# Natural Balance Shoes/Shoeing



## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

I am not a farrier, but I do have a smidge of personal experience. My mare went through a set or two of NB's, and the hoof was trimmed as usual. Of course with these shoes, the toe is squared and beveled.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

That is a much cleaner version than I seen! What was the purpose? I notice she has wedge pads. You mentioned she only had a couple of sets.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Take a look at the Natural Balance website & e-hoofcare.com for the theory behind it. Many horses develop run forward toes and that is part of the theory - to place the toe of the shoe back to where it - & 'breakover' should be.

I don't personally agree with the square toe or long term use of NB shoes. It appears used long term they may possibly promote more heel contraction than normal shoes. **This is only my opinion based on theory, as I've never personally dealt with these shoes myself except to remove them from some bad jobs - the type of shoe does not make the farriery necessarily any good!


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I know alot of people put those on horses to reduce knee action.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

In my horse's case, she's a chronic cripple with repeated soft tissue damage in the left front leg (ddft tears, etc.). We were just experimenting with every shoeing job possible to keep her from injuring herself, to no avail. Same with the wedges. Her coffin bones appear very flat on radiographs, but she won't grow heel.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I know that there are some farriers that are on this forum. I was wondering if you guys could explain to me about Natural Balance shoes/shoeing. Have you used it?


I'm not a professional farrier, but I did take Farrier Science in college and have been shoeing (and now just trimming) my own horses for many years. I have never used Natural Balance shoes myself, but I always thought that if I ever went back to shoes, the natural balance was a good idea. (Currently I am keeping my guys barefoot and using Easyboots in the rocks).

My understanding is that Natural Balance brings the break over back to where is supposedly should be. That allows the horse to make a heel-first landing, the way a healthy, sound horse should. Toe-first landings (again, just to my understanding) can lead to navicular and other arthritic changes in the foot.



loosie said:


> Take a look at the Natural Balance website & e-hoofcare.com for the theory behind it. Many horses develop run forward toes and that is part of the theory - to place the toe of the shoe back to where it - & 'breakover' should be.
> 
> I don't personally agree with the square toe or long term use of NB shoes. It appears used long term they may possibly promote more heel contraction than normal shoes. **This is only my opinion based on theory, as I've never personally dealt with these shoes myself except to remove them from some bad jobs - the type of shoe does not make the farriery necessarily any good!


Hi Loosie! 

I'm not saying your wrong, because I don't have any experience with these shoes myself, but why would Natural Balance lead to contracted hooves?

Shoes in general lead to contracted hooves (in my opinion) but if the horse is landing heel first with Natural Balance, why would that make contraction worse? Could it just be that these horses were put into Natural Balance to begin with due to hoof problems such as contraction? (a chicken or the egg senario?)

I like Natural Balance in theory, but have no experience with them. But I do think break over is important to a heel first landing. And Heel first landing is important to soundness. In theory anyway.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

I don't know. Haven't heard any real theories either, just heard this of some farriers that have used them. Hooves that ive removed them from have been contracted, but as you mention, chicken or the egg?? B really interested to hear the experiences of BNT n co if they've used them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

there is a NB farrier at my barn....NB shoeing has never worked for my horses. my farrier tells me it can be really helpful for some horses, but is not neccessary for all horses- which is what a lot of NB shoers do.


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## Kymbadina (Oct 29, 2010)

Well said loosie about the shoe not making the farrier any good. I'm not an expert, just something I've noticed. I think the natural balance IS case by case. My trimmer does the more squared trim. Not a complete square, like an in between of those pictures and the normal rounded hoof. He does a roll on my horses hooves though. But, my horse is barefoot and is a pleasure horse who mostly does trailer, sometimes we do some jumping. Now he also does a barrel racer at my barn and that horse does NOT have the squared foot, so..maybe because he is a barrel racer and needs that traction controlled? I don't know, just something I've noticed. My horse is also barefoot to correct his underrun heels but the shoes he showed me matched the shape of his current hoof.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Horseman56 (Jul 25, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I know that there are some farriers that are on this forum. I was wondering if you guys could explain to me about Natural Balance shoes/shoeing. Have you used it?


Yes, I've applied NB shoes, usually at the specific request of a customer or their attending veterinarian. 

The protocol represents mechanics loosely derived from the work of Duckett with emphasis placed on reducing phalanx lever length via placement of breakover slightly in front of the solar margin of P3. Trim methodology is emphasized as critical to correct shoe placement, including a specific mapping of the foot around the "true" apex of the frog. 

