Wow, nice hoof!

[fourhooves]

I was trimming our old trusty mount the other day and saw that his hoof wall looked about 1/2 in thick in the rear! That should give some protection, ah? What tests do you have for sole thickness? I pushed with the point of my hoof pick on the sole as hard as I could and he didn't even notice.

[Forgewizard]

So where is your photo?

Were you measuring the wall thickness from an exact 90 degree cut or from an oblique cut? an oblique cut will measure thicker than a 90 degree cut, but the 90 degree cut is the true measure.

Please post the photo of this "wow" hoof!

But not to burst your bubble- a wall a half inch thick is NOT considered an great wall- just a normal wall for an average sized horse.

Regards,
Kim

[fourhooves]

I'll have to get one for you, Kim. ;) I have some older ones...

[calshoer]

I pushed with the point of my hoof pick on the sole as hard as I could and he didn't even notice. Well I should hope he didn't notice. If he could feel that, consider his thousand pounds loading down on a little bitty rock . That is probably hundreds times more pressure on a spot of sole than you can aplly with your hoof pick in your hand.
Patty

[sebocats]

She had an interesting questions about gaguing sole thickness - I am new at this and I am not familiar with all of the correct terminology, so please don't hurt me, but can't you tell something about sole thickness by looking at the grooves in the sole that run alongside the frog?

Also, when you are trimming, assuming your horse has a very clean foot (mine have been standing in snow for a few months) how can you tell what is live sole and what is dead?

I do trim my own horse now more out of need than not (no available farriers) but I don't mess with the sole yet. Granted, my horses' feet are far from perfect, but I am making an attempt to learn as much as I can as soon as I can, I am also scheduled for a Pete Ramey clinic in June.

[calshoer]

She had an interesting questions about gaguing sole thickness - I am new at this and I am not familiar with all of the correct terminology, so please don't hurt me, but can't you tell something about sole thickness by looking at the grooves in the sole that run alongside the frog?Not really. You CAN tell if there is retained ,extra dead sole by the depth right at the frog apex.
Also, when you are trimming, assuming your horse has a very clean foot (mine have been standing in snow for a few months) how can you tell what is live sole and what is dead? Live sole has a smooth waxy appearance, similar to a fresh cut potato. Dead sole has small fissures, cracks, chalky .
I do trim my own horse now more out of need than not (no available farriers) but I don't mess with the sole yet. Granted, my horses' feet are far from perfect, but I am making an attempt to learn as much as I can as soon as I can, I am also scheduled for a Pete Ramey clinic in June.You picked a terrific barefoot clinician. He will teach you a lot.
Patty