Mitch Taylor, Director of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School in Richmond, Ky., says a horse's conformation should be taken into consideration in scheduling its trimming and shoeing.
He says that when horses with good conformation grow long feet, you should trim away excess growth and re-sculpt the hoof shape, to prevent dishing or rolled-under heels.
“But if the horse has a medial-lateral imbalances, the feet will be flarings and there’s a lot more hoof capsule warping you must try to correct,” he warns.
He tells his students that they must learn how to schedule each horse individually it order to stay ahead of the growth and deal with any conformational issues it may have.
More of Taylor’s thoughts concerning dealing with conformational faults will be included in an article in the April issue of American Farriers Journal.
