05/04/2026
A notable case from this past week involved a horse that sustained an injury when it got loose. The horse was subsequently sent for an MRI, which revealed a severe lateral collateral ligament tear of the coffin joint, along with bone reabsorption and inflammation at the ligament's insertion points. The primary objectives of farrier intervention in such cases are to limit the degree to which the hoof sinks into a deformable substrate laterally and to stabilize the coffin joint. The application of a widened lateral branch of the shoe and a heel plate/bar shoe should accomplish these objectives. Despite the guarded prognosis for this horse, we are hopeful that this intervention will aid in the horse's recovery.