Is it the rain? We've shrunk another one............. :-)

Forgive the rubbish picture. I wanted to experiment with something and I don't have the technology. Or I might have but don't know it, so I have hashed something together with PowerPoint.  If you want you can get a bigger version by clicking on the picture.

What you see is the same foot, first with a shoe on and second after 3-4 months of 'facilitative' hoof care. The four red lines are all the same length. Hopefully this will give a better perspective of how the hoof has changed when it has been allowed to grow the shape it wants to.

This foot has had many issues, not least paper thin walls and soles. But the transition has been ok, albeit tricky. Fortunately the owner has put the horse's welfare first and has been careful and considerate. The horse is now hacking out over the better surfaces without boots. Stones on a hard surface are still challenging, but we are getting there.