Hoof Balance and Trim

04/14/2026

1 green arrows show how this creates a pinched effect, the blue hairline was becoming horizontal and heel migrating forward.
2 Post trim better hairline angle and heel to toe ratio larger surface area also.

04/14/2026

What do you think is going on with this hoof? I'll post a markup post trim later. I'm not a big fan of artificial devices to hold a crack together. Which don't address the real issue of why...

04/12/2026

For the comments that the previous horse "had no frog" I'm seriously dyinnnnnngggg. Let's see what the next negative comments have to say. OMG 😂

04/11/2026

Another foot and digital cushion and cartilage. Develop your feel for your horse. Literally.

04/10/2026

Digital cushion, cartilages and where to feel.

04/10/2026

How to feel the digital cushion and where the cartilages are.

04/08/2026

This big guy came out of shoes and he's coming along rather nicely and is sound I took this picture to show some interesting things. (Not looking for trimming advice btw or trying to teach anyone to trim. This is strictly to help anyone develop your eye) The black lines show how he's developed some nice natural concavity or doming. The purple shows his hairline still needs improving and the yellow circles show how his digital cushion area is beefing up, the blue shows the medial and lateral cartilage which most domestic horses have a sharkfin or shoulder blade feel.

04/05/2026

Red lines or tree rings I call them, they are more pronounced where I outlined in red. The yellow is periople... When you Google periople it says-The periople is a soft, waxy, varnish-like layer protecting the upper horse hoof wall, crucial for moisture regulation and protecting new horn. Located just below the coronary band (similar to a fingernail cuticle), it seals in moisture, prevents cracking, and can appear white or gummy in wet condition
The periople does change depending on the environment I've noticed.

04/05/2026

https://youtu.be/O37dmmofJiU?si=nP97d0Tu-C7I9v69
This video is very very interesting and illustrates the caudal structure in a loaded state. I had forgotten about these videos.
Thank you Betsy Gerlach Johnson for rediscovering them!

Hoof mechanism with and without frog pressure

04/03/2026

My posts are messy. It's me. I'm a human and I make mistakes in all aspects of my life. BUT when I know better I do better. I'm always striving to do my level best for each horse I see....be messy be real.💖

04/02/2026

This is a couple trims in and you can see the wall separating at the toe post trim, let's break the mechanics down a little. You can see the heels outlined in pink are well above the sole plane pre first trim, this sets the hoof capsule up for a failure. Creating pressure in the dorsal wall which really reveals the resulting inflammation from these forces.

04/01/2026

These blue marks are next to small defects in the wall, these marks puzzle owners. The best explanation I heard was from Pete Ramey and it was fungal that was residing in the coronet and it would move along the coronet so by the time it moved it would leave a mark and create this V shape or a slash or a W shape. They are never deep or cause any issues.