Key Points from Bowker, Ramey February 2007 Conference
The High Points from the February, 2007 Clinics in Arizona featuring
Pete Ramey, Dr. Robert Bowker and Easy Care Boots, with comments from Dr. Tomas Teskey.
I know none of us will agree with everything presented but I hope you are interested in hearing the latest from Dr. Robert Bowker (professor of anatomy and researcher with Michigan State), Pete Ramey (trimmer and founder of American Hoof Association) and Dr. Tomas Teskey (huge fan of barefeet, self trimming, natural lifestyle and bitless bridle).
The audience included folks from trimming styles from Ramey to Strasser to Martha O to AANHCP and others. It was good to see people willing to suspend their beliefs and listen with open minds.
Dr. Bowker was great; he reminded me of Fred McMurray in Flubber. Combine genius with insight-overload and a boyish charm and you have the picture! What a great guy. He is currently teaching anatomy and researching the hoof at Michigan State, but did tell us that in the near future he will be setting up his own Hoof Research Center in Charlotte, Michigan. He will answer VERY short e-mailed questions. (He can’t type.) Don’t bother calling, he won’t answer. Google to find his site; there’s not much there. Some research follows this section.
It turns out that one of the coolest things about him is that he has no horse background. He became interested in horse hooves through his wife’s horses. To me this means he looks at everything with fresh eyes. Totally out of the box. Some of his work is published whereas some is theory or ongoing research or tried out on a few horse horses (10) at his place. His forte is the science. As professor of anatomy, he has checked out all the educational texts and not one has completely correct information on the hoof.
Key points from Dr. Bowker:
The back of the foot is everything; Heel first or flat landing is required for healthy hooves and healthy horses. He is totally anti shoes, which he calls, “peripheral loading devices.” In the back half of the foot, the horse must build the two lateral cartilages (LC) and the digital cushion (DC), along with embedded circulatory vasculature during natural movement.
Blood supply in the LC’s and DC is primarily for energy dissipation and not nourishing the tissues. He used this example: put a tourniquet on the leg for 30 minutes; there’s no effect. These are simply not tissues that require a lot of blood for nourishment and waste removal. The network of tiny blood vessels that is embedded in the LC’s and DC can decrease in number when not used (by shoeing or a bad trim) and will grow again with use. He presented slides along with cadaver feet that clearly showed the embedded vasculature. (For similar samples, you can freeze a cadaver hoof and ask a butcher to make 1/4” slices. On the first hoof, slice from toe to heel, perpendicular to the ground. In the second hoof, slice from the sole to the coronary band, parallel to the ground. Keep each section in a labeled baggie with alcohol. Dr. Bowker’s specimens gave me a greater insight into the hoof and the preparation wouldn’t be hard for us to do.)
Bowker believes the horse won’t loose LC and DC structure that it has built, thus the first four years of correct trimming and movement are so critical.
He believes we should work our horses in padded boots. Here is the litmus test: When young foals trot, canter and gallop, they look as if they are floating several inches above the ground. If your horse floats like that during work, then you don’t need boots. Horses working on sand or in soft arenas wouldn’t need them. (For the record he receives no money from any boot company.)
Here’s why: He used a Doppler machine to measures blood flow in the hoof during various conditions. If the horse was shod, or stood on cement or wood, Bowker noted that the blood flowed down the large arteries, did not enter the hoof and returned via large veins. The blood essentially made a U-turn at the pastern. In contrast, these same horses standing on these materials while fitted with padded boots showed blood flow from the large arteries, to the network of tiny vessels embedded in the LC’s and DC, and the return of blood through the large vein.
Bowker concluded that the shoes or standing on hard surfaces created such resistance in the domestic horses’ feet, that the blood simply couldn’t fill the network of small vessels. He likened the large artery and vein to straws and the network of vessels as a collection of swizzle sticks. Blood could only enter the vessels in the hoof under low resistance.
Naturally, it followed that the primary function of the vessels in the hoof is to dissipate energy. How brilliant nature is; mechanical engineering tells us liquid is the best dissipater of force/energy. When the foot is in a padded boot, blood flows normally, filling the plexus, and the natural water bed works properly. Basically the pads are taking the place of mature internal and external structure seen in the feral horses.
Based on his research, Bowker does not see the hooves as 4 additional cardiac pumps (Dr. Strasser); at best, nourishing the tissue is a tertiary function of the vessels. On the other hand I have seen the healthy of deshod horses improve. I attribute this to having restored ideal blood volume and movement.
The coffin bone is not hammocked in the laminae. He has seen nothing to convince him (from Pollitt, Hood or others) that the coffin bone is in a sling of laminae with hoof wall. Laminae makes wall, sole, bars period.
