Why a Horse’s Size Really Matters: Body mass and height of horses are important variables in maintenance and remedial care of feet

Farrier takeaways:
- A 2019 study found that horses over 16 hands high (hh) are presented
with more upright feet compared with those under 16 hh, with mass, as
well as height. They also have a significant influence on the conformation
of the hoof.
- As body mass increased in the study, the left hoof spread ratio increased
by 5% at the same time as the dorsal wall angle of the right hoof
increased. In essence, as the mass increased, the right foot became
more upright while the left foot became more angled.
- The more upright boxy hoof conformation in larger horses in the study
indicate that the horn tubules within the stratum medium are arranged
in a more vertical orientation. This vertical orientation offers a greater
capacity to support the higher loading associated with a larger body mass