Remedial farriery Part 5 : Principles of foot balance

Foot imbalance is an important cause of foot related lameness and should be assessed and addressed early on in the lameness investigation. Full assessment of the feet should involve inspection from lateral, dorsal and solar aspects with particular attention to foot and shoe balance, conformation and horn quality. Radiographs can be used as adjuncts to assessment. Trimming and shoeing protocols should aim to restore proper balance, where possible. This article provides an overview of assessment of foot balance, using clinical examples and principles behind the approach to improving these imbalances. Companion Animal Vol 17 July 2012 © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Fig. 1: The right forelimb of this horse shows an ‘out-at-the-knee’ conformation and is toe-in with inward rotation of the limb distal to the carpus which is likely to lead to abnormal loading and forces through the digit. The white line should bisect the forelimb equally, when viewed from the front.