Proper physiologic horseshoeing.
Authors: O'Grady, Poupard
Journal: The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Proper Physiologic Horseshoeing Maintaining equine soundness fundamentally depends on applying consistent, evidence-based trimming and shoeing principles rather than adopting specialist techniques for most horses. O'Grady and Poupard's 2003 framework emphasises that veterinarians and farriers must understand and correctly execute core biomechanical concepts—particularly hoof angle, heel-to-pastern axis (HPA) alignment, and mediolateral balance—to distinguish between sound horses whose performance might be optimised and lame horses requiring corrective intervention. The authors argue that true mastery of these foundational principles, rather than pursuing novel or complex approaches, represents the critical knowledge gap limiting farriery practice. Familiarity with how trim and shoe modifications affect hoof biomechanics enables practitioners to make informed adjustments that support rather than compromise locomotion and structures already under load. This work remains relevant to modern equine teams because it repositions farriery as a science grounded in anatomical and biomechanical principles, establishing that consistency in applying proven basics—not fashionable techniques—drives better outcomes across sound and compromised horses alike.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Master and consistently apply the fundamentals of hoof angle, heel-pastern angle, and mediolateral balance—these form the foundation of sound shoeing for most horses
- •Recognize that most horses don't need complex shoeing; focus first on getting basic physiologic principles right before considering specialized techniques
- •Use knowledge of physiologic principles to distinguish when corrective shoeing might improve a sound horse's performance or restore soundness in a lame horse
Key Findings
- •Adherence to physiologic horseshoeing principles is essential for maintaining hoof health and soundness in horses
- •Most horses do not require special trimming or shoeing techniques beyond basic principles
- •Key principles of physiologic horseshoeing include hoof angle, HPA (heel-pastern angle), and mediolateral balance
- •Sound physiologic horseshoeing requires thorough knowledge, strict adherence, and skillful application of basic principles to approach farriery as a science