The Need For Horse Shoeing

In the wild a horse shoe in its natural state will have no need for shoes since its feet wear down at a slower rate than they grow. The level of wear and tear that domestication has placed on their on a horse's feet means that metal shoes are fitted to prevent them from wearing down too quickly. Horses that do not have shoes on still require visits from the farrier. Shoes can be refitted once the feet have been trimmed if they have not worn down.

horse shoe can be fit either hot or cold, hot is considered to be better as the show can be adjusted minutely to ensure a perfect fit. To shoe a horse the farrier will begin by knocking up the clenches (the overturned points of the nail), that hold the shoe in place. He will then trim the hoof walls and level with a rasp. When hot shoeing the shoe will have been shaped the the hoof, and will then be placed on foot for a very short while to check the fit. Once the fit is correct the shoe is then chilled in a bucket of water before being nailed into place. The rim of the hoof is then smoothed to eliminate sharp edges of the clenches.

Shoes are usually made from steel, racing horses are fitted with shoes made from aluminium called racing plates, plastic glue on shoes can be used in certain circumstances. There are also different shoes to suit different activities.

Shoes on the front feet have a toe clip center front while the hind feet are fitted with shoes that have two quarter clips set either side of the center line. These prevent the shoe from moving sideways and can allow the farrier to slant the toe slightly to prevent the horse from overreaching.

Remedial shoeing can assist in the resolution of many problems caused by malformation such as navicular disease or laminitis, or injury. One of the most common types of remedial shoe is the bar shoe. Several variations of this shoe include the heart-bar and egg-bar. Tammy is a avid equine rider who tries to advertise the best ways to be treating horses. Tammy works part time for a company who specialise in net-tex equestrian wear as well as Pippa Funnell & Polly Equestrian Products in the UK. For more info, read our hoof stand