Barefoot Trim Bringing Heels Back Not Down

I shot this quick video yesterday about bringing the heels back, without bringing them down. This is super important when dealing with underrun heels, or any other application where you want to preserve heel height but still bring the weight bearing surface back.

Please excuse the shaky and weird camera angles, trying to hold the hoof, demonstrate the trim and hold the camera is challenging! 😜

[luvrackon]

You are talking about "rockering" the heel, which is what Pete Ramey calls it. Yes, it is good practice for bringing the heel back. I noticed that the mare in this video has some deep central sulcus thrush. One thing that works well to treat thrush without killing live tissue is zinc oxide ointment or Desitin. Apply it every couple of days and get it to the bottom of the sulcus however you can. Good video.

[tillyme]

I don’t get it, you are making the heel the lowest point on the capsule ! No wonder the capsule continues to run forward !!? This was started 20 years ago by Pete Ramey, created such a mess of under run heels and long toes. Please explain why you do this…..thank you

[cjjohnson]

It would be helpful to see you doing the actual rasping.

[BubblyGumm]

I do this on the one club foot my boy has! Thanks for explaining the reasoning more thorough.

[laceyotto-yqyt]

Oh my goodness this was sooo helpful thank

[earthandmedicine]

Very helpful and simple technique, thank you!

[lennyratever]

After getting your new heel position did you ramp the bars down and trim some the quarters to weight bear back there or did you just leave them alone?

[Skyhors]

? By doing that, you're reducing rear support even further, adding strain to the flexor tendon, seems to me. and for what purpose?
This is one of those horses that needs to be shod, with extended heels and wedge pads or maybe swelled heels, after trimming the hoof naturally.
Maybe square the toes.

[cindy]

This will only weaken the buttress which will cause the heels to be even more under run over time.

[Guruton]

Leave it to a proper farrier as you will only cause problems