24/11/2025
Here we go but what’s the back story?
This post jumped out at me on several levels, over the recent years now I’ve been overtly critical of a particular trimming protocol which in recent times has been fuelled by images and feet such as these being shown, all of these images show presumably the X-ray results of farriery intervention with the common denominator being that P3 is left in a hyper positive position with very little sole depth beneath the tip of P3
The pedal bone or P3 while capable carrying enormous forces in the healthy horse is nevertheless an incredibly delicate bone, especially around its periphery along with the micro circulation which is supported around it, it is as has been documented by Dr Robert Bowker vulnerable to pressure changes from a change in its orientation within the hoof causing bone loss at a surprisingly fast rate, if the antagonists for this remains unchecked
Isolating these images from the horses they belong to for a moment IMO the heels have been left stacked way too high and the tip of P3 has been left way too vulnerable, but here’s the rub!
Would / does the flexor chain of soft tissue in these individual horses allow for heel reduction or does the merest few mm of heel height reduction induce increased lameness to outright crippling lameness? At this moment we simply don’t know
Personally in an ideal world I would be trimming the heels weekly to steadily reduce the height, supported by boots, with a vet and body therapist on board to manage the change and for all we know perhaps this is happening, but I do think where this post has attracted criticism, that criticism has been valid albeit way too draconian for me in wanting to immediately get the heels right down without allowing the whole body to join the journey and without knowing all the facts
Why Expert Farrier Ronald Aalders Chooses Glushu for Complicated Hoof Cases
In the world of equine care, proper hoof management is crucial. Horses with difficult hoof issues require special attention and innovative solutions. Thank you to the expert farrier Ronald Aalders for sharing why they use Glushu on complicated hoof cases. See more of Ronalds work and keep up to date with how this horse is doing by searching for Aalders on Facebook.
If you would like to try Glushu for your horse, please order from our online store www.glushu.comor at your local farrier supply.
If you have any questions about Glushu please contact us sue@glushu.com.
From Ronald Aalders
“De-rotation! A technically complicated but absolutely vital first step in successfully treating laminitis.
There a number of reasons I use Glushu in such cases.
1. I avoid nails as it can be traumatic for the hoof and horse.
2. Nails frequently displace tissue. On feet like this perhaps enough to cause discomfort.
3. Since the horse already had a problem evaluating progress gets harder. Is it the nailing or the laminitis that makes the horse sore after shoeing?
4. In general Glushu hold better than nailed on packages. In such cases losing a shoeing package can be a big problem.
I use Glushu on many different clients – please like my page https://www.facebook.com/ronald.aalders.3 to see more of my work. ”
Thanks to Glushu, Ronald Aalders offers improved care for his clients and their horses. His dedication to innovative solutions showcases his deep understanding of equine health and the intricacies of hoof care.
View more testimonials here: https://www.glushu.com/testimonials
