Horse Hoof Conformation

The shod horse hoof.

If your horse is shod you must ensure your horse or pony maintains a healthy balanced hoof and foot and that it is shod every 4-6 weeks. If your horse or pony is unshod (if it is a youngster or not used for ridden work) it should have a trim and leveling about every 8-10 weeks.

Your farrier should be qualified and registered, and should advertise this fact. It is illegal for anyone other than a registered farrier to shoe or trim your horses feet.

In the UK: The farrier should have one of the following qualifications, the FWCF being the most highly skilled:

DipWCF (Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers)
AWCF (Associateship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers)
FWCF (Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers)

You must also ensure your horses feet are picked out using a hoof pick at least once a day, to remove any stones, mud and dirt and to check that shoes are in good condition. Keeping feet clean and dry wherever possible helps prevent problems, however a weekly 15 minute soak will help moisturise the hoof.

The un-shod or barefoot horse hoof.

Fans of the barefoot horse claim that hoof strength can be completely restored to domesticated horses if appropriate trimming and living conditions are applied. So much so that horseshoes will no longer be required for almost any horse.

The hooves of barefoot horses and ponies, and especially those that live on pasture, tend to be well-shaped, with wide, healthy frogs and good concavity of sole, and made of tough, good-looking horn. These horses are rarely lame and the horses are sure-footed and will go confidently on any footing, even over rocks.

However, you cannot simply remove your horses shoes and ride it, you must still consult a qualified farrier to ensure proper barefoot trimming and allow your horse time to develop strength in the hoof wall and sole.

There are also many other considerations, which we will try to cover separately, depending on the type of ridden work you will do with your horse.

Feet Too Small :

Relative to size and body mass, the feet are proportionately small. There is a propensity to breed for small feet in Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, and American Quarter Horses.

A small foot is less capable of diffusing impact stress with each footfall than a larger one.

On hard footing, the foot itself receives extra concussion. Over time, this can lead to sole bruising, laminitis, heel soreness, navicular disease, and ringbone.

Sore-footed horses take short, choppy strides, so they have a rough ride and no gait efficiency.

If the horse has good shoeing support, it can comfortably participate in any sport, although it is more likely to stay sound in sports that involve soft footing.

Feet Large and Flat - Mushroom-Footed

Large in width & breadth relative to body size & mass. May have slight pastern bones relative to large coffin bone.

Flat feet limit the soundness of the horse in concussion sports (jumping, eventing, steeplechase, distance riding).

Without proper shoeing or support, the sole may flatten.

Low, flat soles are predisposed to laminitis or bruising. The horse takes on a choppy, short stride. It is hard for the horse to walk on rocky or rugged footing without extra protection on the hoof.

A large foot with good cup to sole is an ideal foot for any horse. There is less incidence of lameness, and it is associated with good bone.

For flat footed horses, sports with soft footing and short distances like dressage, equitation, flat racing, barrel racing are best.

Mule Feet - Horse has a narrow, oval foot with steep walls

Mule feet are fairly common, usually seen in American Quarter Horses, Arabians, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walkers, Foxtrotters, and Mules

A mule foot provides little shock absorption for foot & limb, creating issues like sole bruising, corns, laminitis, navicular, sidebone, and ringbone. Not all horses have soundness issues, especially if they are light on the front end & have very tough horn.

Because the hind end provides propulsion, it is normal to see more narrower hooves on the back feet compared to front. Soft-terrain sports like polo, dressage, arena work (equitation, reining, cutting), and pleasure riding are most suitable

Coon-Footed - The slope of hoof wall is steeper than the pastern.

Often associated with long, sloping pasterns tending to the horizontal, which breaks the angulation between pastern and hoof. Usually seen in rear feet, especially in post-legged horses.

Paso Fino horses have coon foots sometimes due to a weak suspensory that allows the fetlock to drop.

Quite uncommon, it particularly affects speed sports and agility sports. Coon feet create similar problems too long & sloping pasterns the horse is prone to run-down injuries on the back of the fetlock.

If the foot lift off is delayed in bad footing, ligament and tendon strain & injury to the sesamoid bones is likely.
Weakness to supporting ligaments due to post leg or injury to suspensory will result in a coon-foot as the fetlock drops.

The coon footed horse is most suited for low-speed exercise like pleasure riding or equitation

Club Foot - The slope of the front face of hoof exceeds 60 degrees.

Horse often has long, upright heels. May be from contracture of DDF (deep digital flexor tendon) that was not addressed at birth or developed from nutritional imbalances or trauma. It is fairly common with various degrees of angulation, from slight to very pronounced.

Best to use the horse in activities done in soft-footing & those that depend on strong hindquarter usage. Horses with obvious club feet land more on the toes, causing toe bruising or laminitis.

The horse generally does poorly at prolonged exercise, especially on hard or uneven terrain (eventing, trail riding).

