The Z-bar is a versatile shoe that can be used when it’s necessary to relieve weight-bearing in the heel quarter or the heel as a result of an injury or insult. It can be used to float sore, sheared and lacerated heels. It can aid the healing of quarter cracks by allowing the hairline to drop. It’s also beneficial for shoeing hoof avulsions; abscesses; corns and infected or fractured bars

It’s important to exercise caution, though. The Z-bar isn’t ideal for all situations in which a heel needs flotation.

Farrier Skills and Knowledge Must Match Application

Laura was called in to work on a horse that presented with slight navicular changes and a prolific heel shear. After consulting radiographs, the veterinarian advised us to unload the affected side. Laura applied a Z-bar and inset Vettec Equi-Pak with passive pressure to the frog to accommodate the navicular bone.

About 2 weeks after applying the shoeing package, the horse owner informed Laura that the horse’s lameness had worsened. Upon examination, the heel had dropped nicely; however, the horse was sore through that area. The lameness wasn’t entirely unexpected, so the veterinarian and Laura gave him the rest of the cycle.

When Laura returned for the next cycle, she didn’t float the heel and applied a caudal wide-web bar shoe and inset pour-in pad. His level of lameness remained the same for the duration of that cycle.

After trying several types of shoes and balances, the lameness persisted. The cause could not be…