MEDIAL LATERAL BALANCE

Medial lateral balance is a much-hyped concept that has slipped under the net with anterior/posterior balance. Anterior/Posterior balance (A/P Balance) has been around for a long time I was taught it when I was an apprentice more than 50 years ago, though it now seems to be a modern theory, re-invented and unfortunately lumped in with medial/Lateral balance to give the latter some verisimilitude. Because A/P balance works and has done for as long as my old boss can remember let alone me, by implication Medial/Lateral balance does as well. Unfortunately it does not and, never has as for very good reasons Medial/Lateral balance was never part of the foot balance concept as practiced by our predecessors.

The latest idea (first mooted in the 1800!) is the use of a T square so that the M/L balance can be assessed and corrected to what the proponents see as the best angle laterally for the sole of the foot in Medial lateral balance is a much-hyped concept that has slipped under the net with anterior/posterior balance. Anterior/Posterior balance (A/P Balance) has been around for a long time I was taught it relation to the ground. Apart from the theory of the correct angle, the T square does negate the need for training and experience in the trimming of horses feet so I suppose the training authorities see this as an advantage in the shortening of training required, reducing the cost and heading for a shortened course more in line with the NVQ modern apprenticeship which have been rejected by the majority of UK trained Farriers as not in the best interest of the horse population of the UK. (Or the owner).

Whether or not we use the T square or our old fashioned eye I contend that the theory that the lower border of the sole should always be at right angles to the line of the leg is incorrect and is a disaster in the long term to the health and soundness of the horse. I was always taught that the foot should be trimmed and shod the way it goes, i.e. if the foot wears on the outside edge then that area should be lower than the medial aspect so that the foot when placed on the ground by the horse in a normal stride Both medial and Lateral arrive at the ground at the same moment distributing the weight off the horse (and rider) over the foot evenly.

Trimming the hoof so that the bones of the lower limb are in a straight line can only be done if they have set that way when the Epiphysial joints set (under the age of 2 years). To do it after this time when they have probably set rotated or off line can only be done by rotating or twisting the joints. You can probably get away with this for a time when only doing light work such as showing in hand or lightly ridden in the show ring. Harder or more strenuous work with the legs and joints forced into these shapes can only cause Arthritis of the joints twisted out of line with each other.

If you are buying a horse for showing and it needs to have its leg in line etc. then the only way to examine the legs for bad alignment is after it has been shod for some time so that the wear of the shoes can be observed or when not shod, before it has been shod. The ideal horse for any type of competition will naturally have good conformation without resorting to tricks of shoeing to hide its problem though a twisted hoof/leg does not mean that it would not make a world-beater as a show jumper or eventer, this why horses that can do the job make more money than those that just look pretty.

Horses working on uneven ground are constantly twisting their joints, but if the joint is twisted in the first place by bad shoeing/trimming then the extra twisting action can cause a big problem if not at the time it most certainly will latter in life.