Once you know where the live sole sits, you can judge the height of the hoof wall. Hoof walls become overgrown when the horse doesn’t get enough movement. They take on too much weight, and before long the growth is pushed outwards, away from the white line.
Meanwhile, the sole can’t continue its essential callusing process. Without ground contact, it will exfoliate, instead of compacting into a thick, hard, concave structure.
It’s true that hoof walls cut too short can cause discomfort. But hoof walls left too long can cause long-term damage. This can mean flaring, cracks, splits, and even heel damage to follow. In fact, most hoof conditions can be traced back to a neglected hoof wall.
Your guideline here is to leave no more than 3mm of hoof wall above the level of the sole. 2-3mm is generally ideal. Although the hoof wall should remain slightly above the sole, the step between the two is still small. Be extra careful not to trim over and into the toe callus.
Next trim the hoof wall’s thickness around the bottom. Look to your horse’s coronet band. See if the angle of growth changes part way down. A common mistake is to think that the toe is too long. It’s not. It has just stretched outwards. Stretched toes are expected on domestic horses. As the hoof grows and the horse moves, the hoof wall continues to pull away from the white line. You must break this cycle.
As you trim the hoof wall’s thickness around the bottom, use the white line as your guide. Bring the hoof wall in close to the white line, maintaining the same thickness, right the way around the hoof.
Never, for any reason, trim higher than the bottom third of your horse’s hoof wall. No matter what state it’s in, the hoof wall is a vital protector of the internal structures. Instead, aim for that initial angle of growth at the coronet band to run true, all the way down to the ground. In time, the result will be a short, stumpy, well-rounded hoof