Several disorders affecting the hooves can be an indication for a partial hoof wall resection. However, high risks and harmful side effects are associated with a loss of supporting hoof wall, so the hoof must be stabilized and protected to promote successful healing.

Caring for backyard horses can be difficult, sometimes because of the environment in which they are kept, or because some owners don’t maintain a regular hoof-care schedule because of the cost or a lack of horsemanship.

Is there more to heat, pain and lameness than meets the eye? Is there a reason why a horse is not responding to therapies? Potentially, yes. A farrier often is the first line of defense in identifying inflammation of the distal limb, and understanding its influence is critical for proper management.

Performance horses, by the very nature of the work they are asked to do, are more prone to injuries than horses that are being used primarily for recreational riding. There are a number of studies that offer evidence that certain injuries are more likely to occur with certain disciplines, but an informal survey of several experienced farriers indicates that across disciplines, more common injuries such as sore feet and abscesses are the culprits that farriers most often have to deal with.

RW’s job was done and his shoes were pulled. After years of racing around barrels in cloverleaf patterns, it was time for the sorrel Quarter Horse with a white blaze to take it easy and enjoy the good life in Southwest Tennessee.