Recovering Collapsed Heels

Dealing with broken, often nonexistant, heels is one of the areas where some of the most interesting conventions from traditional hoofcare come to the fore.  The idea that shoes, in severe cases eggbars, can support the heel and promote regrowth leads to increasingly complicated and longwinded 'treatment' of broken heels.  

Once the heels are in contact with the ground, the horn will regenerate in response to the weight being bourne.  A shoe, particularly an eggbar simply causes the broken out heel to bridge; there is no weight going up through the heel because the heel isn't there, and it can't come into contact with anything as it is being held virtually rigid against a non-conformable metal plate.

The case below was astounding in the speed of recovery once the shoes came off and I hestitate to claim too much credit because the horse virtually healed herself once she could get her foot in contact with the ground.  This mare had been through remedial farriery at one of the UK veterinary schools.  Her owner eventually took the shoes off as nothing was working, in fact it was getting worse. 

June 2010 The degree of collapse in the heels is evident. This has lead to horizontal distortion of the hoof wall and the folds that can clearly be seen. The curve of the hairline mirrors the stress lines through the hoof wall. The very uppermost portion of the hoof wall below the hairline is growing in at the angle the hoof would be if it were healthy. The mare was very lame on this foot and the effect caused the whole foreleg to bow out from shoulder to ground when viewed from in front.   August 2010 Six weeks and two trims later. The foot has transformed. The improved toe wall angle has grown down quickly as the innate healing ability of the horse produces healthy hoof wall. The angle is pretty steep, which may be an attempt to compensate for the shallow angle in the lower portion of the foot by giving a more healthy 'average' angle from hairline to toe. The hairline is less bent and is higher off the ground at the heel. October 2010 I have been pretty taken aback by the speed of improvement in this mare and her whole forelimb is much straighter. The steeper angle from coronet band to toe has continued to grow in down the hoof wall. Her hairline is less distorted and the heel has recovered and is now able to support the back of the foot. The horse still stands with the foot turned in and ‘toes in’ as she walks but maybe with time even this will improve. It’s surprising how much the body can realign even in an adult horse.