Isnhcp - Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices

Pathology in hoof care: wall thickness, lamellar attachment, and distal phalanx.

Is pathology always found in the hoof... or can pathology also exist in hoof care itself?

Over the years we have become very good at recognising pathology in the hoof and treating signs of pathology. White line disease. Laminitis. Stretched lamellar attachment. Deformed hoof capsules. But how often do we stop and ask whether some of the hoof care practices used to manage pathology may themselves contribute to more pathology?

One of the subjects I will be discussing during the PB Paddock Paradise Open Day is the relationship between pathology and hoof care through the lens of the Wild Horse Model.

To understand pathology and not get caught in it, we first need a point of reference. We need to understand the characteristics of a naturally shaped hoof, because without understanding anatomy of healthy, sound hooves it becomes very difficult to recognise when the hoof structures become compromised through human meddling.

Lets take the natural thickness of the wall.

One of the characteristics of a naturally shaped hoof is that the hoof wall possesses a natural thickness. Wall thickness in naturally shaped hoof appears uniform across the entire perimeter of the hoof wall.

When pathology develops, it is common to see the toe wall rasped away under the pretence of breakover, consistent toe angle, or broken hoof-pastern axis. In some cases the toe wall is rasped until it becomes paper thin. What is being exposed in the process, is not a healthy hoof wall, but stretched lamellar attachment forming a lamellar wedge.

Lamellar attachment is not a weight-bearing structure. We can think of it as a stabilising structure. If it were designed to transfer the horse's weight, the hoof capsule would collapse in advanced white line disease cases, where as much as 80% of the lamellar attachment has been devoured.

One of the greatest assaults on the equine foot is the excessive removal of the toe wall together with an aggressive Mustang Roll. This mechanistic approach to an organic structure we call the hoof capsule further compromises a foot that is already struggling because of the long-term effects of a non-adaptive environment (and an unnatural diet). Result? Viewed from the volar profile, we often observe paper-thin toe wall and reduced sole depth. In between stretched lamellar attachment.

While establishing the precise position of the distal phalanx is important in prevention and treatment, hoof care practices omit the dangers of removing sole callus, often wrongly interpreted as retained sole.

When we defend the natural thickness of the toe wall, preserve the natural thickness of the sole, and recognise stretched lamellar attachment for what it is, we allow the hoof capsule to develop protective callus right around the tip of P3.

The Reasonably Natural Diet, one of the Four Guiding Principles, emerged from the U.S. Great Basin Wild Horse Model–horse's adaptive environment. The framework implies that hoof health is always a reflection of a horse's gut health.

Despite many advances in equine care the stretch of the LAM still remains a debatable subject. There is a good amount of evidence through the research of Dr. Chris Pollit to explain LAM failure. The underlying cause? Chronic inflammation.

Today we know we can create conditions conducive to healing. We can create an environment that allows the hoof to recover. The U.S. Great Basin happens to represent this type of environment, where pathology has never set foot. Paddock Paradise, as a natural boarding system (and another pillar of NHC), is a vehicle that brings us closer to the horse's adaptive environment.

But can we say the same about hoof care?

In parallel, hoof care practices reflect our collective understanding of the natural world. Right now, domesticated hooves are riddled with pathology, often well camouflaged.

When pathology alters the anatomy of the hoof and loss of integrity follows, there is a strong temptation to prioritise appearance above function. Many people who naturally have an eye for aesthetics find it difficult to navigate pathology because there is always a desire to make the hoof look visually appealing.

But does the hoof care industry actually understand hoof anatomy? And has it solved the issue of hoof pathology?

Some say that science has moved on from the wild horse model. I would argue that the truth doesn't move. We either move closer to it, or further away from it.

These are some of the subjects I will be exploring during my presentation at the PB Paddock Paradise Livery Open Day on 15 August.
Link: https://www.pb-paddockparadiselivery.com/event-details/7th-annual-open-day-pb-paddock-paradise-livery

Where do you think the biggest pathology exists today... in the hoof, or in the mind of the beholder?

An Open Day worth attending.

