No Foot, No Horse: Foot Balance, the Key to Soundness and Performance
by Gail Williams (BA (Hons) PhD.), Martin Deacon
Category: Horses

This text explains why everyone involved in horse management should understand the principles of correct foot balance and the repercussions of good, bad and indifferent shoeing. Studies show that up to 95 per cent of all horses have some form of foot imbalance which will predispose them to injury. Common problems that can be attributed to faulty foot balance include: bad backs; bruised heels; hoof cracks; shortened stride/stumbling; arthritis; navicular disease/syndrome; chip fractures; sheared heels; and degenerative diseases. The book describes how good basic farriery, particularly through paying attention to foot balance, can be used to maintain and even enhance performance and soundness in the horse. It explains how to check the horse's medio-lateral balance with the aid of a T-square, as well as how to assess the hoof/pastern axis and what to look for when picking up the foot. The authors also discuss the connection between poor feet and bad backs, and show how skilled farriery can give horses with less-than-perfect conformation the best chance to stay sound.