Monthly Archives: March 2012

Start With The Beginning

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Coffin Bones

Various Coffin Bones

The coffin bone, also known as the pedal bone or the third phalanx is totally enclosed in the hoof capsule and is what what controls the shape of a horse’s hoof.  In horses that have a short wide coffin bone, such as the one in the upper left in the photo will have a foot that is wide and short, which is quite common in Thoroughbreds.  Other horses will have coffin bones that are long and narrow, such as the one on the upper right, giving a lon narrow foot.  Also note that the coffin bone has a number of holes in the surface.  This is where blood vessels are located in the bone and it is through these vessels that the laminae are nourished.  The bottom of the coffin bone is convex and the sole of the foot follows this shape to form the bottom of the foot.  The coffin bone is articulated with both the navicular bone and the short pastern bone.  This is in the form of a hinge joint that allows the foot to bend back and forth, but has little side to side movement.  At the back of the coffin bone are the wings of the coffin bone.  These are attached to the lateral cartilages, and in some cases the lateral cartilage will change to bone (ossify) and create what is known as sidebone.  This can be seen on the right side of the coffin bone on the bottom right.  The point at the top of the coffin bone is the attachment point for the digital extensor tendon, and the deep digital flexor tendon inserts on the bottom of the coffin bone along what is called the semi-lunar crest.

Barefoot Benefits

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There are a number of benefits to a horse going barefoot. The most obvious is that there is less damage to the hoof capsule from the use of nails. Nail holes will weaken the hoof wall and create an environment for anaerobic bacteria and fungus to get a foothold in the hoof wall and possibly cause problems later on, such as white line disease.

The greatest advantage to the horse is that he will have better proprioception, that is, he will have a better sense of where his foot is, and what is underneath it. A horse in shoes is like you going around wearing heavy gloves all the time. You can still get a general feel for something, but there is a lack of sensitivity. With better proprioception, the horse will be more surefooted and have a better sense of his environment and can make compensations and adjustments for uneven or slippery footing.

In terms of long term health, if a horse is left barefoot, he will develop a better internal structure within the hoof and is likely to stay sound longer. The effect of a shoe on a foot is similar to putting a cast on your arm. Since the structure cannot move as it was intended, it will tend to atrophy, much as the muscles in your arm will atrophy due to a cast. The most damage is done when a horse is shod at an early age, as are many racehorses. This will not allow the internal structures of the foot to develop while the animal is growing, and in some cases will cause the animal to permanently have poor quality feet.

A further advantage is for the social health of the horse. If a horse is shod, particularly on the hind feet, it is dangerous to turn them out with other horses, due to the possibility of an injury due to a kick. When barefoot, horses can be turned out in groups which is much better for their social health, as horses are herd animals and generally do better when they are allowed to interact with other horses.

Barefoot Trimmers Vs Farriers

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Both the barefoot trim and shoeing have their advantages and disadvantages. I cannot say that every horse can or should go barefoot, although there are a lot of horses that are shod that don’t need shoes. The problem I see with a lot of barefoot trimmers and farriers is that they see this as a religious argument. The barefoot trimmers see shoes as an instrument of evil, and the farriers see the barefoot trimmers as a bunch of hippies. I feel that both methods have something to add, and there are a lot of useful tools in both camps. This is why I try to study both methods and see what makes the most sense to me when I look at the anatomy of a horses foot and leg. In dealing with horses, I have found that never and always do not apply, you will always find the exception to the rule.

There are some horses that just need shoes. One is if the horse has very thin soles and poor quality wall. In this situation, shoes should be worn, possibly with pads to keep the horse comfortable. This horse could be left barefoot, but it would require the owner to provide a footing (such as sand) so that there is nothing to bruise the sole. This horse would not be able to live comfortably in the pastures that we have around here, as there is too much rock, and he would always be getting stone bruises that would lead to abscesses, further compromising the quality of the hoof. In a perfect world this horse could go barefoot, but unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world.

I feel that it is my duty to the horse to have available to him every tool that is available to make his life as comfortable as possible. If that means that he needs shoes, then I will put shoes on him, if he can go barefoot, I would recommend going barefoot. I will admit that I tend more towards the side of the barefoot trim, as there are a lot of advantages to going barefoot, which I will discuss further at a later date.

Is Your Horse Getting the Best Possible Footcare?

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I advocate for barefoot trimming done in a sane manner, in which the horse is trimmed to landmarks on the sole with the goal of eventually getting the horse to have a fully functional foot that is in dynamic balance with the rest of the horse’s conformation. I realize that not all horses have the ability to go barefoot, and need shoes for protection, traction or for therapeutic reasons, and so I can also apply shoes, and use similar principles to produce a foot that functions as well as it can. I have studied the methods of many farriers and barefoot trimmers and I use the ideas and methods that I feel make the most sense when looking at the anatomy and function of the foot and the balance of the foot in regards to the whole horse. I strongly believe in client education and do my best to make sure that, if interested, the client knows what I am doing and why.

Farrier Service Plus is now taking new clients.  If you are in need of a farrier, give me a call at 613-395-6195. I cover the area from Peterborough to Kingston.