# Mustang Rolls



## barefoothooves (Sep 6, 2007)

The mustang roll lets the hoof breakover quicker in the stride. 

With a quicker breakover, there is less leverage force placed on the laminae of the hoof (the connection between hoof wall and internal structures). Less leverage means less stress and damage (like using your fingernails as tools, it's not good for them, and probably doesn't feel good). 

The benefits are numerous. Less mechanical stress on the hoof, it affects everything. In foundered and navicular horses, most farriers attempt to help the breakover by raising the heels. It's the right idea, just applied in the wrong place. Raising heels takes the shock absorbing part of the foot off the ground, creating some problems in itself. A mustang roll shortens breakover at the toe, yet allows the back of the foot to function normally. So many of the lameness problems can be helped by a mustang roll. Even natural balance shoes are a step in that direction, though the squared toe isn't quite right, either. Hooves are oval, not square.

Mustang rolls should be customized to the horse. A steeper angle is better for thicker walled horses or ones with a lot of flaring. Thin walled horses will need less of one.

My horses have mustang rolls (barefoot trims) and it is not only more healthy for the feet, it is generally more attractive. It's just a mimic of the natural wear a hoof would get if our horses were able to exercise enough to wear off the hoof on their own. What could be better than trying to maintain the hoof as God/Nature designed? 

And that's my oversimplified answer. =)


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

what is a mustang roll???


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

While I can't give all the credit to the mustang roll (I think there is just something smart about not putting pieces of metal in living tissue to hold on another piece of metal:???...my horse has gotten loads more sound since we started doing the natural trim. We were having problem after problem with lameness issues until a year ago I decided to start trimming him myself (because my farrier refused) with the natural model. It just makes sense. In fact...when we were fighting lameness WITH shoes...my farrier put aluminum shoes on so that the toe area would wear down (aluminum is soft) and round...later on I figured out that my farrier was trying to mimic a mustang roll and still charge me $90 a job!


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

ok so is a mustang roll nothing more that a natural trim? just with a fancy name? im a little confused.


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

a mustang roll is a smooth, round bevel on the edge of the bottom of the hoof. Applying a mustang roll is one step in having a "natural trim."

this is a cadaver hoof...so it looks weird...but look at the smooth edge around the bottom of the hoof


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

ok i see now! thanks. that hoove looks nice. i can ask my ferrier to do that/apply the mustang roll to my horse? is it better that a basic natural trim? barefoothooves's feet look really nice as well. do they have a mustang roll to them? it dosent look like it.....also what is better for horses? sorry for all the questions i never heard of the mustang roll


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Here's the link to some hoof shots on the Pete Ramey website that should give an idea of what the Mustang roll is.

natural hoof care

It is not something every trimmer/shoer knows how to do.

I have been trimming off and for 49 years. When my 21 yo TWH became metabolic a year ago, I took everyone's hooves back.

I found a Pete Ramey student 40 miles away who willingly spent the winter mentoring me on my own four horses, so I could learn to utilize these new (to me) trimming principles plus manage my metabolic horse's hooves.

I am still skittish about using the agressive roll like he wants me to on the one horse, but I have conquered the degree of roll he wants me to do on my metabolic horse. 

It is the best thing I could have done for this horse. My metabolic horse will probably always be laminitic but he has never foundered. I give every credit to his fairly ouchless movement across the stones in the paddock to the barefoot farrier's teachings.

That being said, common sense will dictate that I put boots on Duke if I ever take him off our property, but the fact that he can "hit a good lick" (he's a Tennessee Walker) coming across the stones thru two gates without gimping is a wonderful sight to behold.

So yes, there is a lot more to the "natural trimming" principles as opposed to the pasture trim that most shoers do.

Typically a natural trimmer will not put shoes on a horse. If the shoer professes that he does "natural barefoot trimming", I would ask him who he studied with and then check those credentials to be sure.

My current barefoot farrier/mentor USED to shoe. He became disenchanted with shoeing methods that weren't helping the horses as they were supposed to.

He studied Pete Ramey's principles, and after three years of practicing on his own horses and any friend that would agree to keep their horse barefoot, he felt he was finally ready to "go out in the world".

He will tell folks if they are not happy with the barefoot trim, it is their right to go back to shoes, just don't call him 

I hope I helped answer the question some:???:


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

yes you did some what.....which is better a natural trim or a mustang roll??? this may help..i have a 2 1/2 year old rescue paint filly who's hooves have never been tended to...they do not look as bad as i thought they would! i have been working with her everyday to allow me to pick her feet up and hold them as long as i need to. which ahould i ask the farrier to do? and is the mustang roll they can do on their first time out or does it take a few trimmings to get them properly rolled?


