The seat of corn and collateral grooves are also important parts of the hoof anatomy. The collateral grooves can help give an indication of sole and bar depth and health. The seat of corn helps show the correct angle of the bars and also getting the sole exfoliated in the seat of corn helps show where the heels need to be trimmed down to.

Once you understand hoof anatomy, you can tell what a normal hoof is supposed to look like. How and why hooves deform is another important piece to learn before beginning to trim hooves yourself. One of the most common deformities is called Forward Foot Syndrome (FFS).

Try to imagine that you injured your back, hip or foot and it was imperative for you to hide any sign of pain at risk of your own death. What lengths would you go to? What techniques would you employ?

A green horse is frightened by the rider’s foot slipping in the stirrup while mounting, gouging the horse in the side. He panics and takes off at a gallop. An inexperienced rider keeps a death grip on the reins, making a sensitive horse nervous while on a trail ride. The horse flips a 180 degree turn and takes off for the security of the barn.

Riders who have practiced landing on their feet will have this goal (hitting their feet first) in mind. Even when the horse is going too fast or the momentum of falling knocks you off your feet, you will tend to then land on your buttocks, which will help absorb the force of the fall.

She began grinding her teeth and her usual “I don’t really like being cinched” turned into tail swishing and foot stomping. Instead of just being assertive in the horse herd, she began actually biting other horses.

Most horse owners would not feel that they are guilty of anthropomorphism when it comes to horses. After all, horses don’t live in our houses with us like cats and dogs, and are too big to sit at our dinner table or to dress up in cute outfits (well, it’s more difficult anyway).

PART III: Something that is very tricky about trimming hooves is that it is slightly an art, but mostly science.

With difficult, atypical horses, it is never easy to figure out how to change behavior and turn them into horses that are manageable to ride and work with.

The area where you touch the horse/saddle is from the lower, meaty part of your inner calf up to your inner thigh a few inches below your crotch. When you look down at your knee, you should see that your foot points in front of it at the same angle (your foot/toe and thigh should be parallel).