WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
Balancing and Shoeing Trotting and Pacing Horses cover

Balancing and Shoeing Trotting and Pacing Horses

Chapter 25: XXII. KNUCKLING OVER.
Open in WeRead

About This Book

A practical, experience-based manual for balancing and shoeing light-harness horses that emphasizes foot preparation, trimming and shoe selection to correct or prevent faulty gaits. It offers routine care for foals and young stock, step-by-step guidance for preparing the sole and frog, and diagnostic approaches to common problems such as winging, paddling, interfering, forging, scalping, contracted heels, corns and hoof cracks. The author explains adjustments in trimming, the use of various shoe types and weights, frog pressure and bar shoes, and methods to reduce concussion and uneven wear, aiming to provide clear, actionable remedies to maintain sound, efficient action.

XXII. KNUCKLING OVER.

This is caused by weakness, sometimes of the ligaments that hold the bones of ankle in their sockets, and sometimes higher up. To shoe for this, the first thing to do is to prepare the foot. You are likely to find the hind feet abnormally long, perhaps longer than the front feet. Lower the toes of hind feet as much as they will stand, shorten toes by rasping off as much as the foot will stand, do not touch the heels or have the inside of foot higher than the outside. Now use a light hind shoe, with side calks, the calks to be one and a half to two inches long, and tapering towards the toe of shoe. At the point of heel this calk should be not less than one-half inch high, the higher the better, a square toe shoe is much better than a plain one, shod this way the very best result is obtained at once. A shoe made thick at heels, three-quarters of an inch or more, and thin at the toe for ordinary driving is good.