Because the toe is easily bruised, the horse moves with a short, choppy stride, and may stumble. The horse is a poor jumping prospect due to trauma incurred on landing impact.

Contracted Heels -

The heels appear narrow and the sulci of frogs are deep while the frog may be atrophied

May be seen in any breed, but most common in American Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walkers, or Gaited horses

Contracted heels are not normally inherited, but a symptom of un-soundness.

A horse in pain will protect the limb by landing more softly on it. Over time, the structures contract. The source of the pain should be explored by a vet. Contracted heels create problems like thrush. The horse losses the shock absorption ability, creating navicular, sole bruising, laminitis, and corns.

It can restrict heel expandibility, causing lameness from pressure around coffin bone & reduced elasticity of digital cushion. The horse is best used for non-concussion sports.

Thin Walls - The hoof wall is narrow and thin when viewed from the bottom.

Often associated with flat feet or too small feet. Common in American Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and Saddlebreds.

Thin walls reduce the weight-bearing base of support, and are often accompanied by flat or tender soles that easily bruise. The horse is subject to developing corns at the angles of the bar. The horse tends to grow long-toes with low heels, moving the hoof tubules in a horizontal direction, this reduces the shock absorption ability and increases the risk of lameness.

Less integrity for expansion and flexion of hoof, making it more brittle and prone to sand & quarter cracks. A narrow white line makes it hard to hold shoes on. Horse does best when worked on soft footing.

Flared Hoof Wall

One side of the hoof flares towards the bottom, relative to the steep appearance of the other side. The flared surface is concave.

Condition may be conformationally induced from angular limb deformity or malalignments of the bones within the hoof. These conformational problems cause excess strain on one side of the hoof making it steepen, while the side with less impact grows to a flare.

The coronary band often slopes asymmetrically due to pushing of the hoof wall & coronet on the steep side, which gets more impact than the flared side.

Horse may develop sheared heels, causing lameness issues, contracted heels & thrush. It can be acquired by unbalanced trimming methods, that stimulate more stress on one side of foot. Chronic lameness may make the horse load the limb unevenly, even if the lameness may be in the hock or stifle.

The horse is best used in low-impact or low-speed sports.

Toed-Out - Splay Footed

The horses feet are turned away from each other.

Common fault

Causes winging motion that may lead to interfering injury around fetlock or splint. As the horse wings inward, there is a chance that he may step on himself, stumble, and fall.

A horse that is - tied in behind the elbow - has restricted movement of the upper arm because there is less clearance for the humerus (it angles into the body too much).

Reduced clearance of legs causes horse to toe-out to compensate.

Toed-In - Pigeon-Toed

Toes of hooves face in toward each other.

Common fault

Pigeon-toes place excess strain on the outside of the lower structures of the limb as the horse hits hard on the outside hoof wall.

Often leads to high or low ringbone.

The horse is predisposed to sidebone and sole bruising. The horse moves with a paddling motion, wasting energy and hastening fatigue so that he has less stamina.

Base Narrow in Front: Toed-Out or Toed-In

The feet are closer together and more under the body than the shoulders.

Fairly common fault

Base-narrow, toed-out:

• Stresses the outside structures of the limb, especially the outside of the foot.
• Causes a winging motion, leading to interfering.
• Predisposes the horse to plaiting.
• The horse tends to hit himself more when fatigued.

Base narrow, toed-in:

• Excessive strain on the lateral structures of fetlock, pastern, and outside of hoof wall.
• Causes the horse to paddle.
• The horse is least suited for speed or agility sports.

Base Wide in Front: Toed-In or Toed-Out

The horse stands with its feet placed wider at the shoulders, often associated with a narrow chest.

Uncommon fault

Base wide, toed-out:

The horse lands hard on the outside of the hoof wall and places excessive strain on the medial structures of the fetlock and pastern.

Can lead to ringbone or sidebone

Can potentially sprain the structures of the carpus.

The horse will wing in, possibly leading to an interference injury or overload injury of the splint bone.

Base wide, toed-in:

The horse lands hard on the inside hoof wall, placing stress on the medial structures of limb. The horse will paddle.

Stands Close Behind - Base Narrow Behind

With a plumb line from the point of buttock, the lower legs & feet are placed more toward the midline than the regions of hips & thigh, with a plumb line falling to the outside of the lower leg from the hock downward.

Usually accompanied by bow-legged conformation.

A fairly common fault, especially in heavily muscled horses like Quarter Horses.

The hooves tend to wing in, so the horse is more likely to interfere.

If the hocks touch, they may also interfere.

The horse can't develop speed for rapid acceleration.

The outside of the hocks, fetlocks and hooves receive excessive stress and pressure. This leads to DJD, ligament strain, hoof bruising and quarter cracks.

The horse is best for non-speed sports an those that don't require spins, dodges, or tight turns.