Clicking Hooves: Forging in Horses
- Horse Education Online
- 2 days ago
- 20 min read
Causes, Biomechanics, Rider Influences, and Management
Forging is a gait abnormality in which the toe of a hind hoof contacts the underside, shoe, or ground surface of the forefoot on the same side as the hind limb swings forward and the forefoot leaves the ground. In a shod horse, forging often produces a distinctive metallic click as the hind shoe strikes the front shoe.
At its core, forging is a timing and clearance problem. The advancing hind foot reaches the space occupied by the forefoot before the forefoot has completely moved out of the way.
Forging is often treated as a farriery problem, but the horse's shoes are only one part of the investigation. Hoof conformation, body conformation, lameness, rider position, saddle fit, speed, fatigue, footing, training, and neurological coordination can all influence the timing and path of the limbs. A horse that forges repeatedly should be evaluated as a whole rather than automatically given a standard shoeing correction.
Readers who want a broader introduction to limb interference can begin with Understanding Gait Faults in Horses: A Practical In-Depth Guide and Gait Faults: Interfering.
An important limitation must be acknowledged from the beginning. Relatively few controlled studies have investigated forging itself. Much of the available scientific explanation comes from research on breakover, overreaching, limb coordination, gait asymmetry, rider effects, conformation, lameness, fatigue, and surface interactions. These studies identify mechanisms that could produce forging, but they do not prove that every horse with one of these characteristics will forge.
Did You Know? Forging is often heard before it is clearly seen. Slow-motion video can confirm whether the sound comes from the hind toe contacting the bottom of the forefoot or from another type of limb interference.
What Happens During Forging?
Every stride requires precise coordination between the forelimbs and hindlimbs. As a forefoot approaches the end of its stance phase:
The heel begins to rise.
The hoof rotates forward over the toe.
The toe leaves the ground.
The forelimb begins its swing phase and moves forward.
At approximately the same time, the hind limb on that side advances underneath the horse.
Forging occurs when the hind toe reaches the forefoot before the forefoot has gained enough forward or upward clearance. Several mechanical situations can create that collision:
The forefoot leaves the ground too late.
The hind foot advances too far or too quickly.
The forelimb and hindlimb movements become poorly synchronized.
The trajectory of one or both feet changes.
The horse's body proportions provide relatively little longitudinal clearance between the limbs.
Several of these factors occur together.
Small changes in hoof geometry can alter this timing. Clayton found that artificially lowering the hind hoof angle by allowing the hind toe to grow relatively long significantly increased hindlimb breakover time, overreach distance, and overreach duration. The study demonstrates that hoof geometry can change both the timing and spatial relationship between the hind and forelimbs, although it does not mean that the same hoof shape will produce forging in every horse.
For a closer explanation of the final part of the stance phase, see What Is Breakover?.
Forging Is Different From Overreaching
The terms forging and overreaching are sometimes used interchangeably, but they describe different forms of contact.
Forging: The toe of the hind foot contacts the underside or shoe of the forefoot on the same side. In a shod horse, the contact commonly produces a clicking sound.
Overreaching: The hind foot travels farther forward and strikes or steps on the heel bulbs, coronary region, or back of the forefoot.
Overreaching generally has greater potential to cause an immediate injury. The hind hoof may cut the heel, damage the coronary band, pull off a front shoe, or injure structures higher on the back of the limb. A horse can show both abnormalities because both involve an unsuitable spatial or temporal relationship between the forelimb and hindlimb.
Do not assume that every metallic click is harmless forging. Examine the heel bulbs, coronary band, sole, and shoes to determine where contact is actually occurring.
Conformation and Forging
Conformation affects how a horse moves, but no single conformational feature guarantees that a horse will forge. For a foundation in evaluating proportions and limb alignment, read The Beginner's Guide to Equine Conformation.
Short Body Relative to Limb Length
Horses that are relatively short through the body and long in the limbs, particularly the hindlimbs, are traditionally considered more susceptible to forging. The proposed mechanism is reasonable: long hindlimbs may bring the hind feet farther beneath the trunk while the forefeet still occupy the same area.
This explanation has not been adequately tested in controlled forging studies. It should be treated as a possible predisposition, not an established cause.
Research does show relationships between body conformation and locomotion. Johnston and colleagues found associations among back conformation, stride characteristics, and movement of the thoracolumbar and pelvic regions. Conformation influences the mechanical environment in which limb timing occurs, even when it cannot explain the problem by itself.
