Bob Marshall, of Hope, BC, is a five-time world champion in the art of horseshoeing and considered by his peers to be a master educator. His shoeing philosophy is simple and straightforward: Trim the hoof, striving to hit key anatomical target points, and apply a shoe to fit the hoof wall as accurately as possible. This means that the shoe must be the same shape as the sole of the hoof while conforming to the outer circumference of the hoof wall while extending a dimes width past the heels.
The problem with attaching a horseshoe to a less than perfect hoof is that the horseshoe confines the hoof to an arbitrary plane. This plane may not necessarily be the most comfortable or mechanically sound choice for the horse’s well-being. But sadly, all too often it’s the only one that is present especially when a hoof is too far worn down. Just because a horseshoe has been fastened to a hoof doesn’t mean that the hoof will stop trying to remodel or won’t tear itself apart if the stresses upon it warrant it.