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Medial quarter crack on Grand Prix dressage horse.  This horse lands naturally on the lateral toe and compresses the medial quarter and has a crack.  This is problem I have seen on a few very powerful upper level performance horses.  The extension is where this shows up most at the upper levels.  It is very treatable.  On some horses under heavy training it can be difficult to keep the cracks at bay

Compare to picture near bottom.

    Right front: June 2007

    Toe difficult to reduce.

    4 wks after shoeing and balance is gone.

    Re-establish balance.

    Compressed heels from toe first landing and atrophied frog from not enough frog support.

    Compare to first picture.  This "package" is used because the steel shoes & package were too heavy for a competing Grand Prix dressage horse.  Note that these are #3 Kerkheart aluminum shoes that were upsized from #2's at this shoeing. The hooves are responding very nicely.

    Right front medial: July 2007

   Right front medial: November 2007

    Left front medial: November 2007

I am very pleased with the way these heels and frog are responding now.  You can see this left front in particular is much healthier than before. The shoes are #4 Natural Balance and next time he will certainly need #5's.  At this point, I expect the heels and frogs to continue to respond quickly.

    Left front: November 2007

    Right front: November 2007.  The blue/green is a copper sulfate concoction.