Farriers and Hoofcare
Anastasia Kellogg
Basic Facts of Farrier Work
• The goal in shoeing is to shape the shoe to the hoof, not the hoof to the shoe
• The horse’s sole should not bear weight
• It is easier to shoe a wide heeled horse than a narrow heeled horse
Basic Facts Of Farrier Work
• Factors which determine the type of shoe needed include– Conformation– Hoof shape– Type of work required of the
horse– The surface the horse will
work upon
• The front feet are rounder than the hind feet
• The hind feet are narrower than the front feet
Farrier Facts
• The outside wing or web of a hind shoe is longer than the inside web of the inside web of the hind shoe
• The hoof wall is thicker at the toe than at the heels
• The wings of the front shoe must be– Long enough to support the
heels– But not so long that they
may be pulled off by the hind foot
Farrier Facts
• Pressure from the shoe on the sole may result in corns
• Fullering is the creasing of the ground surface of the wings of the shoe
• Fullering makes the shoe lighter and provides some traction
• Driving the nail “too green” means nailing into the sensitive laminae, causing lameness
Farrier Facts
• Causing lameness by nailing into the sensitive laminae is called pricking
• Coarse shoeing refers to nailing too deep, or “too green”
• Fine shoeing is too shallow, causing the horse to pull the shoe
• Clips hold the shoe more securely on the hoof and reduce the chances that the shoe shifts position after nailing
Farrier Facts
• Two types of clips are drawn clips and welded clips
• Drawn clips are made by heating the web of the shoe and drawing a portion of it upward, which makes for a more finished job in the long run
• Welded clips are additional parts added to the web of the shoe
Farrier Facts
• “Sharp shod” refers to a horse shod with ice caulks
• Keg shoes are pre-sized, and are usually fitted cold
• Steel is used for most horseshoes
• Thoroughbred racehorses wear shoes made of aluminum, since it is lightweight
• Aluminum shoes weigh about 3 ounces
Farrier Facts
• Pads may be used on horses recovering from hoof injuries, such as sole bruises, or on horses with sensitive feet
• A bar shoe is also used on recovering horses, for example in the case of laminitis
• A rolled toe is sometimes used at the point of breakover, especially in cases of navicular
Farrier Facts
• Borium may be applied to shoe to increase traction on surfaces such as pavement, concrete, and ice
• A horse that scalps or speedy cuts should wear lighter shoes in front
• A Scotchbottom shoe is used on a draft horse, especially in the show ring
• The hoof wall grows faster in warmer weather (faster in June than January)
Farrier Facts
• A pigeon toed condition can be reduced in a young horse by trimming more off the inside edges of the foot
Shoeing Steps
• Cutting the clinches of the old shoes
• Removing the old shoes with pullers
• Trimming the dead sole with a hoof knife
• Trimming the hoof wall with nippers
• Rasping the hoof wall level• Removing burrs or flares
around the edges of the hoof wall
Shoeing Steps
• Shaping the shoe• Making sure the shoe
fits• Driving the nails• Wringing off nails and
setting clinches• Cutting clinches• Dressing off feet
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