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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
   
| I have a mare that has slight pastern arthritis in her left front. It's not considered high ring bone yet but we are treating it as such to slow down progression of the stage she currently has. I was recommended to try a horseshoe to encourage a quicker break over and ease of break over on both the toe and lateral sides. A shoe that is bevaled all the way around like a roller shoe a natural balance shoe. Anyways, has anyone had luck with these type of shoes and what reasons have you used them? My horse has been barefoot her whole career. I've rodeoed on her barefoot. She's done so well barefoot she qualified for circuit finals and had multiple 1d wins that way. So I don't tread lightly on putting shoes on her. It'll be a big change from what we've been doing for the last 6 years of her career and been successful doing. So like I said I'm taking this change for her seriously when it's something I wouldn't consider much of a change on my other horses since they've needed or had shoes for running. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| I think your biggest struggle will be finding a farrier that has enough knowledge to accomplish what you need. At least, in my experience, that was the hardest part. Did your vet recommend that type of shoe? I'd have them consult with your farrier and get a game plan. Ultimately, your farrier should be able to make a shoe that fits her needs.
I wouldn't be concerned about going from barefoot to a shoe, as long as, you have the correct shoe and placement. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
Location: South Georgia | A farrier can set a shoe back and round the toe for breakover with a regular shoe. There are Natural Balance shoes that have a slightly different shape that can be used as well. Warning--I did have a well known and respected farrier tell me while I was at an equine hospital that he has seen more horses crippled in Natural Balance shoes than any other. That, of course, is debatable.
Edited by horsegirl 2018-03-21 11:23 AM
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| thanks for your replies! My farrier is competent of putting a nice shoe job on. I know they've used natural balance type shoes so they have experience with them too. My vet is the one who did recommend an easier break over shoe. He said it's not so much just break over at the toe it is also break over laterally. He wants a shoe put on with a bevel around the whole perimeter of the shoe, not just at the toe. I've heard good an bad about natural balance shoes. A roller shoe I was told is similar to a natural balance due the allowance of extra break over. I'm hesitant to go to something that isn't simple and conventional like a regular shoe which is the reason why I am asking for experiences. |
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 I don't want to screw up!
Posts: 3881
Location: North Dakota -> Colorado | You can set shoe back a bit with a squared off toe to ease breakover. I had one of my horses in a natural balance shoe for a while but you have to have a really competent farrier as natural balance can backfire or so I've heard |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1100
Location: Southeastern Idaho | My vet has been suggesting Avanti shoes to allow easier break over for issues like this. I have a horse in them now that needs easier breakover on the sides. Avanti allows side as well as front breakover. You may want to check those out. http://www.shopedss.com/avanti-steel-plr-shoes/
I have a mare with a club foot that has been in natural balance shoes for 5 years. Wouldn't use anything else on her.
Edited by luvropin 2018-03-21 12:15 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| We've had great luck with the Natural Balance Shoes on two different horses. Both horses went from sore all the time, to sound and ready to go at any time during the shoeing period. Our shoer sets them back and rounds the toe off and they do great. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Where the buffalo roam | Vulcan has a roller shoe that I used the last few years on my horse with navicular and ring bone. They are not so drastic as the natural balance is and have the bevel you are looking for. I have purchased them through Centaur Forge.
Not a big fan of Natural Balance - had them put on my good horse years ago on a vet's advice and she got so sore I took them off a week later. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | Shoes don't change breakover. It's the angle of the foot. That has to come first. Stand the foot up. Take more toe less heel. We have used a wedge shoe along with changing foor angles. And used half rounds on some.
Edited by clampitt 2018-03-21 3:43 PM
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | PLRs, properly applied, and Osphos . |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | clampitt - 2018-03-21 2:42 PM Shoes don't change breakover. It's the angle of the foot. That has to come first. Stand the foot up. Take more toe less heel. We have used a wedge shoe along with changing foor angles. And used half rounds on some.
This. If it was me, I'd leave barefoot and trim the foot accordingly. I know a stud that competed successfully that way in roping events with severe ringbone. I have a young filly that injured a hind ankle and will be barefoot. Vet sees no reason to change her other than keep her toes short. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| clampitt - 2018-03-21 3:42 PM Shoes don't change breakover. It's the angle of the foot. That has to come first. Stand the foot up. Take more toe less heel. We have used a wedge shoe along with changing foor angles. And used half rounds on some. let me reword myself... It's not so much the quickening of break over but the beveled edge allowing ease of break over compared to a flat edge of a normal shoe. Her angles and toe length is fine. I'm assuming both vets want some sort of support. This is why I'm struggling with this. She has been barefoot for so long and done extremely well as a pro rodeo/ 1d horse I worry about changing things. I just want to do what is best for my horse.
Edited by WetSaddleBlankets 2018-03-21 11:11 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 417
Location: CA | Equilibriums by Mustad. My performance vet recommended I use these on my mare to assist with a quicker break over to ease her strained suspensories. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| thanks everyone so far who has replied! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 928
Location: Northern CA | I keep my gelding in Equilibriums and have had great luck with them this far. I do not care for the Natural Balance myself. |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | I have a gelding with exactly the same issue in the right front. Natural Balance shoes work great for him. I do however have an awesome farrier, so I attribute much of the success to his knowledge and ability. |
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 It Goes On
Posts: 2262
Location: Muskogee, OK | Liana D - 2018-03-21 3:57 PM PLRs, properly applied, and Osphos .
This is the biggest thing when it comes to the natural balance/PLR shoes. Your farrier has to know how to properly apply these shoes. They can be a great tool to help keep these horses sound. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | Try half rounds I mentioned them. Work very well to help a foot roll out of the ground.
Edited by clampitt 2018-03-22 11:01 AM
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| My gelding has been in aluminum natural balance for 5 years now. Best thing I ever did. I was skeptical but it has saved his career imo. We caught his early, he had upright pasterns and unfortunate candidate for arthritis in coffin joint or navicular. Last x-rays were good (knock on wood). he gets re-set every 4-5 weeks tho. Shoe is set far back also.
ETA Should add the shoe is 2 degrees and he also now has a wedge of another 2 degree. These are to correct his palmer angle. The wedges were addition two summers ago as he still wasn't quite where we wanted him.
I have also picked a lot of reputable farriers brains and they've told me a lot of the flack from natural balance is 1. these were designed with vet endorsers and felt farriers weren't consulted 2. some believe you can make a shoe with the same effects as NB.
Neither theories made me question my decision.
Edited by stayceem 2018-03-22 6:26 PM
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