Farriery

Question 1

Why are horses trimmed?

Answer 1

-To correct for conformation or uneven wear (remove distortion)
-therapeutic reasons
-horse doesn’t naturally wear down the hoof enough, or they are wearing faster than they grow
-to protect bandaged, and to protect from fracturing or breakage on edges
-to remove diseases, deteriorated, or necrotic areas
- to improve base of support

Question 2

On average, how fast does a horses hoof grow?

Answer 2

6-10 mm/month

Question 3

What factors can affect the growth of a horses hoof?

Answer 3

-Time of year (spring grasses- abundance of nutrition, in winter put energy into other things)
-Disease pathology- change in hemodynamics
-Nutrition
- Job of horse: if on abrasive terrain wears away faster, more exercise=more growth
-genetics

Question 4

What two nutrients are the most vital for hoof growth?

Answer 4

Biotin and methionine

Question 5

Why do horses wear shoes?

Answer 5

• protection: wearing away faster than growth
  -to increase/decrease traction
  -to alter their gait or increase animation
  -therapeutic reasons

Question 6

What are some of the negative consequences that can occur from wearing horse shoes?

Answer 6

-can be used as a weapon, can damage the wearer
-alters normal hoof mechanics (increases shock and concussion to the distal limb)
-can lead to traumatic hoof wall loss
-puncture wounds from clips/nails
-nail can be placed too close to sensitive structures leading to lameness

Question 7

If you dumb farriery down, what is the main rule?

Answer 7

load the healthy structures, unload the unhealthy structures

Question 8

If trimming for a horse to go in a shoe, how should you trim differently than you would if trimming for barefoot?

Answer 8

Trim a bit shorter than you would, trim to a sharp edge

Question 9

What are the main goals of farriery?

Answer 9

-Achieve a matched hoof pastern axis (P1, P2, P3 all in alignment with the dorsal surface of hoof wall matching that axis as well as the dorsal aspect of the distal phalynx)
-heel should be roughly the same angle as the dorsal hoof wall (often slightly lower though-underrun heels)

Question 10

What are the benefits of a matched hoof pastern axis?

Answer 10

Load evenly distributed throughout the bony column and soft tissue structures of the distal limb

Question 11

Define underrun heels.

Answer 11

Hoofs with >5 degree difference between the dorsal hoof wall angle and angle of the heel

Question 12

How long should the heel be in relation to the dorsal hoof wall?

Answer 12

1/3 the length

Question 13

What should take up the bulk of the horses foot?

Answer 13

The frog
- should be about 60% of the length of the foot

Question 14

T/F: From the widest point of the horses foot, should have half of the base of the support in front of this, and half behind

Answer 14

True

Question 15

What is the distance that should be present between the dorsal aspect of the distal phalynx and the dorsal hoof wall?

Answer 15

15-22 mm

Question 16

What should the horses palmar angle be?

Answer 16

0-10 degrees
-increased lameness associated with <0 palmar angles

Question 17

What is the center of rotation of a horses foot?

Answer 17

Middle of the distal condyle of P2- line down from here should divide the horses base of support
-should correlate with the widest part of the foot

Question 18

T/F: a horse with a short upright pastern should have a long upright foot?

Answer 18

False- they should both match (short and short)

Question 19

What is the difference between broken back and broken forward conformation?

Answer 19

Broken back- pastern is steeper than horses hoof wall
-base of support shifted back

Broken forward- when horses hoof wall is steeper than the pastern
- base of support shifted forward

Question 20

which side of the hoof wall is usually more upright on a front foot?

Answer 20

The medial side

Question 21

Describe the base wide presentation

Answer 21

Feet set out
- will overload medial side leading to upright medial hoof wall, flared lateral hoof wall
-distal phalynx will no longer be parallel to ground

Question 22

How should a nail travel through the hoof?

Answer 22

Should start in white line, travel up through nonpigmented and pigmented stratum medium and exit hoof wall
- no contact with sensitive structures

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Indirect- glue on the dorsal hoof wall

Direct- glue goes on bottom of hoof

Question 24

When are soft rides and cloud boots the most helpful?

Answer 24

For therapeutic uses- laminitis, thrush, white line disease
-not designed for work

Question 25

What is the difference between the cloud shoes and soft rides

Answer 25

Soft rides are more breathable, but dirt and debris can breach

clouds have no air penetration- lots of moisture

Question 26

What are pads used for?

Answer 26

Used along side shoes for therapy
-provide protection and support
recruit the sole and frog into load sharing
-increase overall foot length
-align the hoof pastern axis
-protect wounds
-act as artificial sole depth
-aid with shock dissipation

Question 27

What are some potential complications with using pads?

Answer 27

Can trap dirt/debris, can create anaerobic environment encouraging bacterial growth
-can result in pressure and pain
-increases overall foot length
-can reduce traction

Question 28

What are some of the pad types?

Answer 28

Leather, plastic, urethane, metal, closed cell foam

*=most common

-can be full (covers hoof completely), rim (open to middle of foot), bar (rim pad with heels connected), wedge (various increases in angle), frog (increased thickness over frog)

Question 29

T/F: you always need packing material to go in between the pad and the foot when using pads

Answer 29

True
-types include urethans (equi-pak), silicones, impression materials, oakum

Question 30

What is a good material to add to packing materials to reduce risk of infection?

Answer 30

Copper sulfate-broad spectrum antimicrobial

Question 31

Describe the properties of silicone as a packing material

Answer 31

-soft packing material
-must be used under pads (does not bond to sole)
-set up time affected by temperature
-mix with betadine and copper sulfate

Question 32

What is the main benefit to silicone impression materials?

Answer 32

Easiest way to get frog and sole support into a case immediately

Question 33

Describe the properties of oakum.

Answer 33

A fibrous hemp material
-can be mixed with turpentine and copper sulfate to form antiseptic packing
-non sealing (allows for breathability)
-good for healing abscesses, thrush, etc
-has to be covered by pad
-simply acts as a long term bandage

Question 34

What is the breakover point?

Answer 34

The point in which the heel is off the ground and toe remains
-cant affect this much as its a phase of the stride, but can ease it
-when the navicular apparatus and DDF are under the highest tension

Question 35

How does the rolled toe help to reduce breakover?

Answer 35

toe is bevelled at the toe (thinner at toe)
-more common than rocker toe

Question 36

Describe the rocker toe shoe?

Answer 36

Toe is forged upward- similar to arches in our shoes
-requires adequate sole depth

Question 37

When should you use square/blunt toes?

Answer 37

sets the shoe back off of the cranial margin of the foot

Question 38

Why are bar shoes used?

Answer 38

They limit independent heel movement
- may provide increased palmar/plantar support
-increases surface area in back half of foot (reduces heel sinking and soft footing)
-recruits the frog into load bearing

Question 39

What are the different types of bar shoes?

Answer 39

Straight bar- straight across heels
Egg bar- rounded in back
Heart bar- goes up the frog
Z and J bars
Fishtail bar shoes