Long Hindlimbs Relative to the Forehand
Relatively long hindlimbs may increase how far the hind foot reaches under the horse's body. This mechanism is biomechanically plausible, but there is little controlled evidence showing that hindlimb length alone predicts forging.
Croup Higher Than the Withers
Young horses and some mature horses stand noticeably higher at the croup than at the withers. This configuration changes trunk orientation and the spatial relationship between the forelimbs and hindlimbs. It has traditionally been associated with both overreaching and forging.
The association is plausible, especially during periods of uneven growth, but direct evidence linking a high croup specifically to forging remains weak.
Back and Pelvic Conformation
The horse's back moves during every stride. Flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation all occur during locomotion. Back conformation influences these movements. In sound horses, for example, longer thoracic back measurements have been associated with changes in lumbar lateral bending.
The pelvis and hindlimbs are mechanically connected to the trunk, so differences in back and pelvic motion can affect the path of the hindlimbs. This is another reason to avoid treating forging as an isolated hoof problem. Back Pain in Horses: What Every Owner Should Know explains how discomfort in this region can alter performance and movement.
Uneven Feet and Asymmetric Hoof Conformation
Uneven forefeet are associated with measurable differences in loading and locomotor symmetry. Horses with unequal dorsal hoof wall angles can show differences in braking forces, vertical forces, and fetlock behavior.
That asymmetry does not prove that a horse will forge, but it may change forelimb timing or breakover enough to contribute to one-sided interference.
Toe-In, Toe-Out, Base-Narrow, and Other Limb Deviations
Rotational and angular limb deviations can change the path a hoof follows through the air. Research confirms that hoof and limb conformation influence hoof loading and kinematics, although mild deviations do not always create a meaningful gait abnormality. Studies in Standardbreds, for example, found that mild toe-in and toe-out deviations did not consistently alter overall hoof landing patterns, even though some loading differences were identified.
Conformation can increase susceptibility to an abnormal movement pattern. It cannot establish the cause of forging without observing the horse in motion and evaluating the other contributing factors.
Did You Know? A conformational trait can influence how a horse moves without causing a clinical problem. The practical question is how that individual horse uses its body, not simply whether a named deviation is present.
Hoof Length, Hoof Angle, and Breakover
Hoof conformation is one of the best-supported factors affecting the timing involved in forging.
What Is Breakover?
Breakover is the period near the end of the stance phase when the heel leaves the ground and the hoof rotates forward until the toe leaves the ground. If the forefoot spends longer in breakover, it may remain in the path of the advancing hind foot for longer.
Long Toes and Low Hoof Angles
Experimental studies show that changing hoof angle can alter breakover. Clayton lowered hoof angle by allowing the toe to grow relatively long in relation to the heel. The altered angle significantly prolonged breakover.
In a related experiment involving the hind feet, a relatively long hind toe and lower hind hoof angle significantly increased:
Hindlimb breakover time
Overreach distance
Overreach duration
These findings provide strong evidence that hoof proportions can affect timing and clearance between the limbs.
Long Front Toes
A long front toe may increase the mechanical effort required to rotate the hoof and may prolong portions of breakover. When the forefoot does not clear the ground quickly enough, the hind foot has more opportunity to catch it. This is one of the most logical mechanical pathways to forging.
The relationship is not perfectly predictable. Horses can compensate neurologically for gradual hoof growth, and some studies have found relatively small changes in overall gait after routine trimming. Long toes deserve evaluation, but their presence does not prove that they caused the forging.
Readers studying the structures involved may find the Hoof Anatomy Flashcards and Basic Farrier Anatomy Study Sheets helpful.
Can Shoeing Cause or Worsen Forging?
Shoeing can alter breakover and limb movement, although the response varies considerably among horses and shoe configurations.
A 2025 systematic scoping review of 46 studies concluded that horseshoe characteristics can produce measurable changes in equine kinetics and kinematics. The effects varied among studies, and there was relatively little consensus for many specific modifications.
Research using hoof-mounted sensors found that a plain steel shoe increased breakover duration at the walk compared with barefoot conditions. Heel elevation and certain rolled-toe or palmarly positioned shoe configurations shortened breakover under the conditions tested.
Those findings do not support automatically applying a rolled toe, wedge, shortened toe, squared hind toe, or any other standard package to every horse that forges. They show that shoeing can change hoof-ground interaction and should be evaluated as one part of the entire horse. Evidence-Based Shoeing in Healthy Feet provides additional context on how shoeing choices can influence movement.
