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Why should I have my horse shod?
Reasons to shoe your horse:
1. Protect the horse’s foot from excessive wear & resulting
tenderness when its continuous use is necessary.
2. Provide traction when necessary for safety and/or speed on
slippery surfaces.
3. Correct or influence the stance and/or gait of the horse.
4. Correct or improve “abnormal” and pathological conditions of the
feet and legs.
If you put more nails in, won’t my shoe stay on longer?
About Nails:
If 5 or 6 nails won’t keep a shoe on, then why would 10?
Nails should not be driven behind the widest part of the hoof.
Using a lot of nails is counterproductive, because the more holes
in the hoof wall, the more the wall is weakened.
How often should I have my horse shoed?
If you depend on your horse to be SOLIDLY SOUND,
giving you the best shot at peak performance in the show ring
or on the trails, it deserves a visit from your farrier every 6 weeks!
How can I tell if my horse is wearing the right size shoe?
Because many quarter horses wear shoes that are too short for their feet,
their potential for lameness is increased. For proper fitting from the
widest part of the hoof, back to the heel, the shoe needs to be
slightly wider than the hoof. This leaves room for the heel to expand
and contract, as is natural when the horse moves.
Why would I want my horse to have a faster or eased breakover?
Because it’s better for your horse! As your horse travels his feet
land heel first, the body rolls by, then the foot “breaks over” and
he moves to the next stride. If the toe is too long, breakover
is delayed which in turn places more tension on the deep digital
flexor tendon and supporting structures of the navicular bone.
A rockered toe eases the breakover point, making travel easier and
safer for your horse.
Why are the back shoes on my horse more square?
They should be. The back toes of the hind shoes should be square and the
shoe set back further underneath the foot. This technique also eases the
breakover point. When complete, the hind feet should look as if they are
hanging slightly over the front edge of the shoes.
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