Clinical application of the wooden shoe to complement surgical management of laminitis and other foot‐related disease in the horse: A report of three cases

Abstract

SummaryThis article describes three cases in which severe foot pathology was managed with surgery and the application of a wooden shoe. Although all three horses would have fulfilled the grounds for humane euthanasia, they were successfully managed and had a favourable outcome. This article supports current farriery concepts and shows how the wooden shoe can effectively redistribute the horse's weight on the solar surface of the foot, alleviate foot pain, enhance foot biomechanics and serve as a valuable tool for veterinarians and farriers in post‐surgical management of laminitis and other foot‐related injuries.