With owning horses comes the great responsibility of caring for them to the very best of our abilities. Hoof health is an incredibly important aspect of that care and yet, understanding the basics is something many owners struggle with.

Knowing the signs of Laminitis in all 3 stages, recognising the role that diet and lifestyle have on the feet and understanding what pathology looks like in our horses’ hooves is something we feel very passionate about.

However, with conflicting information across the internet and no clear answer, it’s understandable that many owners feel too overwhelmed to even begin educating themselves. On top of that, understanding the different types of hoof care and trimming and how they may or may not benefit your horse only adds to the complexity of the subject. Who do you listen to and how do you know what’s what?

That is one of the reasons we began hosting annual open days. We wanted to provide owners with the opportunity to learn, have their questions answered in a safe, supportive environment and see for themselves how natural horse care and an understanding of hoof health looks on our horses, regardless of age, breed or medical background.

This year, we’re excited to have Edyta Jackson of the Isnhcp - Institute for the Study of Natural Horse Care Practices and Equiliberta join us for a guest talk on pathology and hoof care.

As an ISNHCP practitioner and instructor, Edyta will be exploring exactly what a healthy hoof looks like and how the 4 pillars of natural hoof care – diet, environment, trim and horsemanship – are responsible for achieving optimum hoof health.

Edyta will also be covering the characteristics of naturally shaped hooves and how the natural trim, coupled with the wild horse model, play a fundamental role in providing an non-invasive, science-based approach to hoof care that leaves your horse optimally sound and healthy.

Lastly, she’ll be discussing how pathology presents itself in our horse’s hooves and the reason said pathology occurs. Her talk won’t simply a quick list of hoof care do’s and don’ts but an explanation of the role a whole-horse approach plays and why the wild horse model should be adopted in all aspects of care and management.

Why the ISNHCP?

The ISNHCP offers comprehensive horse and hoof care education based upon the research and findings of the Great Basin wild horses, conducted by Jaime Jackson, and application of these findings on domestic horses. Their Natural Trim Training Program is the first professional natural hoof care training program for humane barefoot horses based on the wild horse model, with their work dating back to 2000. Jaime Jackson not only fathered the natural trim, but he also created the concept so many of us utilise today – paddock paradise.

Come along to our open day on the 15th August 2026 to learn more about paddock paradise track systems, the 4 pillars of natural horse care, hoof health, nutrition, horsemanship and everything in between. Link in comments!

Hoof Care Information 👣

We use an ISNHCP practitioner to trim all residents of PB Paddock Paradise Livery, including our own horses.

What is the Isnhcp?

The ISNHCP offers comprehensive horse and hoof care education based upon the research and findings of the Great Basin wild horses, conducted by Jaime Jackson, and application of these findings on domestic horses. Their Natural Trim Training Program is the first professional natural hoof care training program for humane barefoot horses based on the wild horse model, with their work dating back to 2000. Jaime Jackson not only fathered the natural trim, but he also created the concept so many of us utilise today – paddock paradise.

https://www.isnhcp.net/

As relevant now as it's always been.

Head Over Heels . . .

Exemplary, naturally shaped hooves possess optimal heel length. Such heels, however, are extremely short in contrast to what one sees across most populations of domesticated horses. Short enough that one may stumble in confusion, asking themselves, “How is this possible?”

Some domestic horses would likely be lamed if their unnaturally shaped hooves were shortened to meet the U.S. Great Basin wild horse hoof criteria. That is, when done without understanding the natural trim method based on the wild horse model. Equally important, the trim must also be executed within the context of the Four Pillars of NHC, and then given time to grow out and transform, typically over more than one hoof growth cycle – the time it takes for an entire new hoof to grow.

But some say that the U.S. Great Basin wild horse model does not apply to European horse breeds because wild mustangs and European breeds are a different species. We now know this is not true. But there is a difference. Simply put, these horses lead much different lives. The Great Basin mustang inhabits its natural adaptive environment and the other does not.

"Long toe, underrun heel syndrome”

Heels fulfill an important role of providing support and balance. In the naturally shaped hoof, they form two of three support pillars. The third support pillar is usually located along the medial side of the toe wall, forward of the quarters. This is where things become very complicated, and it is worth a discussion.

