Natural Barefoot Trimming

First Trim (Aug 11, 2009)

I didn't intend this to be a case study when I took this photo.  It was the first time I had ever worked on the mare, and I only took photos so that I could show the progress to the owners.  However, the condition of the hoof after the second trim made me decide it was interesting and informative enough to be a case study.

The horse foundered 5 years ago.  Thankfully, her owners decided to leave her barefoot and not use shoes.  She had another founder episode a couple years ago.

The photo shows high heels, a horizontal coronary band, and severe hoof deformity.  Radiographs taken at the time indicated rotation.  I was concerned about the integrity of the coffin bone, but the owners had radiographs taken this year which show the coffin bone to be intact, with a minor 'ski-tip'.  I feel the prognosis is good for complete recovery.

The trim consisted of removing wall standing above the sole from 8 to 4 o'clock, backing the toe as much as possible, and leaving the sole and heels completely alone.

Second Trim (Sep 25, 2009)

The photo on the right was taken after the second trim, and it was only after I looked at it that I realized how much change had actually occurred!  The angle of the coronary band is normal - in only 6 weeks.  And to accomplish that the hoof rid itself of a significant amount of heel. 

The photo below shows the sole after this trim and it can be seen that I only trimmed one area where there was a point. The rest had broken off on its own - despite the fact the horse is kept on soft ground (wood shavings known as hogs fuel) and her stall is matted.  She is free to move at will.  The ground she's standing on in the photos is the most harsh she has access to.

The trim was basically the same as before - taking down wall standing above the sole, this time from 9 to 3 (as the foot itself had removed the rest), backing the toe to the edge of the sole, leaving the sole alone, and trimming only one point off the heel.

Third Trim (Nov 15, 2009)

Theses photo were taken in less than ideal conditions - it was a dark rainy day in a dark stall, and I didn't realize it at the time, but the foot moved during the lateral shot.  Still it does show that more hoof has grown out at a much better angle.  A good sign.  It can also be seen that the heels are forward of where they should be, but they were not trimmed, as they are just above the sole and it's of primary importance to keep the horse as comfortable as possible and moving!

What is really encouraging is the concavity has returned!  The photo below clearly shows the huge improvement from flat, compacted sole to a concave sole.  The frog is also wider at the base than previously.  The frog is stretched but should be more normal at the next trim.

As with the first two trims, this trim was very minimal with most of the work being done on the toe. The horse is moving very well, and  can now take sharp turns without any sign of lameness.

Fourth Trim (Jan 18, 2010)

This photo was taken after the fourth trim.  The growth rings show that heel growth has slowed and is more equal with toe growth.  If you look at the very first photo you can see that heel growth was just running away and the toe growth wasn't making much progress.  The hoof is still too high in the heels, but is progressing.  Just as important is that the horse is comfortable and moving freely, and even gaiting again (she is a Paso Fino).

Many trimmers would try to force the heels lower in an effort to "fix" the foot. But remember, someone did that for 5 years with the result being what you see in the very first photo.  In order for the foot to grow correctly (reattach the coffin bone) the internal structures must heal.   The foot needs help - but we need to listen to WHAT it needs (it tells us) and not just force our ideas onto it.

Remember that the foot has been in this state for five years, and a lot of damage has been done. We can only guess at how much tissue has died, how many blood vessels have been damaged, etc. by the constant pressure of the coffin bone. If the founder was more recent, things would move along much faster.

Also in the lateral shot, a lot of the distorted toe was able to be removed, which will allow the new wall to grow in with less leverage forces.  Again, we waited to do this until the foot said it was ready - thereby allowing the horse to become more comfortable with each trim.  The greater the comfort of the horse the faster real healing is taking place.

The sole shot shows an even greater decontraction and a healthier frog than after the last trim.  And you can see that I was able to  trim the heels somewhat.  I anticipate being able to take even more off the heels at the next trim.  If you compare the sole view to the left (from the side) with the same view above from the previous trim, it's apparent that the sole is moving into a more normal position.  At the previous trim, even though there was concavity, the sole was bending downward at the toe.  (The sole looks discolored but when I went to get the camera, the owner poured Thrush Buster on the frog making the foot purple.) 

As evidenced by the frog, there is quite a bit of built up sole.  This should begin to diminish as the foot becomes healthier.

Fifth Trim (Feb 28, 2010)

This photo shows a much more natural angle than the previous trim.  Also apparent is the lack of ridges in the newer growth.  This trim is really a turning point as this was the first time that the sole was crumbling and could be removed.  A clear sign that normal function is returning and that things are improving internally.  The dead sole was in the rear portion of the foot and allowed the heels to be lowered about 1/2 inch.  There is still quite a bit of lamellar wedge and toe to come back, but that should begin to happen more quickly now that the orientation is better.

The next photo shows the sole, the lowered heels, and more natural sole color in the back of the foot.  The heels look uneven but both were taken down to live sole. (The shadow makes them look quite uneven.) However, you'll notice in the photo below this one that the right heel appears higher - they are actually the same. It's an illusion created by the sole not being perfectly smooth and the foot not being terribly symmetrical. I never trim to make the foot look pretty.) 

The frog is infected and if there had been enough frog under the flaps I would have cut them off.  However there is virtually no frog.  I instructed the owners to treat the frog with acetone.  It's my hope that the flaps will fall off themselves, but I suggested the owners cut them off if the frog starts to grow.

The side view of the sole shows that concavity has increased and also that the toe is on the verge of coming back.  This is shown by the piece of sole that has broken off, and also by the deep crease forming about half an inch in from the edge of the sole.  If there wasn't so much distorted toe wall left I would expect the toe to come back on its own by the next trim. I do expect a lot more dead sole at the next trim and to be able to trim the toe back relieving even more leverage forces.

Keep in mind the goal is to keep the horse sound - she's been very comfortable all the time and has improved after every trim - and to allow the hoof to heal and grow healthy internally.  Aggressive trimming really only perpetuates the damage inside and delays true health.  The real aim of "natural' barefoot trimming is to work with the foot to help it where needed, not to try to force things along.

Sixth Trim - April 11, 2010

There was a setback this trim.  The mare was out on grass and became laminitic.

X-rays were taken a few days ago - before the laminitis episode according to the owners - and it will be interesting to see what they show.  They were not digital so were not yet available.  The most recent x-rays (last spring) showed a sole thickness of 1/8", the radiographs prior to those showed s aole thickness of 1/4".

The photo below is a lateral shot taken 4-11-10 and shows a band of growth about 1" wide where the heel growth rate and toe growth rate were equal.  Unfortunately, due to the laminitis, the heel growth rate is again greater than that of the toe.

The photo above right shows the differences in the sole from the previous trim (Feb) to the present trim.  The frog is wider and healthier, and not so squeezed between the collateral grooves.

The photo to the left shows the sole views from Feb (left) and the present trim.  I finally was able to take the toe back to where it should be (compare distance from the tip of frog to end of sole).  The heels also came down more and are near the base of the frog.

This was the last trim I did, as I stopped returning to WA to trim.  I referred the owner to another barefoot trimmer, but I was discouraged, because I didn't believe the owner would keep the mare off of grass.