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Vent: My old way of shoeing a horse with a bad shoulder was making things worse
For years, if a horse came in with a sore front shoulder, I'd just trim the hoof a bit shorter on that side and maybe add a rolled toe. I thought I was helping it break over easier. Then about two years ago, I was working on a big warmblood in Lexington that just kept getting worse. The owner's vet, Dr. Miller, pulled me aside and said, 'Sam, you're letting that heel get too low, it's dropping the whole joint.' That hit me hard. Now, I focus way more on supporting the heel on the sore side, even if it means the shoe looks a bit thicker. I use a wide-webbed shoe and keep the heel height up. The change is slow, but I've seen three horses since then actually improve instead of just coping. Has anyone else had to completely flip their approach on a specific lameness like that?
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jennifer_singh2mo ago
Totally get that! Had a similar wake-up call with a navicular case. Switched to a full support pad and a straighter bar shoe, made a world of difference.
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harper9082mo ago
Sounds like you were basically giving the horse a limp to match its limp. Classic case of fixing the wrong problem because it looks right. Glad you finally got the memo from Dr. Miller.
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