Toe Heel? Or Heel Toe?

new2thejourney · Toe Heel? Or Heel Toe?

I am wondering about this? Is the horse's foot supposed to fall toe heel? or heel toe? or should it land on both at the same moment?

I have been watching Rocky walk in the paddock, and I realised I didn't know the answer to this question and I couldn't think of anywhere better to ask!

Thanks,
Karen.

Gillies_mom

Heel landing.
the phases of the stride are:

arc of flight
heel strike
slide
full load
breakover
take off

Kate

new2thejourney

Thanks Kate.

I was watching Rocky walking slowly in his paddock while I was wondering this. Now I have this new information, I am wondering how to read correctly what I am seeing.

I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is slightly toe first then heel etc.. but if I look at different feet, I get a different visual and as I lack the ability to slow mo my eyes....I'm confused.

His right and left front feet, legs etc. are 'normal'.
His right hind is 'normal'.
His left hind has a deep cut which has been slowly heeling over the last 3 weeks and it is this foot I think I notice toe heel first.

Question time. As I am attempting to trim him on my own as all the trimmers are SHITE in my area. (Honestly not flash...no barefoot trimmers, no great farriers and if they can trim a horse they elbow them in the ribs for shifting their weight trimmers). I figured I could learn on the job.

What do I need to do?

Post pics?

Help....really want to learn lots and lots more, just unsure where to go now.

I have Pete Ramey's book. I live over 200kms from the nearest city in every direction and am in a small, isolated part of the country with few and little funds.

Thanks,
Karen.

jokersmama

Post pics!

BUT make sure the hoof is clean and the pics are taken like Mike's sticky shows at the top of this forum. Set your camera to the "flower" setting which is for close up and set it on the ground about 6-8 inches from the hoof.

Also I would recommend Pete's DVDs to accompany his book you can rent them from horseflix and a membership is only $10.00 a month.

new2thejourney

Thanks, I'll give the pics a go.

I live in Australia and I can't rent the dvd's from here. I wrote a letter asking them if I could join from here and if not did they know of a similar version happening in Australia. No answer so I got the message loud and clear!! lol

Karen.

oldmac_donald

N2tJ - PM me if you like with your address. I can help you out with some info

Leah

http://barefoothorse.com/barefoot_Breakover.html

Gene Ovnicek has a video called Natural Balance Trimming-it is a great video that explains heel first landing and shows slo-mo footage.

I BET somewhere on youtube some hoofie has posted videos of heel first landings.

Newfman

Taking it one step further;

When you get good at seeing which touches down first, you should start seeing ..Lateral (outside) heel first. And I might as well just put it out there...It is my own belief, based on visual studies, and backed by interpretations of research, and my own logic, (and I am in the process of trying to get a scientific study together for this very hypothesis)....As a "Primary" footfall and ground contact, I believe it is Lateral Heel, Lat. Quarter, around the Toe, Medial Quarter, Medial Heel, Then the hoof reaches COP (center of Pressure) and the hoof unrollment is evenly distributed heel to toe.

But, for your purposes, just concentrate on Lateral heel first landing, as always, with exceptions for un-even terrain (you know, the obvious knuckle head stuff)

Video...these are my favs.

Lat Heel First. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPipjsRep9U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3mLMG3H4vo&feature=related

With Shoes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxsekc5gyss&feature=related

Shod-V-Unshod:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REReSZKMnkg&feature=related

Leah

Yuppers agree with the slightly lateral heel first.

Newfman

LOL, I saw that one coming!

That's ok, as long as you remember...you heard it here first.

new2thejourney

OH BOY! Have I got a lifetime of learning to learn. Will my horse hate me for practising on him?? Please say he will forgive me and I will get better....I know I will get better, and what I have done is better than what is available at the moment.... don't want to cause him harm.

Thanks to OldMac...... very, very much and lots of learning to come via your knowledge, thank you a million!

Karen.
xx