Posted by Patty Stiller on January 08, 2003 at 23:08:20:
In Reply to: Re: The meaning of common phrases. posted by Bill A. on January 03, 2003 at 02:07:02:
: : When I was in farrier school more than a decade ago the instructor hammered home the phrase, "Shape the shoe to fit the foot." I always considered this sound advice until recently. I was asked to look at a foundered horse at a farm that had over 150 head. Several farriers worked there and many horses got little attention other than at feeding time. As this horse was walked towards me I could see the extra long toe had been turning up for some time now. I was told that the horse had been shod about two weeks earlier but there was no improvement. I found it hard to believe he had been shod just two weeks prior since I could see the sole surface as the horse approached. Then I saw it, just a shimmer at first, then the toe of a shoe. Shaped as pretty as can be to fit the hoof, curled toe and all. I am certain that my instructor did not mean for me to shape a shoe to a neglected hoof and then nail it on. How could someone misunderstand the phrase, "Shape the shoe to fit the foot."
: : Simple, we are not all working from the same starting point. All this farrier knew was "Shape the shoe to fit the foot." My instructor meant, trim a hoof into balance taking into consideration all aspects of the horses way of going and his intended use, then shape an appropriately selected shoe to fit that properly trimmed and balanced hoof and nail it on.
: : Most of the back and forth that occurs on these boards is because there isn't a common starting point or a common foundation associated with certain terminology. "Shape the shoe to fit the foot", takes on a whole new meaning when you have too "balance" the foot first. If the application of proper balance isn't considered first in any remedy then it is unlikely that an in depth explanation of "Shape the shoe to fit the foot" will result in much more improvement than the original phrase.
: : Paul
:
: Paul,
: You've led me to think, maybe, "Shape the shoe to fit the Horse".
: What a concept!! We should should start a big division in the Farrier industry! We can have web sites and everything!
: But seriously, sounds like your on the right track. I was taught the same thing, and lived to tell about it.
: Hang in,
: Bill
Twenty years ago I had an instructor who used a lot of the same tired sayings, with no concept or decent explanation about the real meaning of them.
With nothing but common sense on my side I told him (way back then) that it appeared the more we shaped to the foot, the more we were really shaping to a 'man made' form that was getting more man made with every shoeing. (this based on the fact that every horse in the school's student reproitore had roughly the same shape feet...diamond keg shoe shape on both front and hinds, and all growing a bit pointy toed as time went on ).
The instructor of course told me (the student) to shut up(as many folks still tell me) and I did.
I now firmly believe that the shoe should be shaped to compliment the INTERNAL foot structures, exactly the same as the hoof wall will shape itself if left barefoot and self maintained with short. continually worn walls and lots of exercise. Something far more intellegent than any human designed it that way.
Paty