"It depends" was my first thought. A few of the QH I shoe have small feet and low heels. The reiners like their feet very upright, 55-57 degrees, up front and I use Triumph 2 deg aluminum's on them. I prefer the open wedged shoe to a pad. It leaves the sole and frog open to the elements so to speak, besides its simpler and I am a great believer in KISS. Nice work Smitty!
Thanks Smitty, I dont have concave. I guess I need to find some to play with, but I get by with rims and eventer type shoes here..
In my custom I have found that open wedged heels often results in a prolapsed frog and additional problems. So, While I use both wedged heel shoes and wedge pads, I rarely do so without supplemental frog support.
Hence my question if you couldn't use supplemental frog support as usual would a hidden bar shoe be better than nothing?
well, rick; I have put on more wedge shoes than most platers!!!!!! and regular farriers [non-plating]: and I yet to have to use supplemental frog support at all. I just went to delaware park today!!! and shod 2 with wedges up front; and 1 other I had to put 2* EC wedges on the hind and take off the block heels when I made that mistake. I wedge a lot of OTTB's for a living with wide web aluminums; without a problem or the need of frog support. well?..................
Extremely sore can't handle any pressure back there. Just thinking of what ifs. I have one Monday that the Vet just wants an open heeled 3° aluminum wedge on, but he doesn't want any supplemental support for now.
Why7? And, how long do you keep the horses in wedges? Glad that works for you..... Mechanically, what is the effect of wedges when the horse lives/works on a soft surface? Buy a lottery ticket for your luck knows no bounds.....
What is the cause of/reason for that soreness? Here we have the potential conundrum of following the vet's Rx or not. Why does he want that shoe used? Did he put his Rx in writing, of which, you have a copy?
I wasn't there when the horse was first seen. I'm wondering if the horse presented extremely sore when tested. The horse has navicular bone changes, calcifications on the dft, and arthritic changes in P2 as well. I have not seen the Xrays, the Vet is going to be present during the shoeing so he can assess if that is the right angle, etc. for the horse. I do not have a written rx. Vet will be on site.
After about 3 resets with wedges I find you have either started to redirect growth or aggravited it?? I use lots of castle frog support pads on alot of bad heeled horses and seem to get some better results? I really believe the frog is there for a good reason, so helping it help the rest of the hoof is what I try to do?
some horses run in wedges and never come out of them as of the horses I do at Delaware Park; with no ill-effects. in wedges because they are more comfortable in them and taking the pressure off the tendons and the jockeys note the difference in the running style. there is a right way to wedge a horse; and some only in wedges a few shoeings for the LHLT until heels grow out a little and the angles are better aligned with the pastern; and others never come out of wedges due to navicular changes from heels being pounded into the ground and shoers cutting every part of the heels down. and others are in wedges indefinably due to navicular and or tendon damage. I don't have the problems; because I know when and when not to wedge. it's called experience.
NO Tom; they want the long toes and no heels; and I fight with them all the time with it; we have more break downs than ever before. there was 8 out 12 horse field all with bowed or suspens. then they bow ect then they want the stupid fastbrakes on them but still no heels on them; I have a pair right now that came off a race horse from a few days ago; what a xxxx mess!!! I shod it with #5 xt legacy no vibe fronts fit tight and #5 xt queens hinds for the turf race on sat. no wedges on him; just needed the toes pulled back up front; hinds were good. if I could up load a pic I would.......sent all you a cringing in corner on how to shoe the horse and not have it lamed up......he was 1* lame right when he came.......fine as soon as I got that monstrosity off of the horse.
Linda, Do you see more bowed tendons in the SFT or the DFT? According to this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2375746/ wedging would actually increase strain in the SFT (where bows are supposedly most common), and to the SL, which I would think would contribute to even more injuries? As Rick asked, what mechanical effect does wedging have when on the softer terrain common on TB tracks?
So if you then come along and add a wedge to the package are you not going against the expressed instructions of the trainer?
