Farrier for Vets

Question 1

Why are horses trimmed?

Answer 1

Remove excess length, remove distortion, improve base support, prevent chipping, remove disease/deteriorated areas

Question 2

Why do horses wear shoes?

Answer 2

Protection, treatment, traction and to alter gait

Question 3

What are some consequences of horse shoes?

Answer 3

Increased shock/concussion to distal limb, traumatic hoof wall loss, puncture wound from chip or nail, sprung or twisted show, injury if kicked, nail too close to sensitive structures

Question 4

What does a perfect foot look like?

Answer 4

-Symmetrical
-Thick bars (terminate at widest part of foot)
-Big frog takes up 60% length
-Healthy sole
Thick hoof wall

Question 5

What is the key to trimming or shoeing a horse?

Answer 5

Load the healthy structures

Question 6

How should you trim a foot for a shoe?

Answer 6

Flaten it (lead wall rounded (45 degree) for barefoot)

Question 7

What is the ideal hoof patern axis?

Answer 7

Matched

Question 8

What is an underrun heel?

Answer 8

More than 5 degree difference between the dorsal hoof wall and heel angle

(Heel 1/3 distance of dorsal hoof wall)
Growth ring matched and uniform

Question 9

Where should the widest part of the hoof be?

Answer 9

Widest point behind the frog (3/4 to inch behind) - horse shoe half in front and behind
-Directly down from the distal condyle P2

Question 10

What is key when assessing your hoof-pastern-axis?

Answer 10

Must be standing square

Question 11

What is a broken back HPA?

Answer 11

When the angle of P2 is greater than the distal Phalynx

Question 12

What structures are overloaded when you have a broken back HPA?

Answer 12

DDFT, Navicular bone, P2 and P1

Question 13

How can you correctively shoe a broken back HPA?

Answer 13

Wedge 2-10 degree (get to any more is impovement

Question 14

What is broken forward HPA

Answer 14

When the angle of P2 is less than that of the hoof wall
-Club foot, flexural limb deformity

Question 15

What does broken forward HPA predispose the horse to?

Answer 15

Stain suspensory, sole bruising, stretched white line, abscesses

Question 16

What is spry foot? How do you correct it?

Answer 16

Base wide horse/fetlock valgus makes medial side mor upright and lateral flare and more angles
-Shoe opposite side of flare

Question 17

Horse have very thin walls so what is always possible when driving a nail?

Answer 17

Miss and hit something important or make an abscsess

Question 18

What is the difference between direct and indirect glue on shoes?

Answer 18

Direct: glue to sole and hoof wall
Indirect: cuff or clip or tap to the outer hoof wall

Question 19

What is a reason you would not want to glue on shoes?

Answer 19

Abscess

Question 20

What are some different types of shoes?

Answer 20

Metal, glue on, soft ride boots, casting or wooden shoes

Question 21

Why do we use pads?

Answer 21

Protect and support, recruit the sole and frog in load sharing, increase foot length, align the hoof pastern axis, protect wounds, act as artificial sole depth and aid with shock dissipation

Question 22

What are negative functions of pads?

Answer 22

Pressure and pain, pressure and discomfort to issue area, pressure on navicular region, increase length, reduce traction, trap dirt and debris, anaerobic environment

Question 23

What are some types of pads?

Answer 23

leather, plastic, urethane, metal and closed cell foam

Question 24

Why are hospital pads helpful?

Answer 24

Can still get to sole for treatment

Question 25

What are some pad types in terms of what they cover?

Answer 25

Full - all hoof
Rim - open to middle of foot
Bar- rim pad with heel conected
Wedge - increase in angle
Frog - pad with increased depth/thickness over the frog

Question 26

What kind of materials can you pack the pad with?

Answer 26

Urethanes (Vettec), Silicone, Impression material, oakum

Question 27

What should you always add to the pad and packing material as an antimicrobial and way to keep the foot dry?

Answer 27

Copper Sulfate

Question 28

What is Urethane?

Answer 28

Packing material
-set up time effected by temp
-Sole gaurd - firm and protects sole
-equibuild firm- can use without a pad
-equipak
-equipak CS
-Sil-pak - less dense
-Equi-pak - soft

Question 29

Describe Silicone as a packing material?

Answer 29

-Soft
-under a pad
-set up time affected by temp
-mix hardware silicone with betadine and copper sulfate

Question 30

Describe silicone impression material:

Answer 30

Under pad or bandaged to feet, antimicrobial, set up affected by temp
-Always keep 2 jars on truck

Question 31

Describe Oakum as a packing material

Answer 31

Fibrous hemp material, mix with venice turpentine and copper sulfate to make antiseptic packing
-Prevents sealing but keep debris out - great for abscess

Question 32

What is breakover?

Answer 32

part of stance before flight of the foot (right before off the ground)

Question 33

What are some modifications to help with breakover?

Answer 33

Rolled toe (Decrease stress and strain), rocker toe (bent cut sole depth to get it), square/blunt toe,

Question 34

What do we use bar shoes for?

Answer 34

Limit independent heel movement, increase palmar/plantar support, increase surface are in back half of horse hoof, recruit front into load bearing

Question 35

What are some types of bar shoes?

Answer 35

Straight, round, egg, heart, Z bar, G bar, Fish tail (increase lenght - palmar and plantar support )