Too commonly seen on one particular breed, some people believe this hoof ´type´ is the actual conformation of the PRE (Pura Raza Española), and the given name of “Topino” has crept into everyday equestrian language here in Spain as an excepted hoof form.
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I am here to tell you it is not the natural conformation of the horse, PRE or otherwise. Whilst not all hooves conform within the realms of our perceived “healthy” shape (and there in lies the problem**) it really is only a very small percentage that are deformed naturally (via birth - bad conformation). The unnatural deformity I speak of occurs for two or three reasons or maybe just one!
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Many large stud farms give the PRE a fabulous start in life. Born outdoors and left to roam hectares of land for the first 2 or 3 years of life, the young stock develop great lateral cartilage, digital cushions and beautiful balanced hooves. They are then herded up stalled, or sold on* (and stalled), to start their human education. Within a few weeks of this life change they are shod. Those fabulous 2 or 3 year-old hooves are shod, thus bringing to an end their story. The strong digital cushions, lateral cartilages and naturally balanced hooves supporting the untouched and still developing body of that 2 or 3 year old are now frozen in time! Those same hooves are expected to perform under the weight of a 6 - 7+ year-old body....... You are now thinking other breeds are also shod as 2 year-olds and expect that baby hoof to support the weight of the developing and then adult body, and they are not sporting Topino hooves. Bare with me.
The other scenario is the horse is far too precious to be born outdoors and the dam gives birth on a luxury, deep, banked up, straw bed. They spend the first couple of weeks in this clinical, totally unnatural and detrimental environment. Detrimental because the first 24 hours after birth are crucial to the development of the hoof. The continued confinement does nothing to help develop strong tendons and ligaments at the pace nature dictates either. The beautiful foal only gets to see the light of day when paraded out for shows or anyones viewing. See * above.........
The other scenario is the horse is far too precious to be born outdoors and the dam gives birth on a luxury, deep, banked up, straw bed. They spend the first couple of weeks in this clinical, totally unnatural and detrimental environment. Detrimental because the first 24 hours after birth are crucial to the development of the hoof. The continued confinement does nothing to help develop strong tendons and ligaments at the pace nature dictates either. The beautiful foal only gets to see the light of day when paraded out for shows or anyones viewing. See * above.........
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In both cases the immature hoof is shod as is. That “as is”, in the case of the youngster who has benefited from the outdoor life the first two, three, maybe even 4 years of his or her life, is metal being nailed on to very overgrown walls and overlaid bars. Because what happens to a hoof that is accustomed to movement equaling wear when it finds itself shut up in a stable and going nowhere? Initially it grows very, but very, quickly. Accustomed as it is to being constantly on the move and on a natural diet it puts out the hoof it has needed for all that time. Finding him or her self shut up in a confined space and only moving an hour or so a day the youngster is usually not shod for the first month or two of it´s education. So when it is shod the farrier is presented with tall hooves, already beginning to contract, and some, believing this to be the norm for the horse, remove very little of this height. Others intentionally leave the hooves long to give the horse more height!
In the case of the very precious youngster, who´s boxed hooves are often literally boxed by the time it comes of age (!), they too are shod, with little thought for correcting the angles - after all that is how they have grown and the foal is moving around “perfectly fine” on those hooves. Those infant hooves have never benefited from freedom and the correct wear, so they are already overgrown, and by proxy of the confinement in a stall probably suffering thrush, thus further speeding the contraction of the heels due to the poor health of the frog.
In the case of the very precious youngster, who´s boxed hooves are often literally boxed by the time it comes of age (!), they too are shod, with little thought for correcting the angles - after all that is how they have grown and the foal is moving around “perfectly fine” on those hooves. Those infant hooves have never benefited from freedom and the correct wear, so they are already overgrown, and by proxy of the confinement in a stall probably suffering thrush, thus further speeding the contraction of the heels due to the poor health of the frog.
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**The common denominator being both present tall, narrow hooves and too many farriers have never seen the healthy alternative to know they are not correct.
