I would like to thank TDN for publishing the interview with Curtis Burns in last Wednesday's edition. Wherein, Curtis addresses the excessive wear that occurs at the toe of an all aluminum racing plate on the front feet. The excessive wear not only influences break over at the protraction phase of the stride (too early) but also affects the integrity of the hoof.
Curtis recommends to HISA that they consider allowing a low profile hardened steel wear plate insert in the fuller of the shoe at the toe of the front feet. This will slow down the rate of wear significantly. The Queen XT racing plate has a low profile wear plate insert that protrudes only 2 mm from the shoe at the toe.
During the past 55 years that I have been practicing veterinary medicine, I have been privileged to work with some excellent farriers. Curtis Burns is one of them. I have had the good fortune to work with Curtis over the past 15 years. He is innovative, experienced, intelligent and competent. He has designed and created the polyflex shoe, which I believe is like the “Second Coming ….,” it's usefulness is incredible. He has also developed other devices for the hoof that have been widely used.
Amending HISA's current rule that forbids toe grabs in front to allow for a low profile wear plate on the front feet (Queen XT racing plate), when necessary would be in the best interest of the horse. In summary, Curtis Burns's observations of the excessive wear problem and his recommendation to ameliorate it should be strongly considered and accepted by HISA. He agrees that the old standard toe grab used for traction can be hazardous to the horse because it allows for a long toe and under run heels that creates a broken backward pastern axis and delays breakover during the protraction phase on the leg.
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