The T-square
A great tool when correctly used
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Hind shown from laterial view
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Hind shown from rear view
Shown on left front from lateral view.
This tool checks the medial lateral balance of a foot (if the hoof is high on the inside or or outside). It is made so that the top rests on the cannon bone..... and goes down parallel with the horse's cannon bone. The foot is viewed over the T-square. Level the foot to the T-square. It is very important to make sure the shank is straight with cannon, the T is not tiped to either side.
Sometimes a farrier will think part of the hoof should be trimmed or filed a certain way and makes a mistake but this tool never lies and will show exactly what needs to be done to level out the foot.
Sometimes a farrier will think part of the hoof should be trimmed or filed a certain way and makes a mistake but this tool never lies and will show exactly what needs to be done to level out the foot.
This horse was sore in the hocks and stifle (can you blame him?) but came sound as soon as he was leveled out.
(left hind)
(after correct balancing)
The average length from the ground to the elbow is 3 feet.
If the average foot is 5 inches wide (side to side) and you are a sixteenth of an inch out at the foot (eg. high on the inside) you will be nine sixteenths out at the elbow. When you consider there are 7 joints in this part of the leg it's no wounder horses get sore. This is also the same on the hind leg.
I was asked how the T square would work on horses with crooked legs.
The T square will balance the foot to the natural bone structure of the horse.
This will make a horse sound 99% of the time, if it is used right.I have clients that have horses with deviations and rotated cannon bones, in the same leg that were sore from farriers trying to make them stand straight.After balancing them to the T square they became sound.
If the average foot is 5 inches wide (side to side) and you are a sixteenth of an inch out at the foot (eg. high on the inside) you will be nine sixteenths out at the elbow. When you consider there are 7 joints in this part of the leg it's no wounder horses get sore. This is also the same on the hind leg.
I was asked how the T square would work on horses with crooked legs.
The T square will balance the foot to the natural bone structure of the horse.
This will make a horse sound 99% of the time, if it is used right.I have clients that have horses with deviations and rotated cannon bones, in the same leg that were sore from farriers trying to make them stand straight.After balancing them to the T square they became sound.