The notches around the defect were about 3/16 inch. I find when these fill with PMMA is seems solid, while smaller anchor points might not be stabile enough.
If the horse responds really well and the activity level increases, I might put more impression material under the plate on the medial side (potentially before the next shoeing). The level of work will be determined by the horse's comfort level as well as maintaining positioning of P3, as radiographs are easily obtained at this farm. While the heel is "floated" now, it doesn't have to stay that way. The repair might also keep the coronet from sinking down, which can be as much of a problem as jamming up.

The sole does communicate with the submural cavity, so medication can be applied as needed. The residue drained out of the sole defect.

I might try to keep this repair on for 2 shoeings before changing it. The difficulty is the direction of heel growth as well as the small amount of hoof remaining at the ground level. It may need to be changed at the 4 week mark.

Nice work Pat. Was the purpose of this patch to provide support for the coronary area?

Nice work Pat. Was the purpose of this patch to provide support for the coronary area?

When an abscess breaks out at the coronet, the underlying tissue is often inflammed. The proximal hoof is a sharp edge and can further damage (or at least irritate) the coronet. Grooving makes the hoof less rigid, and it would seem reasonable that this might reduce the pressure on the coronet. Since the hoof wall in this area is already detached, I don't think much hoof stability is sacrificed.