The original development of the shoe and associated protocol is based on the presumptive ideal of a feral model. The inherent flaw in any such methodology is the suggestion that a single model will best meet the needs of all horses. Variation/adaptation in species due environment, use and breeding prevent such models and the NB crowd has, in more recent years, tried to distance themselves from their original claims.

Personally, I think the NB crowd took a big credibility hit at the 2010 International Hoof Care Summit when Gene Ovnicek, originator of the NB shoe/protocol, was caught presenting what he claimed were before/after photographs. It was later determined that he had digitally altered the photos in support of his research. Gene later confessed in a letter to IHCS attendees. Many consider Gene's act to be academic fraud and have expressed concerns that the IHCS has again invited Gene to speak at the 2012 summit. Since the presentation was a "sample case" and, in my opinion, not presented as true research (no control study), I'm hesitant to agree with the suggestion that the problem rises to the level of academic fraud.



> I seen it done a couple of years ago. It looked like an "unfinished" cowboy shoeing. The shoe was placed back under the toe, but it looked like he forgot to rasp the toe back. lol.
> This seemed unpractical for horses used extensively in the rocks. They had a lot of toe hanging out over the front.
> Any opinions?


In my opinion (you asked), the shoe may have a use on some horses, but fails in the original claim that it is an ideal model. Anytime the protocol appears to benefit the horse, another "convert" will appear. Anytime the protocol fails to achieve the desired results, the originators/promoters will almost invariably assert that the shoe was incorrectly installed.

Most NB applications I've personally observed tend toward that "cowboy dubbed" toe application with the longer term result being a squared-off appearance. The protocol specifies a "road chamfer" approach in dealing with the "excess" length. Force plate research conducted at New Bolton Center demonstrates that excess removal of dorsal wall material increases pressure under the solar margin of P3. Craig Trynka has often brought into comparative question the obvious point that no horse (to the collective knowledge) is born with or develops through growth, environment or use... a square coffin bone.

My own business and personal experience has demonstrated that an overly shortened phalangeal lever, while easing breakover ground reaction force, can increase stress at the common digital extensor tendon if overdone. This is particularly true for the NB Performance Leverage Reducing application. 

The NB promoters would probably suggest that I simply installed the shoes in an incorrect manner. :wink:



> Thanks!


You're welcome and, as always...

Cheers,
Mark


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Horseman56 said:


> Gene Ovnicek, originator of the NB shoe/protocol, was caught presenting what he claimed were before/after photographs. It was later determined that he had digitally altered the photos in support of his research.


:-(That's even worse than a singer caught lip synching at a concert!:lol:



> My own business and personal experience has demonstrated that an overly shortened phalangeal lever, while easing breakover ground reaction force, can increase stress at the common digital extensor tendon if overdone. This is particularly true for the NB Performance Leverage Reducing application.


Can you explain why/how you think this is the case? What do you think about heel contraction when used long term? *I know you like your 'big words' but think it would be more helpful to general understanding if you used lay terms, rather than technical ones that sometimes go over the head of many horse owners here.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Kymbadina said:


> natural balance IS case by case. My trimmer does the more squared trim. Not a complete square, ... Now he also does a barrel racer at my barn and that horse does NOT have the squared foot,


Perhaps the square toe is also a 'case by case' - I have never seen a naturally square toed horse, wild or domestic, excepting such as dragged/dubbed toes due to stifle probs or such, but that's not to say I could assert they never exist - perhaps G.O. did indeed find a herd of such to come up with the idea originally!:? I think it also depends on the horse, conformation, work required of it, but that horses don't only just 'breakover' at the middle of the toe & IMO a squared toe puts a lot more stress on the toe quarters when breaking over any other way.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't have just a whole lot of experience with them myself. I've only ever had one horse that we used them on and they were used as part of a therapeutic shoeing program to keep the old guy sound and comfortable. He had navicular and, IMHO, the NB shoes kept him more comfortable in the later years than any of the other shoeing/trimming methods we'd tried with him.

I can't see that they would benefit a horse that wasn't suffering some form of injury/lameness that would either be more comfortable or sounder with quicker breakover. My brother (a farrier) has seen more of those NB shoes used wrong on horses that didn't need them than anything else.

IMHO, they are like anything else in the horse world. There are no doubt some horses that benefit from having them...so long as they are used properly.