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## barefoothooves (Sep 6, 2007)

The roll can be applied any time. It's the one constant in every barefoot trim, even when other details may change. It can vary in the degrees of the bevel, but it's always there. Especially when dealing with existing problems, that bevel can make a horse immediately comfortable!


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## barefoothooves (Sep 6, 2007)

here's a mustang roll on a sound foot.


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

hey guys i finaly understand!!!!! thanks so much for putting up with my tons of questions!!!


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## carriedenaee (Apr 17, 2008)

i think im gonna do that with my horses...i hate shoes anyway..it looks so much better to me.. then when i go to Benton I can just use my boots


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

The term mustang roll was coined to refer to the way the wild horses out west tend to wear their hooves. Check out Barefoothooves website. She has some great pics and Info..

Barefoothooves is my trimmer and she does a beautiful bevel on all my horses. Tomorrow is trim day! LOL


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

Barefoothooves is our trimmer too!  Bunches of happy feet in Kansas..:lol:


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## DarkChylde (Nov 13, 2008)

Barefoot is best, what I always say.....

Good thread!


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

A good mustang roll is a must to prevent chipping or cracking. It takes the pressure off the outside wall and transfers it to the inner layers of wall, which seem to be better equipped for weight bearing. If I don't keep a good mustang roll going on my mare, she'll end up getting minor surface cracks, and be ouchy on gravel. 

When she showed some white line separation, I took the roll all the way back to the white line on those feet. I was scared, but it was recommended to me by two different hoof professionals so I tried it. She was instantly sound and the separation finally grew out! Her separation was due to too much wet weather and too long between trimmings for the conditions for a few months. The separation was all gone within 3 more months! 

Now, my gelding doesn't really need much of a mustang roll. His feet are iron hard and he's sound no matter what his feet look like, lol. So, I just keep a mild roll on him, just for GP .


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Hey Barbarosa! What part of Ks or Ark are you in? Your trails look very interesting. I still have to put front boots on my QH to ride on rocks, but he thinks he's special..


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

Hey Appyt, we live one mile east of U.S. 77 on the Winfield City Lake road, the lake is just five miles further down the road. So if you have ever been to the city lake or Burden you drove right past our driveway. Did you know Maureen (Vida- Loco) is my wife?


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Barbarosa said:


> Hey Appyt, we live one mile east of U.S. 77 on the Winfield City Lake road, the lake is just five miles further down the road. So if you have ever been to the city lake or Burden you drove right past our driveway. Did you know Maureen (Vida- Loco) is my wife?


Oh, I see. I didn't realize you are Maureen's hub. Nice to meet you. I think my nephew and his family live near Burden, I haven't been there in years tho. I'm east of El Dorado about 15 mins, near Rosalia. I am so glad we have "our" trimmer. She's awesome isn't she? I thought my horses hooves would fall off while she was out having that lil girl. I wonder where the heck is she hiding, I haven't noticed her posting lately.. Maybe she's busy working and taking care of her family. Naaaaaaaaaa, she's prolly riding. lol


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

Small world Appyt.. I went to high school in Eureka (Mom, Dad, and little sis, her husband and little girl still live there). Then I worked for IPS Cardwell in Eldorado six years when I was younger, in the 80's. I used to roustabout some oil leases around Rosalia too. Frank Gray's lease, then there was the Marshall and the Gish also.. That was over 25 years ago. I still drive through Rosalia on the way to visit family. I drive the road heading south out of Rosilia that winds down to Leon then Atlanta, and over to Haverhill Road (which is the road that goes across the dam at Winfield City Lake only five more miles west to our farm). You should trailer a pony down this way and meet us for a ride at the city lake some time.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

OMG Really! That's so kewl. Frank Gray died several years ago, his wife just a few. I liked old Frank. 

I wish I had a trailer, I'd take you up on that.. Hmmm, My riding bud has one and she loves to trailer out to ride in the flinthills so she might just be up for a road trip, when the weather comes back around. LOL I'm coming up blank on Marshall, but Gish I know. 

IPS! A friend of mine's husband worked there for years.. Does the name Clay ring a bell? 

I'd love it if you and Maureen could stop by one day as you go by Rosalia. Maybe at the cafe(if it's ever open). My place is only a couple miles out of town. I'd love to meet you both.


