The above comparison is same day trim.  You can see the

improved hairline telling us the coffin bone was now in a position                      The lines above were just something I was

the coffin joint could be comfortable                                                                 playing with to see what things looked like.

                                                                                                                       When I took the trimmed picture the hoof was

                                                                                                                        forward so does not show that is was in the

                                                                                                                        heel weightbearing position in the heel

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The lines marked on the heels of this club foot are at the 1 1/8 inch

you can see how much heel was below over 1 1/2 inch was too long.

The heel was reduced in stages of the trim but, on the same day.  You

can see the heel is about 1/4 inch longer then the heel mark.

THIS IS THE STORY OF FRANCESCO

     The above pictures are of the 1st trim by us on a lipizzaner who was lame for over a year.  The orthopedic shoer trimmed the other normal hooves correctly but did not know in his 18 years of shoeing farriery how to trim and deal with a grade 4 club foot.  He had set up the clubfoot hoof with a wedged, padded, and shod with toe clips. The heels were extremely tall and the toe had a deep split halfway up the dorsal wall.  After removing the shoe and balancing the hoof, the leg that had been stood up nearly 2 inches higher then the other front leg, settled down to equal balance in 2 days.   The collage above demonstrates this.

      The toe area of the club foot  had a trench like shape that was filled with matted sole tubules.  These tubules looked like straw and fell out in 2 days leaving a deep indent into the soles toe.  This was all caused by the toe wedge and flare the shoer had framed up.. 

     What was thrilling is this 1st trim resolved all the lingering lameness issues. He actually was never lame only was living with hoof a dangerous hoof shape.  Walking with an extremely high heel on one foot while the opposite was a normal height gave a false presence of lameness.   He was instantly more comfortable.

     I came back on the 2nd day to see how he was doing.  Put him in the arena and his bold large movement had returned.  Being a stalled horse for so long it was like he was reborn.  He charged, bucked and nearly ran me over with excitement and expression.  The stable owners and people who knew him were in shock that he could be so graceful and in just one trim!   And the owner who was giving him away now was keeping him and humbled by it all.

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     Though his heels were very high we reduced them to the level we do for clubs at this 1st trim.  Which is to add 1/4 inch longer then the normal 1 1/8 inch heel.  You can see above the mark on the heel that is at the 1 1/8 inch and the lower left  picture was after trimming 1/2 of that desired distance.  We then did leg stretches with him and walked him for a few minutes.  After trimming the other 3 hooves giving some time for the new heel to adjust we lowered the heel the rest of the way.  You can see in the side view picture of his feet that the hairline achieved the desired angle.  There was never a lame day after this trim.

Many trimmers are afraid to lower or roll back the heel purchase on these extreme heels afraid of forearm muscles could be overstretched or ligament troubles with sudden overstretching. I have never found this to happen.  With high heels I have found the shoulder lifts to compensate for the high heels pushing the leg up.  If you notice looking over the back from the rear of the horse and one scapula is higher, that most always is dropped once you balance the hooves heels.