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Applied Equine Podiatry is the conscientious study of the equine foot,
always striving to expose it to proper environmental stimuli making
every effort to promote proper structure and function, as we attempt to
achieve high performance. It is accepting the facts that the horse
has the innate ability to heal itself and that mans interference has
caused imbalance and broken the golden rule of "Do No Harm." That
is a quote from the book "The
Chosen Road" by Dr. KC La
Pierre. It pretty much sums up what I do. The horse's
foot is more complicated then most people think. For the horse's
foot to function properly and to it's full potential it needs all of the
structures to be healthy because they work in concert with each other.
The frog needs to be healthy because it is what gives the heels
stability and the ability to flex over uneven terrain at the same time.
A healthy frog also stimulates the bars which are an integral part of
the C spring which is the hoof wall. A healthy frog also keeps the
heels (also part of the C spring) separated properly so that they don't
contract and under run. If the heels stay where the belong, about
even with the widest part of the frog, it allows the constricting of the
veins and arteries that run along the palmer side of the pastern, both
medial and lateral, by the coronary band during downward phase of the
stride. This temporary reduction in blood flow allows the pressure
to build up so as to pump through at an increased rate during the flight
phase of the stride. All of these aspects are extremely important
to the health of the horse. I know some of this might seem a
little technical but it is still important none the less.
What I do when I come to see your horse is to evaluate the health of
your horse, his feet, and the environment that he is living in and then
diagnose what needs to be done to help your horse achieve the optimum
quality of life under the conditions he is in. And possibly
recommend some changes so as to improve his environment if necessary. |
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