What can we see from a sole view?
-We can see the overall shape. We can assume some things about m/l balance and load but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the state of the frog and caudal portion of the heel bulbs. We can assume health of the caudal portion of the hoof but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the wall and white line. We can assume state of health, inflammatory state, and robustness of wall but we can’t know for sure.
What can we see from a lateral view?
-We can see the alignment and angle of the wall tubules. We can assume health of wall or soundness but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see ratio of toe to heel height. We can assume what the HPA is but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the shape of lateral cartilages. We can assume state of the comfort or how the horse is loading but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the hairline. We can assume the HPA or palmar angle but we can’t know for sure.
What can we see from an oblique view?
-We can see the concavity and shape of the sole. We can assume comfort level but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the shape of the lateral cartilages. We can assume state of comfort or how the horse is loading but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the alignment and angle of the wall tubules. We can assume health of wall or soundness but we can’t know for sure.
What can we see from a heel view?
-We can see the shape of the caudal portion of the hoof. We can assume comfort or state of health but we can’t know for sure.
-We can see the concavity and shape of the sole. We can assume comfort level but we can’t know for sure.
While this list is not exhaustive, my point is that from no one single photo can we make an accurate assessment of the whole hoof, inside and out. We just have no way to take a 2d image and know the entire 3d image. Depending on the condition, one image of the hoof can absolutely lie to you about something that is happening.
More than that, no single photo tells you about the HORSE. Every single horse is an individual and while science has defined a lovely set of ideals (and lifetimes of observations and anecdotal experience) for the hoof, not a single photo view or set of ideals will tell you about the entire horse. No single photo can account for all the variables in that horse’s life that contribute to the health of the hoof and distal limb. No single photo can tell you where that horse has been, what it has or hasn’t overcome, and where it is going. There are an infinite array of possibilities and any single photo, or even a couple of photos, can’t accurately tell you what the horse is experiencing.
Every single body is different, for humans too. To assume anything about the whole based off of one photo does a massive disservice to the horse. I have seen horses thrive with a lifetime of shoes. I have seen horses thrive a lifetime of barefoot hooves. I have seen so many horses need temporary protection or support to navigate an environment or task/job. I have seen horses that defy the odds. I have seen horses collapse with ideal conditions. There are so so many possibilities and when we start putting the hooves into boxes of ‘ideal’ we really under estimate the whole horse and unique diversity that makes horses incredible.
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