Therapeutic Shoeing Notes: Document Corrective Work Per Horse
Therapeutic shoeing is the most technically demanding and legally consequential work a farrier does. You're modifying biomechanics to address diagnosed conditions, often in coordination with a veterinarian, and the consequences of poor documentation can be notable. Horses receiving therapeutic shoeing require documentation for insurance and vet coordination in 78% of cases.
TL;DR
- Therapeutic shoeing records must capture shoe brand, size, modifications, nail pattern, pad type, wedge degree, and corrective angles -- not just a general shoe description.
- For laminitis cases, document the rotation angle and your plan to reduce wedge elevation over 6-12 months as the hoof grows and the pedal bone settles.
- FarrierIQ includes structured corrective shoeing fields designed by practicing therapeutic farriers, covering dorsal wall angle, heel angle, breakover position, and lateral vs. medial heel height per visit.
- Vet recommendations should be linked directly to specific shoeing appointments, with the date and vet's name recorded each time guidance changes.
- Digital records that can be exported are essential when therapeutic cases intersect with insurance claims, since reconstructing events from paper notes or memory is unreliable.
- Documenting the owner's subjective reports (comfort, gait changes, willingness to work) at each visit creates a performance history that complements your objective shoeing data.
- A horse's laminitis records, therapeutic shoeing notes, and medication history should all be accessible from a single profile, not scattered across separate systems.
Getting the shoeing right is only part of the job. Documenting what you did, why you did it, and what the horse's response was is what separates a professional therapeutic farrier from someone who just gets the shoes on.
Why Therapeutic Shoeing Demands Better Records
A regular trim visit is relatively low stakes from a documentation standpoint. But therapeutic work is different. You're making specific decisions to address a diagnosis -- laminitis rotation, navicular pain, post-surgical support, contracted heels, club foot, or any number of other conditions. Those decisions need to be traceable.
The vet who diagnosed the condition may not be present when you do the work. They need to know what modifications you made. The next farrier who sees the horse -- whether that's you six weeks later or someone covering your route -- needs to understand what approach is in use and why. The horse owner's insurance company may need documentation if a claim is involved.
Generic tools have no shoe-type or correction-angle fields built in. Paper records easily get lost in the truck cab or the tack room. Neither is good enough for therapeutic cases.
Core Fields Every Therapeutic Shoeing Record Needs
Diagnosis and Indication
Start with the clinical picture: what condition are you treating, how was it diagnosed, and who diagnosed it. Note the veterinarian's name, the date of diagnosis, and any radiographic findings that informed your approach. For laminitis, note the rotation angle if known. For navicular, note which feet are involved and the degree of pathology.
This context matters at every subsequent visit. If you're applying a treatment protocol six months into a laminitis recovery, the record should show the full arc -- not just today's shoeing.
Shoe Type and Specifications
Be specific. "Egg bar" isn't enough. Document:
- Shoe brand and size
- Web width and thickness if relevant
- Whether hot-fit or cold-fit
- Any modifications made to the shoe itself (rocker, roll, build-up, bar added)
- Nail count and pattern
- Whether clips were used and where
For horses wearing glue-on shoes, note the adhesive system used and application method.
Pad and Insert Details
Therapeutic cases frequently involve pads, packing, and wedges. Document each of these:
- Pad type (flat leather, rim pad, wedge pad, full pour-in)
- Wedge degree if using elevation pads
- Packing material (silicone, foam, oakum, commercial pour-in)
- Whether the pad covers the entire sole or is a partial application
These specifics matter because small differences in pad type or wedge angle can produce noticeably different outcomes. You need to be able to replicate or intentionally modify an approach.
Corrective Angles and Measurements
This is where FarrierIQ's structured corrective shoeing fields shine. For every therapeutic case, record:
- Dorsal wall angle
- Heel angle
- Breakover position (toe rolled, set back in inches, rocker start point)
- Lateral vs. medial heel height if different
- Any asymmetric corrections applied
If you're doing serial radiography to guide your corrective work, note the radiograph dates and what you changed in response to the findings.
Documenting the Treatment Plan
Therapeutic shoeing isn't one visit -- it's a plan. Your records should reflect the overall arc, not just individual appointments.
At the start of a case, note your goals. For a laminitis horse with 6 degrees of rotation, your goal might be to use a 6-degree wedge initially and gradually reduce it over 6-12 months as the hoof grows and the pedal bone settles. For a contracted heel horse, your goal might be to progressively widen the foot over several shoeing cycles.
At each visit, note whether you're on track with the plan, what adjustment you made, and why. If the plan changes -- whether because the horse is responding faster or slower than expected, or because the vet has modified their recommendations -- document the change and the reason.
