Is your horse sore?
If a horse has underlying muscle problems, the concept of working in a frame will not only be difficult for the horse, but will also leave it sore.
The pattern of growth in the equine hoof indicates if the animal is well balanced. Uneven hoof growth can indicate that the muscles in the poll, over the wither, in the chest and over the hind are pulling and preventing even movement throughout the frame of the horse.
The photo right is the hind feet of a thoroughbred which had a floating accident.
8 weeks after the accident, the uneven hoof growth reinforced that the horse was experiencing discomfort over his hind quarters.
The horse resisted having its hind legs lifted, jerking in an effort to have the hoof released from the hand. Prior to the accident, the horse had never been a problem to shoe.