Now, farrier education is somewhat lacking here, but more and more do exist who are getting themselves properly informed on the anatomy and bio-mechanics of the hoof. Many, however, are like many horse owners and have never seen stunning, naturally beveled, low, balanced feet. When they do the lack of accompanying education leaves them to believe they have worn away too much! So for all the education many now seek and receive, they aren´t seeing truly healthy hooves and how they function, therefore have no idea what to model their trim on.ª
Then, for reasons of budget or lack of thought or “Grandfather syndrome” they are not re-shod again for weeks (in some cases months), thus being left to get taller, and with the frog and heels being completely incapacitated they become more contracted. Perpetuating the cycle. It was very common place not so long in the past to not have a horse re-shod until it began to lose it´s shoes. This could be anywhere between 8 weeks and 3 or more months. Do not forget that these long cycles and long hooves will also then be disguising other pathology´s. White line disease, deep thrush infections, internal imbalance of bones, ligaments and more.
So again the hooves continue their cycle of becoming more contracted. I would add here I had a client some years back who bought their horse to me to resolve various issues. After a few months the beautiful boy was well and truly on the road to whole horse health when his owner suddenly realised his 17h horse was now only 16.1h (yes, that is how ridiculously overgrown his hooves were) and despite being over the moon with the improved health and performance of his horse he did not want one so “small” so returned to shoeing and permitting his hooves to become Topino again. Very sad indeed.
Now, farrier education is somewhat lacking here, but more and more do exist who are getting themselves properly informed on the anatomy and bio-mechanics of the hoof. Many, however, are like many horse owners and have never seen stunning, naturally beveled, low, balanced feet. When they do the lack of accompanying education leaves them to believe they have worn away too much! So for all the education many now seek and receive, they aren´t seeing truly healthy hooves and how they function, therefore have no idea what to model their trim on.ª
Then, for reasons of budget or lack of thought or “Grandfather syndrome” they are not re-shod again for weeks (in some cases months), thus being left to get taller, and with the frog and heels being completely incapacitated they become more contracted. Perpetuating the cycle. It was very common place not so long in the past to not have a horse re-shod until it began to lose it´s shoes. This could be anywhere between 8 weeks and 3 or more months. Do not forget that these long cycles and long hooves will also then be disguising other pathology´s. White line disease, deep thrush infections, internal imbalance of bones, ligaments and more.
So again the hooves continue their cycle of becoming more contracted. I would add here I had a client some years back who bought their horse to me to resolve various issues. After a few months the beautiful boy was well and truly on the road to whole horse health when his owner suddenly realised his 17h horse was now only 16.1h (yes, that is how ridiculously overgrown his hooves were) and despite being over the moon with the improved health and performance of his horse he did not want one so “small” so returned to shoeing and permitting his hooves to become Topino again. Very sad indeed.
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Why are we not seeing Topino hooves in other breeds? One reason is the majority of equestrians in other countries have a norm of only 6 to 7 weeks for a shoeing cycle, so the hoof has a chance of retaining some normality for much more time. Another being that there is a longer tradition of shoeing going back to the days when the shoe was made to fit the horse and not vice versa. Also youngsters tend to be left unshod whilst doing their initial arena work, and not until they are hitting the trail or put into what is considered ´serious´ work are they shod. So their natural hoof keeps itself pretty balanced, tidy and at the right height and that is the hoof that is shod when the time comes. Using the example of the stunning PRE who is purchased from Spain and shipped abroad, I reiterate, the new owner, presented with these Topino hooves and having no experience of other PRE´s here in Spain, believes them to be the norm. After all, the horse appears to move just fine on them. That lovely dishing dancing movement that everyone loves - it isn´t just down to the breeding. It comes at the price of hoof health.
In summary, there is only one reason for Topino hooves. Now, lets get educating.
ª Lack of knowledge of what a healthy hoof truly looks like is not limited to farriers here in Spain. The world over there are farriers and owners who have never had the opportunity to see a truly healthy functioning hoof and are totally unaware that what they see, daily, is not correct. Apprentices learn via what is presented to them, what is available, as do owners.
In summary, there is only one reason for Topino hooves. Now, lets get educating.
ª Lack of knowledge of what a healthy hoof truly looks like is not limited to farriers here in Spain. The world over there are farriers and owners who have never had the opportunity to see a truly healthy functioning hoof and are totally unaware that what they see, daily, is not correct. Apprentices learn via what is presented to them, what is available, as do owners.
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