Most modern wedge pads are made from plastic, rubber or some other synthetic material and are made to provide elevation of either 2 or 3 degrees. Wedge pads are also sometimes called degree pads.

Q: I have an 11-year-old Paint horse that toes in with his right foot. He also has arthritis in his fetlock joint on the same leg, due to the stress he puts on that joint from toeing in. He is reasonably sound, but does get lame when ridden too much.

Q: It appears that the trend for Rocky Mountain horses is to cut down the heels to achieve an angle of 48 degrees or less. We all know the type of ailments that long toe, low angles bring with them. What angle would you recommend?

Opinions abound as to what constitutes balance in a horse’s foot.

Olin Balch urges you to carefully explain the risks to owners who ask you to perform corrective shoeing or trimming on young foals.