Physics of Natural Balance

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Introduction to the Natural Balance Trim

An Introduction to the Natural Balance Trim

The Natural Balance Trim was developed by Gene Ovnicek, a Registered Master Farrier (RMF) after studying the hoofs of mustangs, and correlating these studies with work on both shod and unshod domestic horses. Essentially, in the natural balance trim, a farrier works to create the ideal hoof from the hoof they are working on, without damaging that hoof in the process. This ideal hoof has a few qualities:

The weight bearing part of the hoof is not limited to the hoof wall, but rather includes portions of the hoof wall, the sole, and the frog, sole callus, and the bars.

The hoof lands heel-first when the horse moves.

The breakover point occurs near the frog apex.

Together these qualities help to make the hoof work properly as a "spring for storing energy, a shock absorbing system for the dissipation of energy [in locomotion], and as an aid in blood circulation in the equine limb" (Nature's 2009).

Gene Ovnicek summarizes his mustang study in his "Natural Balance Tutorial" as follows:

The purpose of our wild horse study was to see if there were hoof wear patterns that were consistent, unlike many domestic horses that have a wide range of hoof shapes and wear patterns. Arrangements were made with the BLM to examine wild horse feet once these horses were in lateral recumbency. We found each foot packed with dirt in the caudal region of the foot, around the frog and bars. The distance from the frog apex to the wall at the toe was always shorter than what we commonly see with domestic feet that are shod. It is common for domestic hooves to have a wide range of distances from the frog apex to the edge of the wall at the toe. The frog of domestic horses often becomes distorted and stretched forward as well. The bars on wild horse feet all terminated about ¾” caudal to the frog apex. The heels were worn back to the frog buttress in one group of horses that lived in a shale, granite and sandstone environment. Others who lived in softer, less abrasive terrain had longer heels that would press into the sand instead of being worn away, very much like domestic horses in similar environments. All horses had a small enlargement of frog at the buttress and apex that was calloused, showing signs of weight bearing, again very much like what we see on domestic horses.

When the dirt was removed, a flat board was freshly spray painted and rubbed over the bottom of the foot. The high points on the groundside of the foot received the fresh paint. There were 4 primary contact points seen on every foot, two at the medial/lateral toe quarters and one on each heel. A line was drawn across the foot at the cranial edge of the black marks at the toe quarters. Lines were also drawn from the toe quarter marks to the diagonal heel marks. (Above Figure) The purpose for the line across the toe was to identify where breakover occurred. Measurements were taken from the apex of the frog to that line. A distance of 1” to 1 ½” was recorded from the smallest to the largest feet (sizes ranging from ‘00’ to ‘2’). A closer look at the photographs and slides revealed that the line across the foot at the toe passed through the back edge of the sole ridge or callus. The lines drawn diagonally across the foot from toe mark to heel mark intersected just behind the frog apex from ¾” to 1”(small to large feet respectively). A closer review of photographs and slides also clearly showed this intersection marked the widest part of the foot. Traditionally many authors agree that the widest part of the foot always maintains its relationship with the distal phalanx, even when the sole at the toe migrates forward, and the heels become under run and change their relationship to the widest part of the foot. This static feature of the foot helps us to see the distal phalanx (P-3) more clearly and enables us to see hoof deformities long before they become a problem. The self-maintaining feet of horses in the wild as well as domestic self-maintaining feet, all have the same basic surface pattern when viewed from the bottom of their foot. To establish a guideline for measuring, a line is drawn across the foot at the widest part. Another line is drawn across the toe at the leading edge of the imprint marks. A final line is drawn to identify the most caudal part of the frog. This line will fall just behind the bulbs of the frog at the caudal aspect of the central sulcus. All self-maintaining horse’s feet measure a greater distance behind the centerline at the widest part of the foot to the caudal frog, than forward to the point of breakover. Ground surface mass is described as the area of the foot that is on the ground, behind the line identifying the breakover point and ahead of the line identifying full caudal support of the foot. Routinely, in wild horse feet the ratio was 1/3 foot mass cranial to the widest part of the foot, and 2/3 caudal to the widest part of the foot. (Above Figure) The dorsal hoof wall had no deviation from the hairline to the ground, unlike many domestic feet. In domestic horses, the dorsal hoof wall at the hairline is often more upright or vertical than the lower half, which is an early sign of hoof deformity.