01/21/2026
It's time for a soap box.... Please hear me out.
This video explains some nuances in anatomy in a better way than I can, and it's worth a watch. Especially as an owner who wants the very best for fluffy.
This right here is one of the biggest reasons I'm not a big fan of fully symmetrical front or hind pattern kegs. It's also one of the biggest reasons to shape and fit hot. Even after this foot is trimmed and the distortion (if any) is gathered, there is still an offset - it's built into their anatomy.
Coffin bones are more vertical and have a straighter shape through the quarter on the medial (inside), and as they leave the toe and go around the lateral (outside) of the foot, the bone becomes less upright and rounder through the quarter. This is because of the way their feet bear weight, and greatly contributes to how they properly locomote. In my opinion, when we show up and nail on fully symmetrical patterns that are just barely altered a little here and there out of the box (if even altered at all...), we are doing a fundamental disservice to the horse, and the way their entire body functions. Natural arches, arcs, and things like offset and anatomically correct toes are ignored. Sometimes as a side effect, feet get "bottomed out" (trimmed too short) in the name of symmetry. Hoof wall can become artificially thinned because the shoe shape is "close enough."
Some horses may tolerate poor fit that ignores the anatomy their whole life without a complaint, if it's not too egregious. Many horses will still perform, but may not perform to the best of their soundness and ability.
Is there a time and place to change the way a horse's anatomy interacts with the ground? Absolutely. Every horse is different. Existing pathologies/ lameness/ conformational deviations, etc can all be reasons to change how or why a shoe is applied. One basic element, even through therapeutics and pathologies remains though: fully fit the anatomy, and then apply the mechanics or changes to the ground engaging surface of the shoe. One without the other will usually result in fluffy being sound for just as long as it takes the ill fit capsule to fall apart.
Through the years I have spent doing this, a trend has emerged though: it seems like 70 some odd percent of interference, gait faults, "footiness," or mystery pain/ lameness seem to all go away with properly fit anatomy and some extra vertical depth on feet. No fancy appliances, no cutting toes off. Just fitting the existing anatomy, and using it to properly build healthy feet.