First, heels do not grow down at the same angle or even the same rate as the toe. Further, the weight bearing surface is different at the front of the hoof than at the back, where two support pillars actively carry the horse’s weight. Moreover, the precise location of the three support pillars relative to each other form a unique “Support Triad” that is individual to each horse. This triad, whose three sides form an irregular triangle, is crucial to natural hoof balance, the facilitating of natural growth patterns, and ultimately the soundness of the natural gaits themselves.

Here is where what is known as the “long toe, underrun heel syndrome” can emerge as a counter force to the horse’s ability to move naturally. Specifically, if the heels are allowed to grow long, their relative positions within the Support Triad become compromised spatially, but also in relation to the digit (the aligning bones of the foot during support: PI, PII, and PIII), and their relative lengths particularly when the hooves are wried. Due to fundamental differences in angular growth, the support base of the hoof also contracts as the lower angled heels migrate forward at a quicker rate than the steeper angled toe wall. Unchecked heel growth thus drives the support triad pathologically forward. This forward shift strains the major extensor and flexor tendon apparatus with the added pathological effect that the horse can no longer stand balanced over his own feet. In NHC science, this is called compromising the animal’s Natural Gait Complex (NGC), in effect breaking down the horse’s ability to move naturally, typically associated with lameness such as Navicular Syndrome.

At some point, it is recognized that something must be done to counter the issue of gait obstruction and the looming “underrun” appearance of the hoof. But not seeing or understanding the core problem as being a pathological forward migration of toe and heel mass, it is typically relegated to one of simple “breakover” obstruction at the toe. Typically, two self-defeating courses of action taken against the toes and heels of the hoof then follow among many hoof care professionals.

The toe wall

Having learned that simply shortening the toe wall does not solve the problem, the next step is to rasp the outer wall of the toe to paper thinness. Some may resort to the extreme practice of resecting the toe wall into the stratum lamellatum, tantamount to surgery. But this unwittingly or from denial further disfigures the hoof and solves nothing. Significantly, it may also remove the forward support pillar, thus dismantling the Support Triad that is foundational to hoof balance in the naturally shaped hoof. In either or both cases, this signals to the sympathetic and fully integrated nerve plexus of the Supercorium to take protective measures. The countermeasure most evident when hoof measurements are kept is to precipitate an overall contraction of hoof mass, particularly between the heel-buttresses. The horse owner who picks out their horse’s hooves regularly may begin to notice that the heel bulbs appear unusually squeezed together. This is an outcome of the Support Triad being compromised. Additionally, if the horse is not on a masking regiment of NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), pain may also be symptomatic.

Other professionals may follow a similar path but also take advantage of horseshoeing technology. At the toe, the shoe may be set back to the stratum lamellatum; the toe wall is then rasped back to the shoe. A reddening or bleeding across the face of the resected toe wall is not uncommon. The mere presence of the shoe, of course, on its own short-circuits communication between the nerve plexus of the Supercorium and the ground. This nerve-based communication network is a continuous information loop that feeds vital information between the ground, the Support Triad, and the Supercorium, whose role is to regulate growth patterns 24/7. They may also, using a forge, bend the toe of the shoe upwards (called a “rolled toe”) to force breakover at the toe. But this compromises the hoof’s natural propensity to leave support in any direction around the toe, witness the very structure of the Mustang Roll that is uniform around the entire circumference of the toe wall. The bend of the shoe also typically infringes upon the dermal lamina resulting in bleeding; hot fitting is then resorted to which cauterizes bleeding blood vessels in the dermal lamellae as the hot shoe is literally pressed into the hoof, melting any residual epidermis in its path. The inhumane effect of the rolled toe also shunts the nerve-based communication network of the toe wall’s papillary bed away from the ground at the toe. This disposition favors the infamous “slipper-toe” hoof when the Supercorium is also battling Supercoriaitis (inflammation of the Supercorium’s nerve plexus), known by most horse owners as laminitis. To add stability to the modified toe wall, whether resected or simply rolled, the professional may forge side clips into the shoe to inhibit flexion of the hoof. But even here, clips favor hoof contraction as they are literally squeezing the hoof wall in place between the entire lengths of the branches of the shoe. This is a form of strangulation of the Supercorium as it no longer can express new mass peripheral to the artificial boundary set by the clips or other such barriers attached to the horseshoe.