Rather, imagine looking at the hoof face on, coffin bone on sole. The sole is thin at the tip and then thickens as it reaches the outer part of coffin bone. Where inner wall (water line), white line and sole meet; he sees this junction as the hammock hook, so to speak. The coffin bone is supported and held in place by the sole and this side connection (hook) which of course runs all around the bottom of the coffin bone.
- Take home message for trimming: Don’t trim the sole! Lumps and bumps will disappear when the hoof has correct structure it needs. Soles need to thicken, not be thinned.
Contracted Heels:
Bowker views contracted heels as an important defense mechanism to protect an undeveloped back of foot. When the internal structures, (LC’s, DC, vessels) and external structures (frogs, bars, heels and sole) have developed sufficiently to withstand the weight of 300 lbs per hoof, the heels will decontract.
- The take home message for trimming: Don’t force decontraction through opening cuts or excessive trims. The goal of ideal blood flow takes time; time for the vessel to grow again.
Dr. Tomas Teskey said the abscessing some trimmers see might be due to over trimming and/or a lack of understanding of how to manage the pain sometimes seen in transition from shoes. Abscessing is not due to the horse’s need to get rid of toxin build up, because again, taking nutrients to and waste from the tissue is not a critical function of these vessels. BTW Dr. Teskey has posted a great collection of articles on the Easy Care site and maintains a blog.
- The take home message for trimming: Respect the healing powers of Mother Nature. Don’t over trim and especially don’t over trim an already sore, pathological horse. Make sure the horse has a back of foot to walk on, or fit him with a padded boot for the near term.
Bowker believes that the bars make sole and bar material. He drilled tiny holes around the bars and watched them grow towards the toe and also fan out towards the periphery. Pete Ramey now thinks that the sole ridge we often see around the frog is sole working it’s was to the toe to protect P3. Don’t trim sole ridge, as he did in his book. I suggest anyone with Pete’s book print off three articles from his site: 1. Update on Bars 2. A Hoof for All Season’s and, 3. The update on his book.
- The take home message for trimming: After the set up trim, (and maybe not even then) stop trimming bars (most of the time, for the most part)! See Pete’s latest article on bars about a foundered horse. He trimmed golf sized bars so horse had something to walk on in back. But after first trim, the bars self trimmed. If they keep popping back, trim half as much each time and soon they will find their natural height.
Bowker on the outer hoof wall: definitely 33% and probably 50% of the hoof wall is made from “the grocery bags” in the secondary epithelial layer (SEL) and not at the coronary band. Thus cracks are filled in before they hit the ground. I saw a lump of growth coming out of the coronary band on my horse (thicker wall). It grew 1.5 ” down the hoof, then disappeared. Based on this new knowledge, I think the rest of the wall was thickened by SELs.
Bowker on Movement: Using pedometers, he followed his small herd’s mileage. They moved about 6,000 steps per day, mostly during day. They don’t move as much at night. If stalled they moved 800 steps, day or night. A foot step was defined as the hoof lifting, moving and landing. There was no information on mileage.
- The take home message for trimming: Avoid stalls especially during the day light hours. Do what you can to create as much movement as possible (spread hay around, build a Paddock Paradise).
Also see:
- Avoiding Navicular
- Research on Good Footed vs Bad Footed Horses (2003)
- Update: Dr. Bob’s new center Corona Vista Equine Center/ Holistic Horse Center
Updates from Pete Ramey:
He’s leaving them alone and they self trim most of the time. In the article he details trimming golf sized bars so a foundered horse had something to walk on in back. However he was not entirely sure that was the right decision until the horse walked off better and the bar didn’t pop back in 4 weeks.
If you have to trim more than 1/8″ from anything, after first trim, you may be over trimming. Trim half as much as you normally do. Watch to see if the material grows back (meaning the horse needs it) or not. Let the foot develop its own shape on its own schedule.
- Take home message for trimming: Put your knife away and go slow with rasp. Less is more. Excessive growth over 1/8th “ between 4 week trims is defensive. The horse needs it!
Let the arch at the quarters build. If the horse doesn’t have an arch, he probably does not have enough sole in front or back of foot.
Booting:
He is not cutting the back strap out of the Epics anymore. He will cut it, ridge by ridge to insure there’s no rubbing. He likes the Easy Care boot (no gaitor) for rehabilitation. “Boots offer superior protection.” But the fit is everything. He envisions a horse having a closet of boots for various activities, just like we have running shoes, tennis shoes, fancy shoes, etc. (and he is still “not a boot salesman”.) He is looking forward to cleated boots for polo ponies and sliders for western horses. Encourage them to make therapeutic boots for all day use too!
Pads:
Pads simulate natural stimulation of the entire weight bearing foot. He is no longer talking about primary and secondary weight bearing surfaces because, after all, most ground is uneven; all but the outer wall is weight bearing. There is better and more correct blood perfusion with pads. Upcoming “dome pads” will support the horse with good concavity. Pads support the sole; healthy thick sole supports the coffin bone.
