I used to think trimming a hoof flat was the only right way to do it

For a long time, I was taught and believed that getting a perfectly flat sole with the hoof wall was the goal of every trim. I did it that way for over ten years, thinking any other method was just cutting corners. The change came about three years back when I started working with a vet in Lexington who specializes in sport horse lameness. She showed me how a completely flat trim on certain horses, especially ones with low heels, was actually putting too much strain on the deep digital flexor tendon. Now, I leave a slight bit of sole callus in the heel area on horses that need it, and I've seen a real difference in how they move out afterward. It felt wrong at first, like I wasn't doing a 'clean' job, but the results don't lie. Has anyone else made a similar switch in their trimming approach for specific cases?

2 comments

2 Comments

perez.christopher1mo ago

Same here. The flat trim dogma did a lot of horses dirty.

richardrodriguez1mo ago

Wait, "flat trim dogma" was actually a thing people believed? I thought it was just a few bad farriers doing weird stuff. That explains so many horses I've seen with messed up feet. It's crazy how one idea can spread and cause so much harm before anyone stops it.