The heels

What is done at the heels varies widely among hoof care professionals. At the extremes, heels are allowed to grow to extraordinary lengths to hurry breakover; at the other they may practice resection of the bars right into the Supercorium to combat what they believe is “heel contraction” with the pathological effect of splaying the heels outward, a complete and brutally inhumane destruction of the Support Triad. In between these extremes anything goes. Common to all are rationales not based on the wild horse model; not common to all are their respective methods that are typically incongruous with each other, with many reaching again into horseshoeing technology from desperation. Here we see elevation of the heels with wedge pads. Collectively, the strategy is to synergize the effects of their combined interventions at the toe and heels.

Putting the “long toe, underrun heel syndrome” to rest

First, we recognize that toe walls of naturally shaped hooves have the same, or very closely so, thickness from toe to heel, widening at the buttresses as they form the two posterior support pillars. Thinning the outer wall anywhere severs the communication network between hoof’s Supercorium and the ground. Colloquially speaking, the Supercorium literally "reads the ground" through the hoof wall’s threads of tubular horn to regulate the amount of mass needed at any point around its entire periphery. In a healthy hoof, we recognize that more mass is produced in places of greater weight bearing interaction (similar to callus) – witness the Support Triad present in all Great Basin wild horse hooves studied. Thus, thinning the toe wall is contraindicated, and typically we see wall splits and even severe quarter cracks emerging, if not already there, in heavily rasped outer walls.

The way out of this conundrum is to first understand that the hoof must be induced into a “retro-migration” of mass: the toe brought to its natural length, the hoof wall not thinned, heels brought back under the horse, and facilitating the reemergence of the support triad. This is accomplished by integrating the nuanced specifics of the natural trim based on the wild horse model with the principles and practices of the Four Pillars of NHC – a welcomed collaboration between the natural hoof care practitioner and the horse’s owner.

By mimicking natural wear patterns, healthy growth patterns are triggered that override and replace the aberrant growth patterns of the “long toe, underrun heel” pathology. But the natural trim cannot solve in isolation that which was also in part created at the level of habitat, diet and lifestyle. Successful application of the natural trim depends upon addressing those other considerations at the same time. Thus optimal heel length is also achieved through a healthy lifestyle, not by the trim alone. Many horse owners now fall “head over heels” for the humane guidelines of the Four Pillars of NHC – diet, natural equestrian practices, suitable living conditions, and, in alliance with the ISNHCP Practitioner, the natural trim – because they are designed by nature to guide us safely to a better place.

ISNHCP practitioners are trained to never invade the natural epidermal structures, guided fundamentally as we are by the laws of nature. The same laws guide the horse’s owner to apply the Four Pillars of NHC to help address, correct and prevent pathology. Nature is very forgiving when a mistake is made. But we also recognize that methodic and systemic thinning or removal of the foot’s epidermal armor (the hoof) that protect the foot’s contents, or enabling it to grow out of control into unnatural anomalies such as the underrun hoof syndrome, comes at a price. A price that that both the horse and their owner share together.

Interestingly, a somewhat paradoxical muse to reflect on is that "A Jack of all trades is a master of none but often times better than the master of one," meaning being versatile and adept at many things. So, instead of entrenching oneself in the singular pursuit as a “trimmer,” whether in a single or shifting context doomed to failure, put nature at your side and consider delving into the broader holistic care of the hoof homed within the Four Pillars of NHC.

Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud.

This is not a post of hate, nor is it written to create any sort of drama. This is simply a post to provide clarification to those of our followers who are confused about what we do here, and where our beliefs lie.

I would first like to begin by clarifying that we use and will only ever use an Isnhcp practitioner to provide hoof care to both our residents and our own horses. We began using a track system and transitioning our horses to barefoot around 2010, and for the entirety of that time, we have only used an ISNHCP practitioner. To date, we have had three practitioners from this organisation.

