23/02/2026
We’ve been fortunate enough to work on two cases at Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital—and this one was a challenge worth solving. 🐴🔥 This horse had a severed deep digital flexor tendon, which meant we needed to provide serious support during recovery. The solution? A Patten bar shoe—a specialised, elevated, orthopaedic shoe designed for therapeutic short-term use in horses with severe injuries like severed tendons, suspensory apparatus injuries, or broken bones. 🛠️✨
So what makes a Patten bar so effective? While it does elevate the heels and change the hoof angle, there’s more to it than that. 💪 When a horse has a Patten bar fitted, they’ll naturally bear more weight on their good limb over the course of treatment—similar to if you stood with one foot on a brick and the other on the ground. The foot on the ground would support the majority of your weight. This rest benefit is critical for healing. 🙌
The palmer (back half of the front hooves) extension also supports the back of the leg, which is essential in many therapeutic situations. 🩺 And when the horse does put weight on the foot with the shoe, the foot is held in a position that reduces the chance of further injury to the suspensory apparatus. The design means only the toe and the raised bar contact the ground, unloading the deep digital flexor tendon and reducing strain on the lower limb. 📉
It’s used during the recovery process, often starting with a high angle and gradually lowering the heel over several weeks as the injury heals.
Working alongside the vets at Onderstepoort on cases like this reminds us why we love remedial farriery. It’s an extremely useful shoe that’s indispensable when dealing with therapeutic situations—and when you get it right, you’re giving that horse a real chance at recovery. 🐴💚 Call 082 801 2663.
