Posted by Patty Stiller on June 06, 2000 at 22:30:24:
In Reply to: Re: Coffin bone bruising posted by judie brown on June 06, 2000 at 15:34:22:
: : I have been doing some endurance riding and have a concern about the Natural Balance shoe. I am hearing about endurance riders who have tried the NB shoe and have not had good results. They seem to feel that because the shoe covers the tip of the coffin bone, that bruising to the coffin bone occurs. Is it possible that this shoe, or any shoe set back far enough to cover the tip of the coffin bone, could cause bruising? These horses do 50 and 100 mile rides and I would like some input as to whether or not the NB shoe may not be the best choice for horses working that long and hard. Or, should the shoe (any brand) not be set back quite that far? Thank you for any help.
: I have an endurance rider friend that has has horrendous problems with bruised coffin bones. I do not think it is a result of the shoes as much as the improper application of the shoe. When horses have been long-toed (measuring over 1.5" from the tip of the frog to the front of the foot) for sometime they tend to have a sole that is closer to the ground than a short-toed horse...therefore care must be taken in trimming the foot as to not make the foot too short, meaning amount of sole that is left. The toe needs to be shortened, but the horse may have very little length of foot to trim and the sole plane may not be correct. To eliminate problems you should have your vet provide the farrier with lateral x-rays of both feet showing the amount of sole present, the length of toe and the angle of the bones...then the farrier can proceed in putting on the Natural Balance shoes. Additionally, I encourage all endurance riders to purchase a pair of hoof testers and learn to use them to diagonose the condition of your horses feet before any rides...by doing this simple procedure you can manage any lameness BEFORE it becomes a big problem...at the very least have your farrier use hoof testers before and after shoeing so you are aware of any soreness. I have used the NB shoes, front and rear, on horses that are ridden hard and lots of miles for several years and not had any problems. The NB shoe provides a great amount of protection to the coffin bone if applied correctly.
Judie is correct..it is the trimming and shoe application that is so important. There are some very specific princiles/guidelines in applying natural balance that must be understood by the farrier. Whether or not the shoe being used is a Natural balance shoe, or another type of shoe, if the breakover needs to be brought back behind the whiteline (as it often will in a long toed horse the first time) the healthy sole MUST be maintained in it's entire thickness. There is a sole callous which forms over the tip of the coffin bone that shouls be preserved.The sole muse NOT be concaved out or thinned by the farrier. Only the loose flakey layer should be removed. Actually, this principle applies even when the breakover point does not need to be moved back. The reason is that that sole callous both protects and supports the coffin bone within the hoof. If it is weakened, the bone will actually move downward within the capsule. Natural balance shoes are designed with a great sole relief area, which prevents pressure over the tip of the coffin bone, and protects it as well. I use them on horses to *treat* pedal osteitis and bruised feet for that very reason. If you want to locate a farrier who is familiar with natural balance, go to the tech help area of this website and look there. There is a list of farriers, by state, who have either been to a clinic(s) or at least use the products.
Patty