As for why the toe was left long on the hooves you saw, that could be any number of reasons. I've known some people to leave the toes unrasped if they planned to use the NB shoes for only 1 or 2 shoeing sessions before either pulling the shoes for barefoot or going back to regular shoes. That way, the distortion of the rest of the hoof was minimal but they still had the early breakover and could easily have regular shoes put back on at any time. But I have no idea if that theory is a sound one as I am not a farrier, that's just what I was told when I asked.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

"My own business and personal experience has demonstrated that an overly shortened phalangeal lever, while easing breakover ground reaction force, can increase stress at the common digital extensor tendon if overdone. This is particularly true for the NB Performance Leverage Reducing application. "


Ok, so long story short....the pendulum has swung the other way from long toe, low heel days that caused stress to the flexor tendons. Thinking if they reduced stress to the phalangeal joints with a faster breakover it would alleviate stress to the flexor but in turn this method stresses the extensors instead? Am I understanding this correctly?( And instead of admitting his method isn't entirely correct, he alters his photos, and if it doesn't work then you didn't do it right? :wink tee he...
​


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

smrobs said:


> I don't have just a whole lot of experience with them myself. I've only ever had one horse that we used them on and they were used as part of a therapeutic shoeing program to keep the old guy sound and comfortable. He had navicular and, IMHO, the NB shoes kept him more comfortable in the later years than any of the other shoeing/trimming methods we'd tried with him.
> 
> I can't see that they would benefit a horse that wasn't suffering some form of injury/lameness that would either be more comfortable or sounder with quicker breakover. My brother (a farrier) has seen more of those NB shoes used wrong on horses that didn't need them than anything else.
> 
> ...



The situation was, we were extremely busy and short handed 2 Falls ago gathering for shipping, and being responsible for shoeing our own horses in our string, we had no time to do so. The ranch hired a farrier for us to get us through until Winter when we pull all shoes off because of the snow and ice. The farrier shod all of our horses this way. With NB shoes and left the toe hanging over the top of the shoe, we found this to be unpractical given the use of the horses. I didn't know if this was the norm or if it was a improper NB job.NB seemed similar to a "cowboy" shoeing. The horses were "cowboy" shod were "high and tight" all surfaces were smooth to ensure shoes weren't pulled from overeach or getting feet stuck in the rocks. 

Basically it sounds like at this point, I witnessed a bad version of NB shoeing


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## bntnail (Feb 3, 2011)

Horseman56 said:


> Personally, I think the NB crowd took a big credibility hit at the 2010 International Hoof Care Summit when Gene Ovnicek, originator of the NB shoe/protocol, was caught presenting what he claimed were before/after photographs. It was later determined that he had digitally altered the photos in support of his research.


If I remember correctly, The photo was to show results he had "NOT" achieved after 8-10 months of trimming. There were no before pic's, so one was altered to show "approximately" how the foot looked at the start in lue of an original. (an error of judgement) There was also to be a disclamer at the time of the presentation which may/may not have happened, or if it did, was not clear. (easy to do in the heat of the moment)

I've seen the photos, quite clear they are the same place/same day.

I don't agree w/the "one size fits all" thinking, but I also don't believe there was a deliberate attempt to decieve.


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## bntnail (Feb 3, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> NB seemed similar to a "cowboy" shoeing.


Generally "cowboy shoeing" protocol is to nail on an unshaped "kegger" and rasp off any foot that over hangs the shoe. One also has to be able to impliment a poor nail line while still being able to clinch using the "Missouri clinching" tecqunique (big enough to tie your horse to while in the bar).



> The horses were "cowboy" shod were "high and tight" all surfaces were smooth to ensure shoes weren't pulled from overeach or getting feet stuck in the rocks.


Could also be called a "hunter fit" depending on how well they were applied. 



> Basically it sounds like at this point, I witnessed a bad version of NB shoeing


Not necessarily, NB fitting is based around Duckett's dot and bridge (widest part of the foot). It is an attempt to shoe around the coffin bone/joint using external landmarks. Some feet will require champhering the toe a considerable amount. Not the "ideal" in some cases.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

bntnail said:


> If I remember correctly, The photo was to show results he had "NOT" achieved after 8-10 months of trimming. There were no before pic's, so one was altered to show "approximately" how the foot looked at the start in lue of an original. (an error of judgement) There was also to be a disclamer at the time of the presentation which may/may not have happened, or if it did, was not clear. (easy to do in the heat of the moment)
> 
> I've seen the photos, quite clear they are the same place/same day.
> 
> I don't agree w/the "one size fits all" thinking, but I also don't believe there was a deliberate attempt to decieve.


