Heel wedges on horses feet. Any experience?

[Yorkshire Coop]

24 year old thoroughbred. Heel dropping & frogs moving. My farrier has for a while been trying to manage his dropping heels with various shoes/how he shoes etc. Today though was bite the bullet day to put wedges in as all other options exhausted. Any one had experience of these before? Pros or cons? TIA.

 

[Mmanist]

As long as your farrier knows what he is doing, and gets the horses angles correct. I think heel wedges will benefit a horse with dropped heels. Maybe after a lot of corrective shoeing, you might see some reversal in it too. I haven't experienced this, but I have dealt with laminitis in a 16.3h QH with pony sized hooves. Had slight rotation in the coffin bone. A year later with many sets of special corrective shoeing, you couldn't tell there was any rotation or signs of laminitis. You could always consult with your vet too. Maybe have vet and farrier come the same time, and go over different options! Good luck with your horse! I hope the wedges give him some extra comfort

 

[littledog]

From your pictures, it looks like your farrier is doing the right things to make the angles correct, to reduce stress on the muscles, tendons and internal bones.
My 26-y-o horse has good hoof growth in the heels, but his rear pasterns are dropping - he's losing strength in the tendons and small muscles that keep those angles right.
In consulting with my vet, my farrier trims to reduce the toe length slightly more than typical, to allow more rollover, and uses a shoe that has toe cleats as well as more support in the heel on his rears. He nails it on more forward, to allow the heel to expand and contract more naturally.
My great old boy is retired rom jumping and eventing, but with this good farrier, as well as daily cosequin, pergolide to manage his Cushing's syndrome, and a yearly round of Adequan, he's happy and comfortable tooling around with me on his back in the arena.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Thank you both for your replies. I’m pretty confident with my Farrier so I’m sure it’s the right thing to do for him. Im just hoping he adjusts ok to the new angle. He looks so much better with these on but I guess it’s the sudden change for him that bothers me. He’s already on bute for arthritis so for just a few days I will up it to counteract and discomfort he may feel. I’m hoping he doesn’t and all is ok in the morning when he goes back out!

He is due a vet visit/medication review/general service so to speak in the next couple of weeks so will get him to have look at them. Fingers crossed he should be settled with them by then.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

These have made such a difference! He is all settled into them now and feels so much better when being ridden. Feels more secure and sure footed. The tripping up has really decreased and his feet are an altogether better shape. Overall I’m very impressed with them and wish I’d had them put on sooner! They do cost a bit more per set but so far they have really been worth it. Every thing has stayed in place and secure