What shoe should a horse with ringbone be shod with?

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When a horse has ringbone, the goal is to reduce motion and loading at the pastern joints while making breakover smoother so the horse can push off with less stress on the affected joints. A bar shoe provides full-length support across the sole and hoof wall, helping distribute forces more evenly and stabilize the hoof capsule. Adding a rocker to the toe modifies the breakover, giving a gentler, shorter lever as the foot leaves the ground. Together, the bar shoe with rocker lessens the angular movement and stresses at the pastern during stride, which can alleviate pain and slow progression of the condition.

An egg-bar shoe focuses on heel support but doesn’t address breakover the same way and can shift stresses in ways that aren’t ideal for ringbone. A standard shoe offers little extra support or load distribution beyond the basic shoe, and no shoe removes protection or loading that can help manage the condition. Therefore, the combination that best addresses both stability and smooth breakover is the bar shoe with a rocker.