Thanks for clearing that up bnt! Yeah, we all should know to take what the 'media' dishes out with a healthy... lump of rocksalt!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

COWCHICK77 said:


> faster breakover it would alleviate stress to the flexor but in turn this method stresses the extensors instead?


Yes, that is how I took what horseman is getting at, just can't see how it would happen. Not as if it causes the horse to 'knuckle over' or otherwise stretch/strain the extensor.


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## bntnail (Feb 3, 2011)

loosie said:


> I don't personally agree with the square toe.


Not a square toe. Is a blunt, rolled from quarter to quarter. Doesn't force breakover, does ease it though. Still not the shoe for every horse. The same mechanics can be put into any shoe by a decent farrier w/ a forge.:wink:


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## Horseman56 (Jul 25, 2011)

loosie said:


> Yes, that is how I took what horseman is getting at, just can't see how it would happen. *Not as if it causes the horse to 'knuckle over' or otherwise stretch/strain the extensor.*



Yes, that is, to a lesser or greater extent, what happens. Breakover occurs too soon, forcing the animal to prematurely flex the extensor in an effort to compensate and maintain balance. The effect is enhanced due the "blunt toe" design of the shoe which "encourages" a more centered breakover versus the somewhat lateral toe quarter breakover seen in many horses. I've observed this specifically with application of the NB PLR shoe, installed with assistance/mapping by an NB certified farrier. The horse was sore within a few hours and the shoes had to be removed. 

I originally viewed the NB protocol with an eye towards addressing the needs of some unilateral club footed horses. The results, after several applications, were less than favorable and I abandoned that approach.

I'm supportive of a shoeing protocol that generally divides the base of support around the center of articulation of the DIPJ. Move that base too far forward and stress is placed on the caudal aspect of the digit and the hoof capsule will distort in a manner consistent with ground reaction force at the dorsal wall. Move the base of support too far back (with respect to COA) and the imbalance places stress on the extensor during the breakover phase of stride.

While I don't put a lot of stock in "natural", it is reasonable to be supportive of mechanical "balance". In my view, "ease of breakover" often has more to do with balance around the COA than specific reduction of ground reaction force at the dorsal toe.

Cheers,
Mark


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## Horseman56 (Jul 25, 2011)

bntnail said:


> Not a square toe. Is a blunt, rolled from quarter to quarter. Doesn't force breakover, does ease it though. Still not the shoe for every horse. *The same mechanics can be put into any shoe by a decent farrier w/ a forge.*:wink:


That's an important point and worth emphasis. NB functionality, roller motion ala banana shoe, etc.... can all be forged and often with results more specific and beneficial to the horse in hand. Forging skills lessen dependency on "models" and dogma.

Cheers,
Mark


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## Horseman56 (Jul 25, 2011)

bntnail said:


> If I remember correctly, The photo was to show results he had "NOT" achieved after 8-10 months of trimming.


Agreed.



> There were no before pic's, so one was altered to show "approximately" how the foot looked at the start in lue of an original. (an error of judgement) .


Some call it an error in judgement; others have labeled it academic fraud. I'm not strong on either call but it does beg the question, how many other times has he made similar "errors in judgement"? It's a slippery slope and a credibility hit no matter how you label it.




> There was also to be a disclamer at the time of the presentation which may/may not have happened, or if it did, was not clear. (easy to do in the heat of the moment)


So Gene claims. Wonder if he would have offered that explanation had Doc Miller not caught him with his hand in the cookie jar? I was there and don't remember mention of any disclaimer. Neither does anyone else I've talked to.



> I've seen the photos, quite clear they are the same place/same day.


More to the point, it's quite clear the "before" pic was photoshopped.



> I don't agree w/the "one size fits all" thinking, but I also don't believe there was a deliberate attempt to decieve.


That pony's already left the barn. The "deliberate" part happened the day he altered the photo. It would have been a better and less "deliberate" effort to simply say, "we don't have a before photo", then explain that there was no improvement. 

The explanation offered that the photo was for "illustration" purposes only, yet couched in the context of a "study". Academic presentation necessarily abides within a rigid construct of ethics and academicians are less than forgiving when it comes to any breach of data falsification, regardless the intent.

