Long toe and under run heels - transitioning from shoes to barefoot

Left front solar view

Left front side view before trim

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Long toes and under run heels are very common in shod horses. You can see in these photos a good example of long toes and under run heels. The heels should be not be so far forward, they should be back, aligning with the back of the frog, or very close to it. Shoes do not allow the frog and heels to expand and get wider as they grow, so they grow forward and contract.

Right hind solar view

Right hind side view

This side view of the hind hoof, if you can imagine it before it was filed off at the toe to fit the shoe, that is a very long toe and under run heel and has affected the way this horse travels.

How is a horse trimmed to correct a long toe and under run heels? In this case the farrier was trying to grow a longer heel, but when you try and grow a longer heel, you get even more long toe and under run heel, especially if a horse is shod.
A heel will chase a toe, so you trim back the toe then the hoof gets back under the horse. Eventually the horses heel will get back in alignment with the back of the frog and the angle will change. Instead of being forward and low, it will be back under the horse and the angle will be correct.

Left front side view after trim

solar view after trim

This was the first trim of many for this horse and I am setting up the hoof to change and heal. All can not be corrected in the first trim because the bones in the hoof and leg have to change. You can see in the solar view, there is more toe in front of the widest part of the hoof, the heels need to widen and the heels will come back and align with the back of the frog.

Over time, as I keep trimming this horse, and backing up her toe, and balancing the rest of her hoof, the anatomy of the horse will change and she will be more comfortable. In comparing the  before and after photos, you can see how the the toe has backed up a little and the heel is a little more under the horse.

Right hind side view after trim

Right hind solar view after trim

In the solar view you can see there is more toe in front of the widest part of the hoof and the heels are too far forward. The cracking is more sole that will exfoliate, I did remove some, the horse will continue to remove it on her own.  After this horses next trim, I will post updated photos and you will see even more changes to achieve a healthier bare hoof.