Walking On, Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2021 | Page 8

For the Health of It

Therapeutic Shoeing

Reprinted with permission from Volume 29 , Number 3 of Equine Disease Quarterly
Applying shoes to the feet of horses has been a common practice for over 1,000 years , while the first horseshoes may have been used as much as 2,500 years ago . Generally , the feet of domesticated horses are trimmed to balance and reduce excessive hoof length , and , in many cases , horseshoes are applied as an aid for traction , protection , and to reduce wear of the hoof wall . Therapeutic horseshoeing , therapeutic farriery , corrective shoeing , and podiatry are some of the terms that have been used to describe the care of a horse ’ s hoof to address abnormal conditions beyond this common practice . Since many farriers use various shoes , pads , and application methods , therapeutic shoeing is practiced by most farriers at various levels . It could also be argued that basic horse shoeing is therapeutic in nature .
There are various certifications and endorsements that farriers can acquire from a handful of farrier organizations , indicating specialty or ability . These involve additional training , apprenticeships , case studies , and testing . Additionally , there are veterinarians who are trained farriers with experience and specialty achieved beyond the scope of what is provided in vet school . Depending on client base , geography , experience , and preference , veterinarians and farriers often specialize in certain disciplines or breeds .
As much as 80 % of equine forelimb lameness is due to problems involving the feet . Some of the usual conditions where therapeutic horseshoeing is utilized include laminitis and founder , navicular disease , hoof cracks and defects , coffin bone injuries or disease , infections such as canker , white line disease and abscesses . Soft tissue injuries involving tendons and ligaments as well as diseases involving bone and joints can also be addressed with modulation of the foot even though these injuries may be located further up the
8 • Walking On