Farriery - A Description of Some Actual Cases Requiring Special Consideration
Authors: Bradbury, D
Journal: FWCF Fellowship Thesis
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Farriery — A Description of Some Actual Cases Requiring Special Consideration Bradbury's 1985 fellowship thesis addresses two significant pathologies encountered routinely in equine practice: keratomas and contracted tendons in young horses. Through detailed case studies, the author demonstrates how integrated farriery techniques combined with veterinary management can achieve successful outcomes where these conditions might otherwise progress to permanent disability. Keratomas, which exert damaging pressure on the third phalanx, respond well to relief shoeing incorporating vertical and horizontal groove work in the hoof wall, paired with set-down toe shoes and strategically positioned quarter clips away from the affected region. Contracted tendons in foals can be managed through dietary restriction to hay and water (reducing growth rate) alongside corrective shoeing and exercise, provided intervention occurs early in the disease process. The critical takeaway for practitioners is timing: both conditions reach a point of irreversibility beyond which farriery and dietary adjustment cannot restore normal function, making early recognition and prompt, coordinated treatment between farrier and veterinarian essential to preserving athletic soundness.
Practical Takeaways
- •Cut vertical and horizontal grooves in the hoof wall and use set-down toe shoes with quarter clips positioned away from keratoma sites to relieve pressure
- •For foals with contracted tendons, restrict diet to hay and water to reduce growth rate and combine with corrective shoeing and regular exercise monitoring
- •Implement treatment protocols early before these conditions progress to irreversible stages
Key Findings
- •Keratomas cause pressure on the third phalanx and can be managed with specialized shoeing techniques including pressure relief grooves and set-down toe shoes
- •Contracted tendons in young horses respond to dietary restriction and reduced growth rate combined with corrective shoeing
- •Early intervention is critical for both conditions to prevent permanent damage and progression past the point of reversibility