Begin to concave the sole while trimming the walls and heels along this line. If the hoof is contracted or high-heeled, it may be better, after marking the correct heel height, to concave the sole first, and then shorten the heel and wall as properly as possible. This avoids accidentally cutting into corium or leaving the sole convex or too thin.
Carve the solar concavity as a smooth dish. In the bar triangle, the sole level must be shorter than bar and wall (the sole must be relatively thin in this region, to allow proper hoof mechanism). Also, it must allow the bar to protrude slightly for proper skid brake action (in healthy hooves; in hooves which require reshaping or uncontracting, this is often not possible). In the lateral regions, the sole should be shorter than the wall. In the region of the moon sickle, the sole is normally at the same level as the wall.
