoof care because while each hoof may look different to you, the core missing elements are all the same which causes the same result, the same muscle soreness and many of the same behavior issues. Many of these owners had farriers who saw no problems with these hooves and in my own case, my farrier said “Now that’s a good hoof right there.” When in fact, it was a very unhealthy hoof.
Each hoof you see pictured here is lacking caudal (hind part) of the hoof (and all the elements that make up the caudal portion) which is the most important part for support and suspension of the body. No, it’s not all about the toe and “bringing it back” of the horse and don’t be deceived and hopeful like I was at first in regards to my own horses. There are times they will seem to get better (see Cocoa’s collage & stance) but then as her heels were continually trimmed out, down and hoof capsule squished she started to get worse again.
While I am not the perfect artist, this does give you a general idea. Use the links at bottom of page to learn how to mark up your own hooves or have them marked up for you by the person who coaches me. Some of these photos are marked on the body which shows tight or sore areas based on the massage session I did. You can see the areas tend to be very similar for all of them that stand this way and the root of that.
Some horses do somehow manage to square and stand “normally” even with these key elements missing, which is why it is super important to take progressional photos periodically so you are at eye level with the hoof as well as know what characteristics of an unhealthy and healthy hoof are.
A couple key elements to look for that are characteristics of an unhealthy hoof are:
*toe angle doesn’t match heel angle (see tubules in hoof wall – some of which are marked and they crush under as they move to the rear of the hoof)
*stretched periople down the front of the hoof (cuticle like skin) it should be at the coronary band with no stretch
*hairline that drops to the ground
When this is the case, the DFT (digital flexor tendon) is so pulled/overstretched under that stretching of the front legs has to be minimal or non existent. This is why I personally had to make changes with my own horses because their behaviors and body responses forced me to. The differences in one year since I’ve taken over the trimming of my horses are absolutely incredible, and from all progressional photos not just this side one. I take the exact same photos every pre and post trim to see if I’m making progress or not.
Let’s take a look at Sis because her hooves were so unhealthy because she is a really good example of the healthy changes in one year, even though she is still not where she should be. None of this was pointed out to me or even mentioned at her trims.
This video overlay shows you where she was on 6/7/20 (just 5 days after her last trim with “professional”) to pre trim 6/26/21 a year later with me trimming after that point. We can see she has all the unhealthy characteristics and then some. She had non existent frogs from being trimmed out (heels constantly being taken to what wimpy frog was there) AND had wall separation from the sole as well as this dish we see in the toe, a sign that points to laminitis or the possibility of it. This continues to shrink the hoof capsule and the entire internal structure of the hoof. Watch here and see how scary similar her hoof was!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KELCKd5VzfA
Within twelve weeks of initial growth of sole depth she needed Sis wasn’t tripping on rocks. She had winced in pain on them for the whole three years prior I owned her. My horses don’t stand like a goat on rock anymore (no it’s not a sleeping stance) and I haven’t been bucked off at a show since. ???fingers crossed now that I said that. They’ve been less spooky as the pain has lessened and the anxiety I saw coming back in Sis last year (that goes to her stomach!!) went away once again.
I owe my “trim” (I barely took any hoof every 6 weeks cuz so much had to grow back) instructions to my amazing friend at THE BAREFOOT HORSE who has coached me. I send pictures. She sends instructions. I trim. I sent back pictures and DONE. It’s absurd that I “the owner” should be getting these types of results and aside from sweating and squatting, it is quite easy when you’re only doing your own. I’ve paid for the tools, my time & my coach. That’s it. SO WORTH IT ??
If you’ve made it this far reading…..“way to go!!” I’m giving you an air five because you are wanting to learn! I just want you to see that this is really common and bring awareness to your own barn so that you start noticing the subtle changes or differences if it applies to your horse. May we as owners not always take what is told us at face value and do a little digging into learning, questioning and then making decisions from there.
FURTHER LINKS
Hoof course for owners and farriers alike
The importance of the frog stay
Heel distortion 1 minute simulation
Heel distortion 5 minute tutorial
How to take your own progessional videos – Here I am with Sis!