Hi Guys,

I have recently started trimming my horses feet (they have always
been barefoot) and I am happy with the results and really enjoy the
work (I was surprised to find that I really don't need my nippers at
all and really only work with my rasp). As I read about the proper
barefoot trim (something I don't think my farrier really worried
about) I am a bit confused. I am getting the idea that I want to
back the heels up to the heel buttress or points of the bars where I
reach live sole and around the rest of the hoof take the wall in to
the sole by reducing flare and tapering with the mustang role. The
main idea as I understand it is get the weight off the hoof wall and
let the sole become concave, supporting weight where it meets the
wall at the outer edge. In other words, let the sole be the guide
and grow where it needs to.

Here is my question; do some horses need to be trimmed (perhaps
correctively) for conformation? What I am getting at is should I try
to leave part of hoof wall longer to perhaps angle a rotating foot?
Dose the hoof know what it needs or does the trimmer make that
decision?

I appreciate any advice or expertise this group could provide.

Thanks,
Rad