A coffin bone rotation can be a very difficult problem for the horse, farrier, vet and owner to deal with. This case history is about rehabbing Baily, a Quarter Horse with 20 degrees of coffin bone rotation.

While this case history details a technique we’ve used, there are many other options used by farriers in similar situations that have been successful.

Swollen Hoof

I received a call from a client inquiring about sending her horse to our farm for rehabilitation. Her horse had been diagnosed with a 20-degree coffin bone rotation, and I was pretty nervous about working with a horse having that much rotation. After a lengthy conversation and discussion of an unsuccessful treatment involving wedge pads and orthopedic shoeing, as well as a veterinarian’s suggestion of euthanasia, we decided to try to save this 14-year-old gelding.

The horse arrived at the rehab facility with a 20-degree coffin bone rotation, a convex and very soft sole.

When the horse (Baily) arrived at the farm, the vet came out, took blood samples and checked him for any metabolic problems to make sure all of the organs were functioning properly. He prescribed Bute for pain, Ulcergard to protect the stomach and an antihistamine to help deal with swelling inside the hoof.

Using alternative therapy, another vet performed acupuncture many times throughout the horse’s 10-month stay and prescribed custom-blended herbs as needed to overcome various health concerns. Baily was fed grass hay and HS-35 vitamin/mineral supplement.

The 20-degree coffin bone rotation was…