Excessive Shoe Weight
Additional distal limb mass changes limb mechanics because weight added at the hoof has a relatively large influence on the swinging limb. It is biomechanically reasonable that an unnecessarily heavy shoe could alter swing timing or delay foot movement. Direct experimental evidence showing that heavy shoes specifically cause forging is limited.
Did You Know? A shoeing change can produce a measurable mechanical effect without correcting the cause of the gait problem. Any change should be reassessed by watching and recording the horse under the same conditions used before the change.
Rider Influences
The rider can influence timing, symmetry, loading, and movement. This does not make the rider automatically responsible for forging. It means the rider belongs in the investigation, particularly when the horse forges under saddle but moves cleanly in hand or at liberty.
Rider Asymmetry
MacKechnie-Guire and colleagues deliberately created rider asymmetry by shortening one stirrup by 5 centimeters. The change affected movement of the horse's thoracolumbar region and altered several limb-related variables. The study demonstrated that an asymmetric rider can change the horse's locomotor mechanics.
Relevant rider factors include:
Uneven stirrup length
Consistently weighting one seat bone
Leaning to one side
Collapsing through one hip
Unequal rein pressure
Asymmetric leg pressure
Consistently riding the horse crooked
These factors may help explain why a horse forges mainly on one side or only with one rider.
Rising Trot
Rising trot is not mechanically neutral. Roepstorff and colleagues found that the rider's rising-trot pattern altered vertical loading and limb kinematics. Maximum hindlimb protraction decreased and forelimb retraction increased according to the rider's phase of rising trot.
Rider movement can therefore alter the relative movement of the forelimbs and hindlimbs during the trot, which is the relationship involved in forging. The study does not prove that rising trot causes forging, but it confirms that rider movement can influence the variables that determine whether the limbs clear one another.
Speed and Tempo
Changing speed changes stride mechanics. As walking velocity increases, stride length increases while stride duration and stance duration decrease. A horse may forge at one speed and stop at another because its limb timing changes.
A rider who repeatedly holds the horse at an uncomfortable or mechanically awkward tempo may expose a coordination problem that is not evident at the horse's preferred speed.
Rider Balance
Studies comparing ridden and unridden horses show that riding can alter stance duration, limb protraction, limb retraction, and movement symmetry. Even highly trained dressage horses showed small increases in several measures of asymmetry when ridden.
A balanced rider may support coordination, while an unbalanced rider may disturb it. Peham and colleagues also found that movement variability was influenced by the rider and saddle fit. There is a sound scientific basis for examining rider balance when forging occurs only under saddle.
What About a Horse Being "On the Forehand"?
Equestrians frequently attribute forging to a horse being "on the forehand," but the phrase is too imprecise to serve as a diagnosis. A rider can change weight distribution, stride timing, back motion, head-neck position, and limb kinematics. Current research does not establish that being "on the forehand," by itself, causes forging.
Saddle Fit
Saddle fit can change the horse's movement. Peham and colleagues measured horses at the trot and found greater consistency in several movement variables with a fitting saddle than with a non-fitting saddle.
A saddle that restricts the shoulders, creates back discomfort, shifts the rider asymmetrically, or changes spinal motion could contribute indirectly to poor limb coordination. When forging begins after a saddle change, both the saddle and rider should be evaluated before making a substantial shoeing change. Saddle Fitting: A Beginner's Guide explains the basic fit considerations owners should recognize.
Lameness and Pain
Pain is one of the most important causes to rule out when a horse suddenly begins forging. Lameness changes stride mechanics.
Experimental forelimb lameness has been shown to:
Shorten stride length
Alter diagonal stance
Alter swing duration
Change elbow and carpal motion
Alter forelimb protraction and retraction
When forelimb pain changes when or how the front hoof leaves the ground, the advancing hind foot may meet a forefoot that is no longer following its usual path.
Areas that may deserve veterinary consideration include:
These conditions should not be assumed to cause forging. Each is capable of changing locomotion enough that a previously coordinated horse may begin to interfere.
New, persistent, or one-sided forging in a mature horse that did not previously forge is particularly important. It should raise greater concern about pain, asymmetry, hoof changes, or neurological disease than long-standing, mild, bilateral forging in an otherwise sound horse.
For help recognizing gait asymmetry, see the Comprehensive Guide to Equine Lameness and The 10 Most Common Causes of Lameness in Pleasure Horses. When the source appears to involve the hind end, Is It Hock, Stifle, or Back Pain? and Lumbosacral Pain vs. Sacroiliac Pain vs. Hindlimb Lameness can help owners understand why these cases are difficult to separate without a veterinary examination.
