Continuing Professional Development.

This would be a 20 point answer to a diploma question, I have added to the apprentices comments in blue.

Side bone is the ossification or calcification of the hoof cartilages described as bilateral where both cartilages are involved and unilateral where one of the cartilages are involved. The collateral cartilages are found on the medial and lateral aspect of the foot, they are four sided curved plates attached to the proximal borders of the palmer process, they are large and extend far enough above the coronet and can be palpitated just above the coronary band2. the hoof cartilages are act as important shock absorbers for the foot and allow the foot to deform during the weight bearing period and then allow the foot to return to its normal shape when not underweight bearing3.They provide pressure on the coronary venous plexous to assist in blood return when descending body eight causes upward and out ward pressure via the digital cushion located between the cartilages. . When the cartilages have ossified the amount of shock the cartilages can absorb is massively reduced due to the loss of flection in them4. Loss of blood supply to the lateral cartilages and surrounding tissue will effect growth and function of the capsule. Side bone probably occurs as a result of increased loading or movement of the heels of the foot and may be natures attempt to strengthen the foot to carry loads better5. ( page 338 of the principals of farriery).side bone is believed to be hereditary and direct blow and concussion are accepted causes6. (Page 217 of Hickman’s). The sighs that the a horse may be suffering from a side bone are shoes being more warn on the side affected by the side bone from the quarter to the heel7. Side bone is more commonly found in front feet than hind feet due to the amount of weight bearing in the front limb8. Lameness may be present as a loss of function of the capsule but the ossification is rarely directly responsible. Side bone can occur from many different things such as poor foot balance medial lateral balance being poor so the horse is weight bearing more on one side which is going to put a greater strain on the hoof cartilages. Poor limb conformation which put more strain on the hoof cartilages9. Direct trauma to the hoof cartilages may cause the cartilages to ossify10. Working horses on uneven ground or hard ground could also be a part in a side bone forming11. Lameness, primarily associated with side bone, israrely seen and if lameness occurs it is usually caused by complicating features, e.g. when the ossification becomes advanced and the growing side bone press on adjacent sensitive hoof structures and deform the foot12. http://www.clydevetgroup.co.uk/ Farriers can assist in treating side bone by correct foot dressing make sure that you have the foot medially and laterally balanced13. You would fit a wide webbed shoe to restore symmetry in the distorted capsule, allowing the contracted aspect of the capsule to sit on the inside of the web and the expanded part of the capsule to sit on the outside of the web, thus restoring symmetry of the capsule.to the foot to allow the foot to expand.14 You would not want to put nails any further back the widest point or the point that the foot contracts, because the wall has become more upright and a slower growth rate then there is a danger that the sensitive regions underneath will cause pressure. you could roll the toe of the shoe so that it helps the horse’s foot break over faster15. You fit a unilateral side bone shoe the affected foot which is a shoe that is thinned down on the affected branch to imitate the wear on the shoe and the branch also gets wider from the toe to the heel to support the hoof capsule16. And you would only place 2 nails at the toe. You would advise the owner to have the horse shod on a 5 week shoeing cycle17.

Are welcome Marc, for those who dont know he has beat me in all the theory exams, last time by 4%!!!!! But he is younger and less senile.

Set a mock practical exam for Alex last week, one of the horses in my yard and my forge. The exam will usually require a 3/4 fullered shoe and a concave one front and one hind. The time for the exam is two hours. The reason for practicing the exam situation is obvious but seems to be overlooked by many. In this instance the horse is my daughters retired dressage horse so the shoes applied were just two front simple concave fronts. As this is a saturday morning excercise then it didnt seem appropriate to do one front and hind so we did two fronts.
We use the same marking sheet that the worshipful company markers use which I have downloaded from there site, If that is how the exam is marked on the day I think that it is important to practice the same way.

http://www.wcf.org.uk/diploma_examination_manual/annex_f_practical_marking_sheet

I mark the xam quite tough but fairly and but make notes as I do it. This Job was 72%

here is the finished job.

Not sure I know what you mean?

Apprentice practice exam this morning, 2 hours to complete wo shoes on the foot.