The ISNHCP offers comprehensive horse and hoof care education based upon the research and findings of the Great Basin wild horses, conducted by Jaime Jackson, and application of these findings on domestic horses. Their Natural Trim Training Program is the first professional natural hoof care training program for humane barefoot horses based on the wild horse model, with their work dating back to 2000. Jaime Jackson not only fathered the natural trim, but he also created the concept so many of us utilise today – paddock paradise.

PB Paddock Paradise Livery was professionally established in January 2018, following years of work and rehabilitation on a non-commercial basis. Since our opening, we have prided ourselves on the care provided to our residents and the rehabilitation work covering a variety of cases. Whilst we have experience in a few different areas, we predominantly specialise in the rehabilitation, care and management of horses with Laminitis and EMS. We have always been open about documenting our cases, good or bad.

The reason we felt this post was necessary was for two reasons:

1) There is more and more confusion about HOW we rehabilitate our rehab cases and what type of hoof care they receive.

2) It sadly seems that track liveries are collectively being tarred with the same brush, regardless of core, significant differences.

Each track system can be vastly different from one another. Whilst layout and land type are completely individual, it is the person managing the track system and their beliefs that often separate one trackie from another. It is our belief that track systems should be ran using the 4 pillars of natural horse care, but alas, we are all individuals with our own opinions and this does indeed separate us from one another.

Some track owners will allow grazing, others will not. Some allow shod horses on track, others will not. Some incorporate traditional aspects of horse care with their track systems, whilst others do not at all. Some use farriers, some use barefoot hoof care practitioners and some use different trimming methods.

It is incredibly harmful to the work and progress this community has achieved to group together every track livery, every track owner and every barefoot practitioner and deem them all the same. We all do things differently and should be treated as such. This is exactly why one horse can struggle on one track owned by someone else, and thrive on another track elsewhere.

So, I would like to end this post, having clarified where our beliefs lie, with this:

Please consider the damage you are doing to the natural horse care movement when you approach the ongoing conflict amongst the track and barefoot community with a ‘traditional vs track’ or a ‘farrier vs trimmer’ mentality.

If you disagree with one method, group or approach, it does not mean that track systems full stop are ‘bad’ or the same.

What Hard Sole Plane (HSP) Really Is

We are witnessing a growing number of claims and misconceptions surrounding the Hard Sole Plane and the role diet plays in rehabilitation of severely compromised hooves. Some of these ideas are being repeated with great confidence despite standing in conflict with what we observe in nature and in the hoof itself. This article aims to clarify what Hard Sole Plane really is, what role it serves and why preserving it matters.

Term Hard Sole Plane was originated by Jaime Jackson in efforts to build a frame of reference for what today is known as natural hoof care. HSP is but one of many inventions to come out of the hoof care paradigm shift. NHC is infused with many original concepts that can be traced and evidenced in nature. Their original meaning can only be preserved by clearly defining essential qualities of a concept, even if the wording changes, its meaning should not.

The sole of the hoof is not one solid structure. It is built gradually from many layers of keratinised material laminated together, almost like sheets of paper being stacked one on top of another and bonded together. These layers are not random accumulations of "dead material" or compacted growth. They are part of an organised biological growth process.

The sole corium produces structurally different material than the coronary corium. It extrudes solar epidermis that sheds its layers in a similar fashion to our skin continuously shedding and renewing itself. Under normal circumstances we do not notice this process because regular grooming and everyday contact with the environment gradually remove material that has already completed its purpose.

The hoof under natural conditions functions in much the same way. In an adaptive environment horses are exposed to varied terrain and movement patterns that support this natural and largely invisible process of exfoliation.

New layers are continuously produced from living tissue within the hoof. Older layers slowly move downward, harden and are eventually released from duty and expelled by the body over time. The outer aspect of the Hard Sole Plane often appears waxy and the supercorium tightly holds onto solar plates that are not yet ready to shed. In nature these structures are not removed before their "release date". In domestication we use metal tools, sometimes without much consideration to HSP.

