16/09/2024
S’informer sur ce que nos chevaux sont réellement en interne, c’est important !
Savoir si son corps peut se permettre de faire les choses que vous lui demandez, sans douleurs, sans contraintes physiques…
Notre vétérinaire de référence passes justement ce matin pour des radios de contrôle !
Hidden in Plain Sight…
How Shoeing (and incorrect trimming) ie HUMANS - are the Main Cause of Hoof Problems
Horse owners are facing an alarming increase in navicular disease, arthritis, sidebone, and P3 rotation.
These conditions are seen so frequently nowadays it’s almost become quite blasé.
What’s the cause?
Incorrect hoof care.
Before anyone jumps in to defend shoes btw, let’s be clear:
While shoes may appear to help in the short term, or even propping up a horse for years, they do not align with Mother Nature’s design for the horse and therefore will inevitably cause harm.
It’s literally undeniable now… the evidence is clear.
Shoes interfere with natural wear patterns.
Here’s a breakdown of how shoeing and incorrect trimming contributes to these common issues:
1. Navicular Disease (Podotrochleitis):
Continual shoeing disrupts the horse's ability to function properly at the back of the foot, leading to atrophy of soft tissues, contraction, frequently associated with thrush.
The resulting pain causes the horse to walk abnormally, leading to unnatural foot loading.
This creates a vicious cycle where abnormal toe-first landings accelerate P3 movement on landing, resulting in extra strain on the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), leading to inflammation and pain around the navicular bone.
(Incidentally this happens with repetitive unnatural heel-first landings also)
So what is navicular ‘disease’?
Simply put: a repetitive strain injury - which is then exacerbated by improper hoof balance, poor riding techniques, false collection and poor management.
2. Arthritis:
Much like navicular disease, repetitive incorrect movement caused by imbalanced feet puts unnecessary wear and tear on cartilage of the joints and soft tissues.
The resulting inflammation leads to the gradual buildup of extra bone and progressive joint damage.
This isn’t rheumatoid arthritis folks, the body isn’t doing this to itself, nope, this is purely mechanical, caused by improper hoof balance.
The body is just tying to protect itself.
3. Sidebone:
This condition is so common most vets don’t even think of it as a problem anymore, it’s just one of those incidental findings on an X-ray when they were looking for something else.
Sidebone is a form of arthritis, caused by imbalances in the foot and increased repetitive concussive forces.
Sidebone is yet another consequence of improper trimming and shoeing.
Next time your horse is shod, look to see if your farrier has left those nail heads proud… hitting the ground first before any other part of the foot - that’s the sure fire fast-track to sidebone right there.
Not looking good so far is it for the horse? ☹️
Horse 0 : Human 1
And how about one of the most egregious assaults to ever happen to a horse’s foot?
4. P3 Rotation induced Laminitis:
Caused by… poor hoof balance, made worse by shoeing, which leads to P3 rotation and inflammation of the laminae.
So far the world is still in the dark ages and it thinks it’s the reverse… that inflammation of the laminae (and foot) caused by diet problems leads to P3 rotation.
That’s back to front folks.
It doesn’t. P3 rotation is human error.
The world is still far off from realizing that P3 rotation is a man-made VERY BIG HOOF CARE ERROR leading to 1000s upon 1000s of horse being pts worldwide.
You will work it out eventually.
Meanwhile horses will keep on being maimed, lamed and pts until you do.
We’ll keep telling you until it finally sinks in.
All these problems arising from incorrect hoof care practices.
⚠️ The Shocking Reality ⚠️
Most horse owners don’t have any idea these changes are happening to their equine until it’s too late - when lameness sets in, X-rays are taken, and irreversible changes are noted.
But oh no, it couldn’t possibly be the lovely farrier or trimmer who is so nice and chatty, and cares so much for you and your horse… could it? 🤔
Or their education?
They couldn’t be getting it wrong could they?
Well you’ll never know unless you learn about the natural foot.
And what’s even more alarming is the industry’s arrogant tendency to overlook the link between incorrect hoof care and these pathologies.
Instead, the blame is always placed on diet, or the owner, or simply chalked up to bad luck.
Or crappy conformation… or genetics.
In fact any other scapegoat other than…
… human error.
Most horse owners only realize how poor the state their horse’s hoof care is when it’s too late.
The gradual breakdown of their horse’s feet, and by extension, their entire body, becomes apparent after the event.
HM will keep fighting for awareness and change!
We hope that one day, enough owners will become aware of the long-term damage caused by poor hoof care and say no to these harmful practices.
The domestic equine world has lost sight of the natural foot, and it’s time we realign with Mother Nature's blueprint for the health and well-being of our horses.
Until then, we will keep educating and advocating for change.
Don’t let your horse’s hoof health be a victim of outdated practices.
Wakey, wakey.
HM.
p.s. if your horse is suffering from lameness, and any of the issues we’ve highlighted here, join our free rehab group and find out how to help your horse: The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health
