Posted by Meg Oliver on November 12, 2001 at 10:11:48:
In Reply to: Re: cutting off heels posted by Patty Stiller on November 08, 2001 at 19:51:12:
: : Local vet wants me to cut off severely underrun heels on navicular horse THEN build them back up with SuperFast or Equibuild and shoe him full with an egg-bar or navicular shoe and pads.My brain does not like the idea of cutting off heels just to build em up again....except maybe to correct the hoof/pastern angle angle and give him a better base of support.What are your thoughts on this? MEG
: I do agree with trimming the heels back if they are tall or underrun. Either case will cause some dis-function in the entire rear of the foot and can actually contribute to the navicular syndrome or just heel pain in general.
: Remember that the outer hoof capsule(the wall and sole) need to be aligned with the coffin bone. Excess heel causes the hoof capsule to lose some of it's correct relationship with the bone.
: Though I agree with trimming the heels off, I partly disagree with the next step .
: If you build the heels back up on the wall only (with superfast), you just defeat the purpose of getting the base rearward and the heels where they belong. I trim them back, then IF a wedge is needed to align the bone column (and you will be surprized how many do not need a wedge once the frog is in gronund contact) I apply a *full* wedge support of some type that encorporates the bars and frog into the load bearing. If you use an egg bar or a navicular shoe with the frog just left suspended off the ground, the immediate results may seem fine but as the frog and digital cushion slowly prolapses through the shoe toward the ground the entire that causes other problems later.
: Full support and/or wedging can come from a system like EDSS , or Natural balance shoes with full wedge pads, or an egg bar set back so the breakover point is correct (wedge or flat depending on how thw bone column aligns after the trim) if you add the following: pads, preferably frog support, or the rear half of the shoe filled to the ground with equipack. The object is to get the base of suppoert rearward under the foot, then be sure the bone column is aligned, and support the frog if it cannot get to the ground with a shoe applied to the foot.
: There is a caveat in adding direct frog support to navicular horses. If the pathology (or the pain) is severe, they will not tolerate much frog support for a while.
: These will tell you this by a significant reaction to the hoof testers over the frog. If you get a severe reaction with the hoof testers before you apply the shoes, then the area will need correct alignment to relieve the stresses within, and need protction such as from a good wedge pad, but no direct support from the ground up through the frog, such as you would get with a castle frog support pad and dental impression material or from a theraflex pad . After the inflammation gets less as indicated by hoof testers and clinical evaluation ,then gentle frog support can be added.
: Though I know that other folks have different approaches that work well, this is the approach that has benefitted my clients the best.
: Patty
Thanks for the info, Patty. I used an oversized egg-bar shoe and built back the heels to bring the center of weight-bearing back. The feet looked good and the horse was no longer lame, so we shall see. Thanks for your suggestions...will keep them in mind for future shoeings.
Meg