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## zanytactics (Sep 8, 2007)

I totally agree to the natural trimming. Although I'm new to the whole barefoot sceen. I'm so glad I took the time to atend a seminar on feet/nutrition given by Ove Lind. I have a horse who had really bad thrush and couldn't find anything to get rid of it. After atending them seminar found out that he had thrush, which is turn caused his heels to grow too high and on top of it all had shoes on. His frogs were not even close to to touching the ground. His foot was basically dead!! So now I have pulled his shoes, soaked him in coloidal silver, and started trimming him the proper way and his foot looks totally different. The new frog that is growing in is healthy and each week we are able to take more heel off. Unfortunitally my farrier was not open to the natural trim. But I am learning under a very watchfull eye and my horses are moving better then ever.


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

...Appyt, I've eaten a ton of cheese burgers at the little Rosaila cafe. The Marshall lease was about one mile south and one mile east of Rosaila but its been a while might have been two miles. Maureen and I thought about buying the 90 acres that the Marshall sits on as it was up for sale a year ago or so. Sorry to hear of old Frank and Nadine passing. Frank and I worked together at Lewis Machine shop west of ElDorado before it was bought by IPS Cardwell. Frank was a card always chewing the beachnut. Who lives on their farm now? It was always such a nice place. Is the big pasture you ride Cattlemans Hill south of Sowyards? I also used to fish the big water shed on the Franhouser property about two miles south of Sowyards just behind cattlemans hill. Are you north, east, south, or west of town? I'll have Maureen send you a P.M. with our phone number and call us when the weather is better for riding.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Barb,  I just had to do that. I worked at the old hat from 1987 - 2000. Bet I cooked some of those and waited on you as well. I was the lippy one. lol

Frank's place isn't quite as nice looking as it was. I don't know who lives there now. I am NW just a tad on Parallel. 

We ride north of Rosalia a couple miles usually. Over on the east side of the blacktop. It's a big ol cattle pasture. I used to be able to ride the big pasture north of me cross the road, but it changed leasee hands and now it's locked and I don't have permission anymore. sniff sniff... It's for sale btw..  You shoulda bought that acreage.. It sure would be easier to hook up to ride. lol


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## jkdawson8085 (Nov 4, 2012)

*cadaver hoof of an Arizona Mustang*

I need permission to use that photo for a thesis on Natural hoof care. Does anyone know who has the rights to this photo?


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## jkdawson8085 (Nov 4, 2012)

*The Mustang Roll Picture of the Arizona Cadaver hoof*

Does anyone know who owns the rights to the pic? I need to get permission to use it in a thesis on natural hoof care.

Thanks,
Jim


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## edfitzfish (May 17, 2015)

*"Mustang roll"*

A "mustang roll" is nothing more than removing the sharp edges around the perimeter of the hoof wall after trimming. There is nothing mystical about it.
Any good, knowledgeable farrier will remove these sharp edges after trimming. It is beneficial in that it reduces chipping of the wall, as well as reducing leverage on the tendons in the lower leg, allowing easy movement in all directions. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with breakover, as the breakover point is on the bottom of the foot. 
Visualize your feet with 2"x4" planks strapped to the bottom. When all of the edges are intact, it is difficult to move your feet in any direction. If you remove the sharp, overhanging edges, not so much.
The term "mustang roll" derives from feral horse hooves. As they move on rough terrain every day in search of food & water, they wear the sharp edges down to a nice round shape. The foot effectively trims itself.
"mustang roll" is a catch phrase...


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## edfitzfish (May 17, 2015)

Painted Ride said:


> ok so is a mustang roll nothing more that a natural trim? just with a fancy name? im a little confused.


A "mustang roll" is nothing more than removing the sharp edges around the perimeter of the hoof wall after trimming. There is nothing mystical about it.
Any good, knowledgeable farrier will remove these sharp edges after trimming. It is beneficial in that it reduces chipping of the wall, as well as reducing leverage on the tendons in the lower leg, allowing easy movement in all directions. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with breakover, as the breakover point is on the bottom of the foot. 
Visualize your feet with 2"x4" planks strapped to the bottom. When all of the edges are intact, it is difficult to move your feet in any direction. If you remove the sharp, overhanging edges, not so much.
The term "mustang roll" derives from feral horse hooves. As they move on rough terrain every day in search of food & water, they wear the sharp edges down to a nice round shape. The foot effectively trims itself.
"mustang roll" is a catch phrase...


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