Neurological Disease and Poor Proprioception
Proprioception is the nervous system's ability to determine where the limbs are positioned without the horse having to look at them. Horses with neurological disease may lose some of this precise awareness.
Research on ataxic horses has documented greater variability in distal limb movement and hoof placement. Objective gait analysis can distinguish many ataxic horses from neurologically normal horses partly through differences in movement variability.
Neurological disease should be considered when forging occurs with:
Stumbling
Toe dragging
Abnormal circumduction, or an outward swing of the limb
Inconsistent foot placement
Difficulty backing
Swaying
Crossing the limbs
Weakness
Abnormal responses to a tail-pull test
Other signs of incoordination
Forging alone does not indicate neurological disease. When additional signs are present, read Ataxia in Horses: What It Is and How to Recognize It and 13 Reasons Why Your Horse Stumbles. Horse Education Online's Equine Neuro Screen and Localization Assistant can help organize observations, but it does not replace a veterinary neurological examination.
Did You Know? Proprioceptive problems may be inconsistent. A neurologically affected horse can place a foot normally in one stride and abnormally in the next, which is why repeated observation and slow-motion video can be so useful.
Fatigue and Poor Conditioning
Fatigue changes equine gait. In horses fatigued during treadmill exercise, Wickler and colleagues found an approximately 5 percent increase in stride duration, reduced stride frequency, and increased stride length. Different changes occurred during endurance competition, showing that fatigue can affect gait differently under different exercise conditions.
Fatigue may produce:
Altered stride frequency
Changes in limb stiffness
Reduced coordination
Changes in posture
Slower muscular responses
Reduced or altered foot clearance
A horse that begins forging late in a training session deserves an evaluation of conditioning and workload. Immediate corrective shoeing may not address the reason the gait changes only when the horse becomes tired.
Conditioning should be appropriate for the horse's age, soundness, discipline, and current fitness. Readers who want a better understanding of the structures involved in posture and limb movement can review Horse Muscle Anatomy Explained and the Interactive Horse Muscles tool.
Ground Surface and Footing
Surface properties influence hoof-ground interaction and movement throughout the horse's body. Research has identified differences in spinal and limb mechanics on asphalt, turf, artificial tracks, and sand. More recent work has also shown that surface and head-neck position can influence timing relationships between the limbs.
Deep or highly deformable footing is traditionally associated with forging because it may alter breakover and foot clearance. The explanation is biomechanically reasonable, but direct controlled evidence showing that deep footing specifically causes forging remains limited.
Compare the horse on hard ground, firm arena footing, deep footing, and grass when it is safe to do so. If the horse does not forge equally on each surface, footing is likely contributing to the problem.
Head and Neck Position
Head-neck position can alter whole-body biomechanics and limb coordination. A 2026 study of ridden Brazilian Criollo horses found that changing head-neck position affected several gait variables, including diagonal dissociation, while surface also influenced limb support patterns.
Diagonal dissociation, also called diagonal advanced placement or DAP, occurs when the two limbs of a diagonal pair do not contact or leave the ground at precisely the same moment during a two-beat gait such as the trot.
The study did not investigate forging. It does show that an imposed change in posture can alter footfall timing. Forging that appears only in a particular frame, degree of collection, or head-neck position deserves closer investigation.
Young Horses and Growth
Young horses are often said to forge more frequently while growing. There is a plausible reason for this observation. Different regions of the skeleton do not grow at identical rates, so body proportions and neuromuscular coordination change during development.
A temporarily high croup, long limbs, limited strength, and immature coordination could increase the likelihood of interference. Good peer-reviewed evidence specifically measuring forging prevalence during growth is lacking, however.
"He is just growing" should not be used to dismiss persistent or severe forging. Hoof balance, pain, neurological function, and other possible causes still require consideration. Growth Plates: Everything Horse Owners Should Know explains how the young horse's skeleton develops and why age-appropriate work matters.