Thrush:
The best way to beat it is to outrun it with hoof growth.
Foals:
Trim them early (day 2) and often (daily for a week, weekly for the first 9 months or so). You are imitating nature and without that the soft, developing hoof will deform to contracted heels, long toes, etc. Movement = pressure, then release. Regardless of weather or terrain, the feral foal is up and moving with the herd on day two. Coddling is bad.
Pea gravel for loafing areas remains a huge deal. A “must”.
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Dr. Tomas Teskey is very into self trimming or at least working towards that. I am definitely seeing that with my horse and some client horses, even ones that you don’t think move enough! See the Easy Care Site for the vet’s articles and blog.
Updates from Easy Care
- The Grip is designed for muddy, slushy or wet grass conditions. Its shape and sizes are the same as the Easyboot, Epics and Bare.
- Shortly we’ll be able to mix and match the Easyboot with options on tread, buckles or enclosures (colors down the road) for the customized boot at $150 per pair.
- New Back Strap is set further down to avoid some rubbing.
- New “down buckle” design doesn’t catch on things. New “up buckle” can replace the current “down buckle” or go on custom boots. Order online.
- New boots will have totally interchangeable parts that the purchaser can do at home.
- For trimmers with pathological horses, check out new padding package. Retails for $130 for a variety of pads, densities, etc.
- From a study of 1 (my own!), I had a great, safe ride in studded boots last weekend. Not quite sure what the studs’ effects are on the feet but didn’t see any bruising or sensitivity. Without studs I couldn’t ride. Had to hop off and walk my horse home the day before.
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Posted in General Articles, Hoof Articles, Pathology, Trimming | Tagged barefeet, Dr Robert Bowker, expert comments, hoof mechanics, natural lifestyle, pathology, Pete Ramey, shoes, stalling, trimming 4 Comments
hello
my mare is very under developed in the back of the foot, soft dc and contracted frogs, i wonder why as she has been barefoot for about five years, she is kept on pasture and has only been ridden out once a week. she has been sore on occassions in spring and prefers to avoid gravel, I lowered the heels to try and encourage frog/ground contact but that just made her lame, i will be buying boots for riding now, but i’m wondering how i can encourage the back of the foot to develop more?
kind regards alex
Alex…sorry I missed your post. It’s late now but I will get back to you tomorrow or Friday! Dawn
Oh my latest article on Easy Care blog might be of interest. That’s what I have been working so feverishly on this last month! Dawn
Dear Alex,
I would suggest you leave your mare’s heels high enough to protect the back of her foot. That will allow her to develop a good back of foot which is critical to healthy barefeet. I wonder how healthy her frogs are? They must be really good. If at all ouchy, treat. If there’s a crack in the center and not a thumb print, treat. Pete Ramey’s goop is a good place to start.
Contracted heels protect an unhealthy frog and above it a weak digital cushion. Get a healthy frog and the heels will open up over time. Pete’s Goop is half anti biotic cream and half anti fungal cream for athletes foot, both found in drug store. Combine, put in a wormer and treat a clean foot. If the central sulcas is deep enough, pull a part a cotton ball and put that in after the goop. Every other day. Soak , every other day, or when you have time in a dilute Apple Cider vinegar to create an environment that bacterial and fungus don’t like. You can also treat with tee tree oil. Keep treating until the frog has a thumbprint in the middle or sheds. It takes along time. People stop too soon and find themselves with an ouchy frog in a month.
The Horse’s Hoof on line has an excellent series on frogs, fee.
Please check out my latest article on the Easy Care Blog, “Notes from the Field” where I discuss how to evaluate a good foot.
If I had to guess, I would say your mare probably has long toes and they are pulling the heels forward. You can never grow a good foot until the wall is well connected to the coffin bone.
If she is hurting on gravel in the spring, she now doubt has laminitis due to spring grass. The wall lost some of its connectiion to the coffin bone. Coffin bone is then closer to the ground, sole flattens out. It hurts to walk your bones on rocks! Avoid rocks, ride in padded boots.
I would be glad to look over photos and advise. I have an article on my site that discusses ideal photos. I ask $50 per consult but if you don’t have the money, I am glad to accept whatever you can afford. I have Pay Pal on the first page of my site.
As for boots. I think Epics with half inch black pads will do a nice job. I doubt the new Trail will bit your horse. It’s designed for the round foot. they don’t fit my TB either. Realize that at the toe and heels get back under her, if that is the problem, she will go down a size. Always fit them with no pad. They should not wiggle. then put in the pad. Check the fit every now and then.
I hope this has helped! Let me know what you decide to do.
Dawn