Connecting Vet Notes to Shoeing Appointments
Therapeutic shoeing typically involves active vet collaboration, and your records should reflect that. Every time you receive updated recommendations from a vet, note the date, the vet's name, and the specific guidance.
FarrierIQ's structured corrective shoeing fields are designed by practicing therapeutic farriers, and they include integrated vet note fields that link treatment recommendations to specific shoeing appointments. This makes the connection between veterinary guidance and your actual work explicit and traceable.
When the vet comes back out to do a follow-up evaluation, they can see exactly what you've done and in what sequence. That's the kind of documentation that builds professional relationships and keeps you on the referral list.
Your therapeutic shoeing notes should connect directly to your hoof health records system, and complement the condition-specific tracking you're doing for conditions like laminitis. A horse with laminitis, therapeutic shoeing, and medication records should have all of that accessible from a single profile.
How to Document Horse Responses Between Visits
You can't always observe how the horse is moving and feeling between your visits, but you can collect that information. Ask the owner at each visit: Has the horse been more or less comfortable? Any changes in gait? Has the horse been willing to work? Any reluctance going forward or turning?
Document the owner's answers as part of your visit record. Over time, this gives you a subjective performance history to set alongside your objective shoeing records. When something you changed produces a noticeable improvement in comfort, you want that noted. When a modification doesn't seem to help, you want that documented too. This kind of longitudinal tracking is also useful when communicating progress to horse owners who may not understand the technical details of corrective work.
Insurance and Legal Documentation
Some therapeutic shoeing cases intersect with insurance claims -- particularly for horses that have experienced injuries, surgeries, or diagnosed conditions that affect their value or use. In these situations, thorough documentation is essential.
Keep your records clinical and objective. Note what you observed, what you did, and what was recommended. Avoid speculative language about prognosis. If you're asked to provide records as part of an insurance claim process, having organized digital farrier records that you can export is far easier than trying to reconstruct events from memory or paper notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I document when performing therapeutic shoeing?
Document the condition being treated, the veterinarian's diagnosis and shoeing recommendations, shoe type and all specifications (brand, size, modifications), pad type and wedge angle, corrective measurements including dorsal wall angle and breakover position, nail pattern, any asymmetric corrections, and the horse's response to previous work. FarrierIQ's structured corrective shoeing fields are designed by therapeutic farriers and include all the relevant data fields in one place.
Can farrier software track corrective shoe angles?
Yes. FarrierIQ's therapeutic records include fields for dorsal wall angle, heel angle, breakover position, and lateral vs. medial heel height. These measurements are stored per visit so you can track how angles change over a corrective shoeing sequence and whether you're moving toward your treatment goal. You can also note when angle adjustments were made and why.
How do I coordinate therapeutic shoeing with a veterinarian?
Keep vet recommendations documented in your records alongside your shoeing notes, noting the date of each recommendation and who provided it. Share your shoeing records with the treating vet before follow-up evaluations so they understand exactly what modifications have been made. FarrierIQ generates shareable record summaries that give vets the information they need without requiring them to access the app.
How often should therapeutic shoeing records be updated?
Records should be updated at every visit, not summarized periodically. Therapeutic cases can shift quickly -- a horse's comfort level, the vet's guidance, or your angle adjustments may all change from one cycle to the next. A record written six weeks after the fact is far less reliable than one completed the same day as the appointment.
What if a horse is being seen by multiple farriers during a therapeutic case?
Any farrier working on a horse mid-treatment needs access to the full record, including the original diagnosis, the treatment goals, and every modification made to date. FarrierIQ's shareable record summaries make it possible to hand off a case without losing continuity. Documenting which farrier performed each visit is also important so the treating vet knows who to contact with questions.
Should I document therapeutic shoeing differently for horses under active veterinary care versus maintenance cases?
Yes. Horses under active vet care require more frequent notation of vet communications, radiographic findings, and protocol changes. Maintenance cases -- where a horse has a stable chronic condition managed with a consistent approach -- still need full shoeing specifications recorded at each visit, but the treatment plan section may be less detailed. The key distinction is whether the protocol is still being adjusted or has reached a stable endpoint.
Related Articles
Sources
- American Farriers Journal, Lessiter Media
- American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), Clinical Guidelines for Farrier-Veterinarian Collaboration
- University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Podiatry and Lameness Resources
- The Laminitis Institute, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
- Guild of Professional Farriers, Documentation and Record-Keeping Standards
Get Started with FarrierIQ
FarrierIQ gives you structured fields for every element covered in this article -- corrective angles, pad specifications, vet note integration, and treatment plan tracking -- all stored per horse and accessible when you need them for vet follow-ups or insurance documentation. If you're doing therapeutic work and still relying on paper notes or generic apps, try FarrierIQ free and see how purpose-built therapeutic shoeing records change the way you manage your most complex cases.