horse with flat feet with thin sole

Question

horse with flat feet w   QUESTION: hello, is it possible to tell that this horse in the image i have attached has flat feet with thin sole seeing the horse hooves from front without lifting up the feet?

ANSWER: Hi there. No, it's not possible to tell from this shot about thin soles or not. But I will say he is imbalanced and the peeling, flaking of the hoof wall indicates a deficiency in the diet.  That needs to be addressed. :)  I would say probably sugar is the culprit.

--Gwen



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QUESTION: thanks for the answer. may i know what do you mean by "he is imbalanced" in the above answer? does it mean the horse would stumble or for every 5 to 6 strides?

ANSWER: Stumbling may be caused by long toes ... as for imbalanced, here is an illustrative article that may help you determine if your horse's hooves are imbalanced. Lots of 'landmarks' to which to assess on the hooves:  http://www.barefoottrim.com/2009/EDUCATIONAL/ARTICLES/landmarks.htm

I'll go on to say that long toes with underslung heels (or no heels) can cause the hoof to basically 'collapse' and the sole to thin. So its important to understand the form and function of the hooves to determine what the issue might be for the stumbling and possible thin soles.

:)



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QUESTION: hello, may i know what problems do horses face with imbalanced feet?

Answer
Well, there are books written on the topic!  *LOL*  ... but suffice to say that the balance (or imbalance) of the hooves affects everything from the way the horse moves to the overall health, both outside and inside of the hooves. Along with everything in between.  Think of walking on worn shoes -- one worn way more than the other. Think of how that feels on the ankle, the knee, the hip, the back -- think of how YOU would move with uneven, imbalanced shoes. It affects the entire horse!!! Especially in the rear as that is where the 'engine' of the horse is ... if the hooves are imbalanced in the rear it affects the engine - the pasterns, the hocks, the hips, the pelvis, the thrust, the tracking, the striding out ...

So balancing the hooves is pretty important not only for the overall movement and health of the horse but also in preventing such hoof maladies as thrush, navicular and even laminitis.

:) --Gwen