Posted by Phil Armitage on April 23, 2004 at 00:18:51:
In Reply to: Contracted heels on rear feet posted by RodinKY on April 22, 2004 at 19:25:04:
: I have a six year old TWH stallion that I purchased last September, his shoes were removed in September and I had a new farrier trim him last evening. He told me the horse has contracted heels on his rear feet due to the way he had been shod previously. I want to keep him barefoot like my other horses, the farrier didn't do or say that I needed to do anything to correct this. Will his heels correct themselves?
If it was caused by poor trimming and your farrier is now trimming him right, then the heels might expand without havning to put shoes and/or pads on . Sometimes it takes shoes and frog support to get the frog in play again for proper circulation and expand the heels. Only time will tell and as your farrier get more familiar with his feet he should be able to give you a better answer. I suggest that you ask your farrier what he has in mind.
Phil