Instructions
Trimming the Flares
Cut the flared hoof wall vertically at the bottom, along to the inside of the stretched white line. Make a round curve, so there are no ridges or corners.
Leave the flare of the upper hoof wall to provide strength for the foot.
File away some of the flare while the horse has his foot on the ground, or use a soft place where the horse can lie down.
Trim the back vertically, or use an undercut angle, if the founder is strongly slipper-toed. Doing this will allow the wall to protect the upper part of the foot.
Trimming the Heels
Scour off the powdery sole of the back half of the foot when the horse is able to hold up his foot. Examine how much you will be able to shorten the heel.
Let the flaky sole remain in the toe area to provide protection from the coffin bone that may be piercing the sole.
Remove the wedge that lies just beyond the point-of-frog, widening toward the heel. Shorten the heel up to the seat-of-corn, where the sole is hard. This wedge cut allows the tip of the toe to be off the ground and minimizes pain from the coffin bone on the sole corium.
Shorten the back end of the bars so they are not touching the ground.
How to Trim a Foundered Hoof
A single severe or repeated case of laminitis can result in a foundered hoof. Damage to the laminae causes the coffin bone to rotate or sink away from the hoof wall. Rotation is the less serious form of founder, affecting mainly the toe area of the foot. X-rays can show the extent of the rotation. Traditional methods can cure mild rotations of about 5 degrees, but more severe 10- to 30-degree rotations require the horse to go to a hoof clinic. Sinking is more severe, though less common, than rotation and in some cases may lead the veterinarian to euthanize the animal.