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By Steve Norman
My work at the Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky always starts with the evaluation process. This is especially critical working with the foals, weanlings and yearlings. This is a process that includes the farm manager or staff member in charge of the particular horses I’m working on. In the very early stages, when confronted with serious conformation and hoof imbalance issues that may be better treated surgically, I will ask that a veterinarian be consulted. The pressure on all parties in dealing with high dollar bloodstock makes this type of cooperation critical.

There are many thoughts on the subject of break over as it pertains to the horse’s foot and limb function. I would like to discuss some of the options we have using modifications to keg shoes, as well as shoes manufactured with modifications built-in by the manufacturer. This is my opinion only but I do not like to set shoes back off the toe in most situations. I prefer to fit the foot and modify the shoe to alter break over of the foot.

By Bob Pethick, CJF APF Farriers should not be trying to straighten limbs in aged horses. You’re simply trying to make the horse comfortable for it’s conformation. To help a horse become comfortable, you need to limit hoof distortion by trimming the hoof to bear weight as evenly as possible. A farrier’s key to hoof