7 Step E.L.P.O. Hoof Trimming Protocol

(Steps 1 – 4 are the same as the Live Sole-Hoof Mapping Protocol)

1. Recognize the Distortions: (Note any distortions or non-distortions you see!)

2. Exfoliate the Foot

3. Map Out the Foot

4. Evaluate the Ratios

5. Trim the Heels:

A. Start just behind the pillars with half your nipper blade out of the cut.  (The starting point will coincide with a line drawn even with the tip of the frog.)

B. Trim the wall close to the level to the live sole through the quarters at the widest part of the foot.

C. Once you reach a location that corresponds to the middle of the bars, start to raise your cut line above the sole and continue through the heel, which will leave a raised portion of heel.  (Draw lines through the bars if necessary).

• Your finished heel should be at the level of the frog buttress or slightly lower.

D. Final heel preparation consists of rasping a flattened area at the heel buttress enough to include an ample portion of the bars, and produce a substantial landing.  (A small chalky presence is often remaining in the V of the wall and bar junction.)

6. Trim the Toe:

A. Nip or Rasp the wall about 1/4” above the level of the pillars and across the sole callus (around the toe).  Be aware to leave the black line that identifies the pillars and the sole callus/wall junction around the toe.

B. Produce a rocker ahead of the line drawn that identifies the inside edge of the sole callus (approximately ¼” ahead of the tip of the coffin bone, or 2” ahead of the widest part of the foot on a medium sized (0- 2) foot.)

• The rocker is only about a 10° to 15° angle from the ground level.
• Produce a flattened area of wall about 3/4” to 1” long in the pillar region.  It should be about 1/16” to 1/8” above the level of the sole.  Make sure you leave the trim line in the pillars for safety measures.

7. Finish the Dorsal Wall

A. Rasp any Flares that Exist

• From middle of the hoof wall to the ground from the most prominent growth ring.
• Do Not rasp further than the white zone at the bottom of the hoof wall (about ½ the original wall thickness.)  The wall should have a uniform wall thickness at the ground level if possible.
• Radius the edge of the hoof wall. (Hold you rasp at about a 45° angle and run it around the ground surface of the hoof wall.)