The “F” word of natural hoofcare…

Flare. Flare is the bending of the hoof wall away from the underlying sensitive tissue. In my opinion it is one of the greatest barriers preventing horses from performing barefoot. Structurally, its byproducts include white line separations, quarter cracks, bruising and decreased concavity. The loss of structure leaves the foot prone to white line infections, commonly referred to as white line disease or seedy toe. Flare also decreases the likelihood of a horse performing barefooted over harsh terrain because the flare weakens the attachment of the hoof wall and coffin bone, lowering the position of the coffin bone in the hoof capsule. Flare also negatively affects the locomotion of the horse by delaying the breakover phase of the stride, creating problems such as interference, intermittent lameness and even caudal heel pain a.k.a. navicular. Yet even with all that said, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that it just plain hurts the horse to move with flared hooves.

Flare isn’t natural, but it’s actually a natural process. When excess hoof wall growth is present flare is created. Ideally, the flare would weaken the excess growth to the point where it breaks away. Thus a naturally maintained foot would eliminate the excess growth before it compromised the structural integrity of the foot. I have had the opportunity to work on many neglected horses and I am always relieved to see a foot with the wall broken off and tattered, unfortunately, many times the foot is flared to the point of curling. Both are trying to do the same thing, but the environment is what makes the difference. Unfortunately, the natural process of breaking away is often limited or nonexistent due to the domesticated environment most horses live in, so the flare just creeps higher and higher up the wall.

Determining whether or not a horse’s wall is flared is relatively easy. The top 3/4 inch of the hoof wall holds the key to determining the amount of flare, if any, present. The hoof wall should be a straight line from the coronary band to the ground. Placing a straight edge vertically against the hoof wall and keeping in mind that the top ¾ inch of wall is the guide for proper growth look for any gaps between the wall and the straight edge. The larger the gap the more flare there is. The flare is often accompanied by noticeable growth rings, further suggesting an imbalance is present.

I have come to expect some degree of flare in most horses I see initially. The reasons vary from horse to horse, but can range from simply accepting it as “normal” to actually leaving it to try and match mismatched feet. Many times it is left so there is something to nail to. Philosophically, if the farrier or trimmer views the wall as the sole weight bearing structure of the hoof removing it to correct the problem would conflict with the desire to load it. Understanding the negative effects of flare far out weigh any perceived benefits the flared wall offers, it is easy to reason the flare must be removed even if doing so prevents a shoe from being nailed on the hoof.  Removing it will reap benefits that become clearly apparent in a short period of time.

Trimming away the flare involves rasping the wall to follow the same plane as the top ¾ inch of the wall, as well as, relieving the flared wall back to the white line on the solar aspect of the hoof. Like many hoof pathologies there are no quick fixes and the flare must be removed judicially. Trying to remove all the flare at once will weaken the hoof wall and make for a sore horse. While the flare can extend up to the top inch of wall, rasping the wall should be limited to the lower ½ of the wall. The process of removing the flare not only removes the flare, but also sets the foot up for growing out the remaining flare. Once the flare is removed and/or grown out, the key to avoiding its return is maintaining a regular trimming schedule incorporating a rolled hoof wall.

Keeping a substantial roll to the wall, commonly referred to as the mustang roll, will maintain a straight hoof wall from the coronary band to the ground. Reason being, the substantial roll relieves the wall of the solitary responsibility of supporting the horse. Natural hoofcare dictates that the frog, bars and a limited amount of sole share the burden of support with the wall and if this natural balance is compromised, hoof deformities are inevitable. In the case of flare, it results from an overgrown and/or overloaded hoof wall. Further supporting the benefits of maintaining our horse’s feet as naturally as possible in their domesticated environment. Until next time, God Bless you and your equine partners.