Low Heel/Long Toe Hoof Imbalance
Horses with underrun heels and excessively long toes are very common. Traditional farrier practices and modern equine management have made this condition commonplace. Below you will find a few extreme examples of horses with this condition. Proper shoeing with Natural Balance principles can significantly improve soundness and hoof quality.
A long toe perpetuates a low heel due to the fact that the long toe applies more pressure on the heels. This pressure tends to make the hoof grow horizontally instead of vertically. These horses tend to be flat footed, thin soled, and display sensitivity over varied terrain. Proper trimming and placement of breakover will prevent this condition.
Below are pics of a 6 yr old APHA mare. She has a history of being thin soled, low heeled and long toed. Her breakover has been placed too far forward, causing undue stress on the lateral cartilages and giving this mare discomfort. Notice the irregular growth rings on the hoof wall and the extreme disconnection of the lateral hoof wall. This condition is well advanced in this mare. This mare's hooves were extremely spread and 'pancaked'. Improper shoeing has perpetuated her condition and driven the heel and toe further forward.
Notice the poor shoe placement and breakover much too far forward. Anterior and posterior balance preshoeing is approximately 90% to 10%, optimum ratio is at least 50% anterior and 50% posterior. For more information, see the balanced breakover page.
Above is the mare barefoot, pretrim. This mare's hoof wall is in exceedingly poor condition, and white line disease is present.
Above is the mare's left front foot after installing the EDSS system. She is wearing the natural balance shoe, small rails and frog supports. I suspect we may need to install the medium rails and frog supports after the mare has had an opportunity to acclimate to this radical change. Anterior and posterior hoof balance were restored to nearly 50/50.
Both front hooves after installing the EDSS shoes, natural balance wedge pad, magic cushion and small rails and frog supports. Mare has shown immediate improvement. Breakover has been moved back approximately an inch. She is wearing a shoe that is 2 sizes smaller than her previous farrier had used.
Photos below are the same mare, 7 weeks wearing the EDSS system. She has displayed much improved soundness. She is now wearing the medium rail and frog supports. This has significantly improved her comfort and relieved the stress on the deep digital flexor tendon and the lateral cartilages.
The photo above is one foot reset, the other not yet done. It is a great illustration of how the hoof is growing down from the coronet band in a more connected fashion. Notice the top of the hoof that is healthy growth, and then the prior distortion from there down. This mare is clearly making progress in growing a healthier, more connected hoof. This mare also happens to be heavy in foal right now, so she will need a strong foundation to hold up her large frame and foal weight.
Watch for continued updates.
