Hoof imbalance is one of the most common problems associated with lameness in a horse’s foot. It can be attributed to a variety of causes including conformation, the type of shoes fitted and how regularly the horse is shod. Ideally, the horse’s foot should strike the ground as a unit, with each toe placed squarely on its corresponding pad. If this balance is disrupted, either through foot misalignment or shoe pressure that exceeds the horse’s ability to distribute weight evenly across its four feet, then hoof imbalance may develop.
In horses with hoof imbalance, one or more toes tend to be substantially longer than the other(s). This can cause discomfort when horses are walked or trotted because it puts added stress on those joints and can lead to soreness and inflammation. Horses with hoof imbalance also tend to have difficulty raising their heels off the ground (they “pick up their back end”), which can make it