Common Factors and the Strength of the Evidence
Possible factor | How it may contribute | Evidence that it affects equine gait | Direct evidence that it causes forging |
Long or poorly proportioned toes | Alters breakover timing | Strong | Moderate |
Altered hoof angle | Alters breakover and limb synchronization | Strong | Moderate |
Shoe configuration | Changes breakover and hoof-ground interaction | Strong | Limited |
Uneven forefeet | Alters loading and gait symmetry | Moderate to strong | Limited |
Short body with relatively long limbs | Reduces theoretical limb clearance | Moderate biomechanical rationale | Weak |
High croup | Changes body geometry | Plausible | Weak |
Rider asymmetry | Alters back and limb kinematics | Strong | Limited |
Rising-trot mechanics | Alters forelimb and hindlimb kinematics | Strong | Limited |
Poor saddle fit | Alters movement variability | Moderate | Limited |
Inappropriate speed or tempo | Changes stride length and stance timing | Strong | Limited |
Lameness | Alters stride timing and limb motion | Strong | Moderate mechanistic evidence |
Fatigue | Alters stride frequency and duration | Strong | Limited |
Neurological disease | Alters coordination and foot placement | Strong | Limited specifically for forging |
Surface | Alters locomotor mechanics | Moderate | Limited |
Growth and immaturity | May change proportions and coordination | Limited | Weak |
How to Evaluate a Horse That Forges
Repeated forging should be approached systematically. A single observation rarely identifies the cause.
1. Determine What Is Striking
Look for:
Marks on the bottom of the front shoe
Marks on the toe of the hind shoe
Wear on the front sole
Damaged heel bulbs
Displaced or pulled shoes
Hair loss
Wounds
Unusual wear patterns
This helps separate true forging from overreaching and other forms of interference. Horse Education Online's Hoof Triage Toolkit may help owners organize hoof observations and identify situations that require professional attention.
2. Determine When It Happens
Observe the horse:
At the walk and trot
On a straight line and while lunging
Moving freely and in hand
Under saddle
With different riders, when appropriate
Before exercise and after fatigue
On firm and soft footing
At different safe speeds
The conditions under which the forging appears can narrow the list of contributing factors.
3. Determine Whether It Is Symmetrical
A horse that forges equally on both sides may have a different problem from a horse that suddenly forges left hind to left fore. Persistent one-sided forging deserves particular attention to hoof asymmetry, lameness, rider asymmetry, saddle asymmetry, and neurological function.
4. Record Slow-Motion Video
High-frame-rate video taken from the side can be extremely useful. Review it carefully and ask:
When does the fore heel leave the ground?
When does the fore toe leave the ground?
Where is the hind foot at that moment?
How far does the hind foot travel forward?
Does the hind toe actually strike the sole or shoe?
Does the problem occur before or after fatigue?
Does it change with speed, rider, or surface?
Record from a safe location and avoid standing directly in the path of the horse.
5. Evaluate the Feet
The veterinarian and farrier may evaluate:
Dorsal hoof wall angle
Toe length
Heel length
Hoof-pastern alignment
Mediolateral balance
Front-to-hind hoof relationships
Shoe length
Shoe weight
Shoe wear
Breakover location
Differences between the right and left feet
6. Evaluate the Horse Medically
A veterinary examination becomes especially important when forging is:
New
Suddenly worse
One-sided
Associated with stumbling
Associated with a shortened stride
Accompanied by resistance under saddle
Associated with back soreness
Associated with toe dragging
Accompanied by detectable lameness or neurological abnormalities
Correcting Forging
There is no scientifically defensible shoeing prescription for every horse that forges. Correction should address the reason the feet collide.
Depending on the findings, management may include:
Restoring appropriate hoof proportions
Correcting excessively long toes when present
Optimizing forefoot breakover when appropriate
Correcting meaningful hoof asymmetry
Reconsidering unnecessary shoe mass
Diagnosing and treating lameness
Improving conditioning
Adjusting an unsuitable training tempo
Improving rider symmetry
Correcting unequal stirrup length
Evaluating saddle fit
Changing problematic footing
Diagnosing and treating neurological or musculoskeletal disease
Any farriery modification should be reassessed objectively. Compare the horse before and after the change under the same surface, speed, gait, and riding conditions whenever possible. A modification that makes mechanical sense in theory may not improve a particular horse.
The 2025 systematic review of horseshoe effects is important for this reason. The authors found substantial variability among studies and little consensus for many interventions. The evidence supports an individualized approach based on observation, examination, and follow-up rather than a traditional formula applied to every case.
Claims the Evidence Does Not Support
Several common statements about forging are too absolute.
"Forging always means the front toe is too long."
It does not. A long front toe may delay clearance, but rider effects, pain, fatigue, neurological disease, surface, saddle fit, speed, conformation, and other hoof variables may also contribute.
"Forging always happens because the hind feet move too fast."
Not necessarily. Delayed forelimb clearance may be the more important part of the collision.
"A short-backed horse will always forge."
No evidence supports that degree of certainty. Body proportions may create a predisposition, but many horses compensate successfully.
