Quarter Horse – Contracted Heels
What to look for:
-Hairlines should never be ground parallel or slope too sharply – they should have a nice slope toward the back of the hoof at about a 25 – 28 degree of angle
-There should be no deep cracks in the back of the frog that go up to the hairline
-The frog should not be more narrow at the back of the hoof – it should be at its widest there.
-Frogs should not have a waist
-Front hooves should generally have a fairly round shape and not be oval. It is OK in hind hooves, but not fronts.
-If the frog ends about halfway down the sole, it means the dorsal wall is stretched forward too much. There should only be about 1/3 of sole (with wall) in front of the frog
Excessively long toe & high heel (Paint)
Toe too long & heel too high (QH) – same contracted hoof as in the oval sole picture
Contracted Heels (QH) and too much hoof in front of frog (=delayed breakover)
Severely contracted hoof (QH) making this front hoof very oval