I'm pretty hard on the barefoot brigade when they present Bowkers junk science. I can't turn a blind eye when one of our own does the same thing.

Cheers,
Mark


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

re: NB shoes and contracted heels. I also have encountered this phenomenon. To date, every horse I have pulled NB shoes from has been contracted pretty severly. I have also wondered about this since the last horse I pulled them off of.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

The guy that came out and shod our string with NB shoes, shod 20 some horses all the same. And they all looked like a "cowboy" shoeing without rasping the hoof back to the shoe. That was my first impression and the easiest way for me to describe what it looked like without knowing anything about NB. Since the general consensus is, it should be case by case in how they are used, this was improper. More than 20 horses were shod the same(In my untrained eyes). Let alone it being impractical for our use.

BNTNAIL, I should of specified that not all horses were cowboy shod but were all, for the most part, high and tight for obvious reasons. The horses that were cowboy shod, were your typical cowboy horses. Your more than likely going to get kicked at-were tough to shoe - and most of them you didn't attempt back feet. So a quick trim, shape(yes the shoes were some what shaped! lol), nail and rasp down. My husband is a stickler for clinches, so the clinches were short and clean.  Even though it seems like a crude means of shoeing it has its time and place.LOL

And everything was high and tight, probably not to the hunter jumper standards though.  St. Croix eventers or rim shoes were used for traction roping in slick meadows. The St. Croixs seemed to last longer and are a "harder" shoe, for a better lack of terms.


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## Eileen (Aug 25, 2010)

Haven't even thought of this might be our problem. I wounder if nb shoeing could be why her front hoves are chipping when they never did before she had this done?


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

This has been a very interesting read for me. 

I'm very disappointed in Gene Ovinick for presenting at the conference with photo-shopped photos. If he has been doing research for so long, you would think at the very least he would have before and after photos. And then to alter the photos, well, that's very disappointing. :-( I don't know the guy at all, never met him, but I thought his shoeing theories sounded reasonable.

I guess my bubble has been busted a bit, not just about the photos, but the circumstantial evidence you guys have shared regarding the hoof contraction and the soreness to the extensor tendons. Perhaps, like everything, moderation is the key, even when dealing with break-over. More is not better.

I will beg to differ though on the concept of horses not having squared coffin bones. That much is true, but my BLM Mustang (living in captivity since he was a yearling and he is 18 years old now) rolls his front toes very similar to a natural balance shoe. Not all horses do, my Fox Trotter doesn't, but the Mustang does. Why I don't know. Conformation I suppose. 

And speaking of conformation, I too have noticed with my own horses that the break over is always a bit to the outside (lateral). I just assumed they have less that perfect conformation, but it was interesting to read that this is actually typical for most horses.

Anyway, this thread has been very interesting! I am always trying to educate myself about hooves and of course horses in general.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I agree, I have learned a lot!


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## Horseman56 (Jul 25, 2011)

trailhorserider said:


> I guess my bubble has been busted a bit, not just about the photos, but the circumstantial evidence you guys have shared regarding the hoof contraction and the soreness to the extensor tendons. Perhaps, like everything, moderation is the key, even when dealing with break-over. More is not better.


To clarify, my observation of digital extensor tendon discomfort associated with the application of the NB PLR shoe was not intended to suggest that ALL horses with said application would suffer discomfort.

Like most, I have observed horses that benefit from the mechanics inherent to the NB protocol. The salient point is, no single model will address the needs of all horses all the time, including NB. 

As with most things equine, it depends.



> I will beg to differ though on the concept of horses not having squared coffin bones. That much is true, but my BLM Mustang (living in captivity since he was a yearling and he is 18 years old now) rolls his front toes very similar to a natural balance shoe. Not all horses do, my Fox Trotter doesn't, but the Mustang does. Why I don't know. Conformation I suppose.


Mechanical conformation (genetics), associated gait, environment and use.



> And speaking of conformation, I too have noticed with my own horses that the break over is always a bit to the outside (lateral). I just assumed they have less that perfect conformation, but it was interesting to read that this is actually typical for most horses.


Quadruped locomotion is an exercise in mechanical physics. In simpler terms....

Baby, I like the way you move! :wink:






Cheers,
Mark


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Watching that video, Mark, it's a wonder any horse stays sound. :shock:


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Awesome video Mark, thank you. And thank you for the clarifications too.

That little shudder when they weight the leg, I have never seen that before! Kind of scary, lol!


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