Beneath the Hard Sole Plane lies newer and more sensitive material referred to as the Live Sole Plane. This area requires protection. Think of it similarly to newly formed skin after a cut. While mature skin can tolerate friction and pressure, newly formed tissue requires time and protection before it can safely withstand the outside world.

The Hard Sole Plane and overall sole thickness form a protective barrier between the ground and the sensitive structures above. Appearance alone cannot determine whether material is unnecessary. HSP is the hoof's natural protective outer layer. It is the layer nature intends to meet the ground.

Think of it as the hoof's own built-in flooring.

Preserving natural sole thickness matters because that thickness exists for a reason. The supercorium continuously builds layer upon layer of protective material beneath the foot to contain pressure within the hoof capsule and support the structures above. Supercorium's intelligence network continuously responds to changing demands placed upon the hoof.

Excessive removal of HSP under the guise of "correct" anatomy, when practiced systematically over time, may gradually contribute to loss of protective mass and compromise the hoof capsule's natural integrity. In the short term excessive thinning is likely to create hypersensitivity. Long term consequences may be far less obvious and develop slowly beneath the surface. This excessive removal is concerned with solar plates around the toe, as much as it is around the seat of corn and extending to excessvely shortened heel.

In wild horses living in an environment such as the Great Basin, constant movement over abrasive terrain naturally wears away only the old, dead material while preserving this protective layer intact. Supercorium's intelligence network directs growth according to loading patterns and weight-bearing demands. Some areas naturally experience greater wear than others.

Natural hoof balance is born from the relationship between growth and wear. In the wild these two forces exist in harmony. Domestication and unnatural lifestyle disturb this delicate balance. Our role as Natural Hoof Care Practitioners is not to force the hoof into anatomically idealised shape. Our role is to mimic natural wear patterns while honouring the Hippocratic clause: "do no harm."

Hard Sole Plane is most frequently assaulted when pathology within the hoof is present and the Hoof Plexus begins to disintegrate. In NHC we recognise gut to hoof connection and the adverse influence of fructan rich diet on horses' health and condition of their hooves. Our primary role is in preserving these structures, even though sometimes signs and symptoms of underlying chronic inflammation become so glaringly obvious. Ironically it is often during these situations that the temptation exists to mechanically remove more material in pursuit of visual correction, even though the hoof may already be struggling to preserve what little protection remains.

This does not mean we allow the hoof to grow unchecked.

We recognise that both wild and domesticated horses hooves share the same set of characteristics. This extends to Hard Sole Plane and its natural thickness, although that thickness may vary depending on history of management, diet, movement and previous hoof care practices.

Excessive removal of sole, wall and frog is frequently justified through terms such as remedial trimming, compaction, retained sole and dead material. Hyperfocus on aesthetics often disregards concern for hoof capsule integrity. Over-trimming more often than not creates hypersensitivity and can become inhumane.

The credit frequently goes toward mechanical correction. Far less frequently do we acknowledge that the hoof itself is a living organ that responds to its environment. Not only to the external environment, but perhaps even more so to the inner ecosystem.

While relatively stable hoof capsules may tolerate invasive practices for some time without immediately exposing damage, severely compromised hooves often reveal the consequences much more clearly. In these situations inflammation can hide beneath the noise and invasive practices can quietly disguise themselves as progress. Thus horse owners are vulnerable to conflicting advice and emotional messaging.

Veterinarians play an important role in rehabilitation and their guidance should not be ignored. Horses have been put down for a very long time and this is not a veterinarian-created problem or a farrier-created problem.

It is an environmental problem.

To improve equine health we need to address causes rather than chase symptoms. This takes us back to the Natural Horse and lessons from the wild. Where we find equines in their adaptive habitat. To heal horses we must learn to "Respect the healing powers of nature" (Hippocrates), reduce inflammatory state and provide horses with safe forage compatible with their adaptation.

Our role is to educate the public about equine adaptation and the dangers of chronic inflammation.

Grass is the real enemy, not your hoof care provider or your horse's physician.