Jillie’s feet June 7 to September 30, 2016 

​It’s not news to anyone reading this account of Jillie’s progress that keeping a horse’s feet balanced and trimmed is crucial to the way they travel and stand. I had my barefoot trimmer explain what needed to be done with Jillie’s feet to support and enhance the postural changes in her body, especially relating to the rotation in her front legs.
The thing he emphasized was that it was important for me to keep after flares because flares create a situation that stresses the laminae by prying up on the area of the white line and pulling the wall out away from the sole. I am fortunate to live in a dry climate with a pleasantly abrasive ground in my horse pens. This allows the feet to wear at a fair rate and minimizes the amount of trimming I have to do. I am comfortable following instructions from a farrier and working on feet 2 – 3 times a week to help maintain balance between farrier visits.

​Left: 6/7/2016                     right front                              Right: 9/30/2016
The shape and integrity of the hoof greatly improved in just less than 4 month’s time.
Below: left front 9/30/2016
In this picture you can clearly see the growth lines near the ground that reflect the flaring history, while the wall above is coming down straight and evenly.