Posted by Patty Stiller on April 22, 2004 at 10:02:11:
In Reply to: Retained Sole posted by Scott on April 20, 2004 at 07:27:04:
: I attended a horse sale in Ohio where horses from Wyoming were being auctioned. One of my regular customers baught a two year old gelding and she asked if I would trim the horse. Half way through the trim she informed me the horse had to go back out west until July for some more training. When I began the trim what I saw on all feet was more retained sole than I had ever come across on any other horse. The retaine sole was so thick it was like the horse was walking around on snow balls packed into the bottom of the hoof. The seller/trainer/clinician/farrier promptly came over and said "don't take out too much retained sole or hoof or we'll have to put iron on this horse". My question is first, is this a normal pratice for western barefoot horses in order to keep them barefoot and second, can you give me more background on retained sole, ie how does it happen. Havn't been able to find very much info on it. I know when I was a Gene's clinic in PA last year we came across horses with retained sole and we promptly trimmed it out to standard NB protocol. Sorry for the long post, thanks.
What I have found here in Colorado is that the hooves will retain sole periodically depending on the season and apparently as the foot needs the extra protection. Then after a time the sole just becomes so thick is simply has to begin to let go of thick layers.If I follow the foot's own lead it wqorks out prety well for this rocky geography if they are barefoot. When the retained sole is really ready to go I can grasp it with the nipper corner and peel it out pretty easily.
Now if Iam *shoeing* the horse rather than barefoot, I take the retained sole out even if it seems to be not quite ready on it's own.
So it seems to be the best plan in this environemnt if barefoot to wait until a layer or more shows a little sepration at the toe corner sole/wall junction when you explore there with just the tip ofthe knife. Then it peels out easily without paring through it. When it is reqady to go like that, it can and should be removed. They may go through a day or two of toughening, but it is usually fine. Now if the horse in question is going into training back ina place like Wyoming it might behoove (pun intended ) the new owner to shoe him rather than try to work him in that environment barefot. Patty .