This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> It sounds to me like it has become a "Long toe, low heel " thing which would lower the angle and lengthen the foot. My farrier DOES use a hoof gauge to check his work, even tho he has a good eye and is careful not to let the angles get too low. We removed Bjorken's shoes last fall after years of wearing shoes ( he has a rather flat foot). His heels chipped off badly so he now has a long toe, low heel but my farrier can't remove enough toe at the moment to correct the angle. He is very careful not to trim them too short in the winter and especially at this time of year when the ground is frozen and hard. We have agreed that Bjorken will need shoes this spring but the other three fjords are going barefoot with no problems. BTW I have used this same farrier for 20 years now with never a lameness issue! Thank goodness his son is also a farrier and will be available when he retires.
Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska where spring is finally coming: sunny and + 40 today At 09:34 AM 3/31/2006 -0500, you wrote: >This message is from: Genie Dethloff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Finne has had the same farrier for over two years (starting around age >five); I inherited her when I got him. He is barefoot and always has >been and will continue to be for as long as I can get away with it. I >have noticed over time that his front hoofs are getting less round and >longer. His heels are well spread and not underrun but seem also to be >lower than they were. His hoofs do not look quite upright enough to me >but with their short pastern bone and hairy coronet bands, it is hard to >eyeball. My farrier doesn't measure angles so I don't know what they are now.
