That Elusive Concept of Hoof Balance!

There's been a lot of discussion recently about how best to trim hooves for barefoot performance.  In the 'minimal intervention' camp, there is an arguement that hooves are pefectly capable of responding to anatomical and biomechanical abnormalities.  Resulting deviations should therefore be left well alone as they are nature's way of providing support structures to the horse.  Flare on the other hand is by nature weak and will wear away over time, thus being viewed as unproblematic.  Concerns about flare placing leverage on the hoof capsule are unfounded as the stretched white line is no match for healthy laminae.   A good representation of this position can be found on Rockley Farm's latest blog- http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/flare-deviation-and-does-it-really.html

On the interventionist side, the arguement goes that flare does effect the overall integrity of the hoof capsule and is therefore undesirable.  Further, deviations merely perpertuate incorrect movement patterns and leaving the deviation reflects a failure to address the reason for the underlying anatomical/biomechanical issue.  

These competing positions raise an important question- what exactly is a balanced hoof?  Or more precisely, what is hoof balance?  Unsurprisingly given the heated and continuing debate over subject, there does not appear to be a widely accepted definition of hoof balance!  To make matters more complicated, there are many different parameters which apply in examining hoof balance.  The hoof pastern axis, (HPA), medio-lateral balance, static and dynamic balance, solar plane and coronary hairband to name a few.  For those of us who do not have expertise in the intricate marvel that is the hoof, it is understandable that we might sometimes feel disempowered from making good decisions about our horses' feet.

For a long while, I was a proponent of the less invasive approach believing that within reason the ponies' hooves were sufficiently remarkable to compensate for any anatomical/biomechanical variances.  That the hoof may not be pleasing to the eye was unimportant if it was functional.  As long as the horse was sound and capable over a variety of surfaces, this was the ultimate test.  Aesthetics were not the priority.

In recent months I have not so much moved from this position as been forced to examine it from a new angle, if you'll pardon the pun.  Since the ponies have been on the Paradise, we began to see that flare was being reduced, (as predicted by the minimal intervention camp).  We started with some deviations, particularly with the lovely Alfie who has been blessed with pigeon toes and moves like a Kenwood Chef, (no offence intended and I would never say it to his face!).  When our lovely foot trimmer went off to have babies we enlisted the help first of a farrier who had worked extensively with Dr Sheila Lyons in the States and more recently with a brilliant young farrier, Conor Parsons- http://www.facebook.com/connor.parsons.520?fref=ts  Both suggested that we start to gradually reduce the deviations, (the more interventionist approach), with a view to balancing the foot in the more traditional sense, (based upon ideas of symmetry following landmarks), thus theoretically improving the horses' way of going.  I was somewhat sceptical of this but agreed to give it a try.  This wasn't something I took lightly but as all the ponies were sore when we moved from our sandy soils and hacking to the much harsher environment of tarmac/flint hacking, I thought the experiment would be interesting and worthwhile.

It has not been long since this experiment started but I have to say that I'm astounded with the improvement in all the ponies' feet.  Yes, they are aesthetically pleasing but much more importantly, all the ponies are becoming increasingly capable on the tarmac, flint and other surfaces.  They seem to be gradually developing greater concavity and their frogs are becoming bigger by the day.  Their soles are thickening and it is as if the compact integrity of their hoof capsules is building ever stronger and tougher feet.  I've included some 'before and after' photos of some of their feet to show this, the date stamps on the photos make the progression self evident.

Dougal:

Alfie:

Wish:

I would attribute these changes firstly to the ponies being on the Paradise.  The gravel is wonderful for wearing away flaking sole and really seems to be 'building' greater concavity.  The concrete seems to be helping to develop really tough toe calluses.  We also had the ponies on a strict three week trim cycle in the beginning to try and resolve the deviations.  I was prepared for this to continue being necessary as the hoof inevitably fought back against our attempted changes.  The fascinating thing has been to witness how once the hoof capsule was really 'tight', (not a technical term but hopefully this conveys the meaning I am trying to convey), the deviations are not coming back and the trim cycle is being pushed ever backwards.  I do not have an explanation of why this could be but wonder if  that once the new balance is 'set', the horses' movement and therefore hoof adapts accordingly.

So it's so far so good for the ponies' feet and we're slowly starting to increase their mileage and doing less booted.  To give an idea of what they are currently capable of, each pony is now happy to do up to one and a half hours of hacking of which 25% is on roads each day.  I do not think of myself being a proponent of either camp of the elusive notion of hoof balance, but rather a pioneer who is trying to do the best for her horses.  Should this particular path prove unfruitful at any stage or the ponies become less capable or uncomfortable then of course this will provoke a review.  The more of us that experiment and push the boundaries, the more data we will have on what trims are the most successful.  It is unlikely in any case that one particular style of trim will ever suit all horses and to this extent, it is still the horses that will always dictate what is best for them.