"Just square the hind toes and roll the front toes."
Specific shoe modifications affect individual horses differently. The correct intervention depends on which part of timing or clearance is abnormal.
"It is only a shoeing problem."
Lameness, rider mechanics, fatigue, neurological disease, saddle fit, conformation, speed, and surface can all affect the locomotor variables involved.
"If the horse has always forged, it does not matter."
Long-standing mild forging may cause little immediate harm, but repeated mechanical contact still deserves evaluation. Any increase in frequency, severity, asymmetry, or associated injury is important.
Practical Takeaway
Forging occurs because the hind foot and forefoot occupy the same space at the wrong time. The useful question is not simply, "What shoe stops forging?" It is, "Why did this horse's forelimb-hindlimb timing or clearance allow the feet to collide?"
The investigation should consider conformation, hoof proportions, breakover, shoeing, soundness, neurological coordination, conditioning, rider mechanics, saddle fit, tempo, footing, and the exact circumstances under which forging occurs.
The strongest available evidence shows that relatively small changes in hoof geometry, pain, rider mechanics, fatigue, and movement symmetry can alter limb timing. Direct forging research remains limited, so correction should be guided by observation and diagnosis rather than assumptions about conformation or shoeing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forging in Horses
1. What is forging in horses?
Forging occurs when the toe of a hind hoof contacts the underside or shoe of the forefoot on the same side during movement. It happens because the hind foot reaches the area before the forefoot has cleared it. In a shod horse, the contact often produces a metallic click.
2. What does forging sound like?
Forging commonly sounds like a distinct metal-on-metal click or clink when the horse walks or trots. The sound may be regular, occasional, limited to one side, or present only at a certain speed. The sound alone cannot confirm the exact type of interference, so the feet and limbs should also be inspected.
3. What is the difference between forging and overreaching?
During forging, the hind toe contacts the sole or shoe of the forefoot. During overreaching, the hind foot reaches farther forward and strikes the heel bulbs, coronary band, pastern region, or back of the forefoot. Overreaching is more likely to cause cuts, pulled shoes, and heel or coronary-band injuries.
4. Can long toes cause a horse to forge?
Long or poorly proportioned toes can contribute. A long front toe may prolong breakover and delay forefoot clearance. Changes in hind toe length and hoof angle can also alter breakover and the spatial relationship between the limbs. The presence of a long toe does not prove it is the only cause.
5. Can shoeing correct forging?
Shoeing changes can help when hoof proportions, breakover, shoe placement, or shoe mass contribute to the collision. No single shoeing package works for every horse. The farrier should identify a specific mechanical goal, make the change conservatively, and reassess the horse under comparable conditions.
6. Can a rider cause a horse to forge?
A rider can contribute by altering symmetry, loading, tempo, posture, or the movement of the horse's back and limbs. Rider involvement is especially worth investigating when the horse forges only under saddle, with one rider, in one direction, or at a particular posting phase or tempo.
7. Does fatigue make forging worse?
Yes, fatigue can change stride duration, stride frequency, posture, coordination, muscular response, and foot clearance. A horse that begins forging only near the end of work may need a review of conditioning, workload, surface, and soundness rather than an immediate shoeing change alone.
8. When does forging require a veterinarian?
Arrange a veterinary examination when forging is new, suddenly worse, persistent, or one-sided, or when it occurs with lameness, shortened stride, stumbling, toe dragging, weakness, back soreness, resistance under saddle, inconsistent foot placement, or other signs of pain or incoordination.
9. Is forging common in young horses?
Young horses may be more susceptible while body proportions, strength, and coordination are changing. Direct research on the prevalence of forging during growth is limited. Persistent or severe forging should not be dismissed as a normal growth phase without examining the feet, movement, soundness, and neurological function.
10. What should an owner record before calling the farrier or veterinarian?
Record which feet make contact, whether the problem is one-sided or bilateral, the gait and speed at which it occurs, the surface, the rider, the stage of the workout, recent trimming or shoeing changes, and any signs of pain or incoordination. Slow-motion video from the side and clear photographs of shoe wear or hoof damage can be especially useful.
Continue Learning
For readers studying gait, conformation, and lameness in greater depth, Horse Education Online offers:
References
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MacKechnie-Guire, R., MacKechnie-Guire, E., Fairfax, V., Fisher, M., Hargreaves, S., & Pfau, T. (2020). The effect that induced rider asymmetry has on equine locomotion and the range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine when ridden in rising trot. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 88, 102946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.102946
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