Horse Shoeing

From: Horse Care |Hooves, Shoes and Shoeing

See also: Horse Hooves | Horse Shoes |
Horse Anatomy

Horse Shoeing
This is the process in which horse shoes are applied to the bottom of the horses hoof by a qualified farrier, the farrier will either hot or cold shoe depending on their preference and the shoe will be held in place by using nails or in some cases glue. In order for the farrier to apply the shoe the horses hooves must first be prepared, this involves trimming and balancing the insensitive structure of hoof and from there the horse shoe can be tailored to fit the prepared hoof. The type of shoe chosen will be shaped to the needs of your horses foot.

Horse Shoes
These are predominantly made of steel but can also be made of aluminium, rubber and plastic.
There are many different types of horse shoe available but the main thing to remember is that whichever type of shoe your farrier uses it must fit the horses hoof correctly and aid there way of going and be appropriate for the type of work your horse does.

The Aim Of Horse Shoeing
The aim of horse shoeing is to provide the horse with a well balanced foot that will allow them to work for longer periods of time without excessively wearing the hoof down and to help maintain the hoof shape. The use of horse shoes can give the horse a secure grip, due to the groove called a fuller which runs around the surface of the shoe, grip can also be aided when the use of studs are correctly used. Horses with hoof ailments and poor conformation can be assisted with the use of specific horse shoes which are specially designed to help with that ailment.

Hot Shoeing
In hot shoeing the old shoe is removed and the hoof is expertly trimmed and re balanced, then a new shoe is chosen and assessed against the hoof for suitability. The shoe is then placed into the forge and when removed the farrier can then work the steel into the correct shape as required and be placed back into the forge again if necessary. To obtain the perfect fit the shoe is lightly placed onto the hoof to assess if it is the correct fit and it is this process of holding the hot shoe onto the hoof for a few seconds which burns the insensitive structure and causes all the smoke and smell. The shoe can then be altered again using a hammer and anvil until it fits the horses foot exactly. By using this process the shoe is made to fit the hoof with great precision. Once the shape of the horse shoe is correct it is placed into cold water to cool it down and then nailed onto the hoof so that the shoeing process can be continued.

Cold Shoeing
With cold shoeing no forge is used in the actual shoeing process, after the old shoe has been removed and the hoof has been expertly trimmed and re balanced a pre prepared shoe of the correct size and shape is used. It takes a great deal of skill to match the correct shoe to the hoof as making alterations is not as easy on a cold shoe. Once the correct shoe has been chosen it is then nailed onto the hoof so that the shoeing process can be completed.

Horse Shoeing Procedure
If the horse has a shoe already on, then it must first be removed.

This is done by using Pincers to lever the horse shoe off from the heel to the toe.
The hoof wall is then trimmed down to the correct length using nippers, this is important because if the hoof becomes too long then undue stress will be placed on the heels and lower leg.
The sole of the foot and the frog are trimmed back using a Paring Knife or Hoof Knife.
The foot is re-assessed for balance and trimmed using a Rasp.
The farrier will then either hot or cold shoe.

Hot Shoeing

If the farrier is hot shoeing then they will take a shoe and hold it over the hoof to assess that it is roughly the right size before placing the shoe into the forge for a few moments. When the shoe is removed from the forge using tongs, it can then be adjusted on the Anvil with a hammer to correct the shape before then being placed back into the forge using Tongs if necessary.
The shoe will then be taken out of the forge and held against the hoof for a few seconds to make a light impression, this allows the farrier to see exactly where the shoe will lye and allow the farrier to continue to make adjustments to the shoe. When the farrier is happy with the shape of the shoe, the shoe is rapidly cooled off in cold water.
The shoe can then be fixed to the hoof with nails.The nail is driven into the shoe and through the insensitive structure of the hoof wall so that the nail appears on the outside of the hoof. All the nails should line up evenly at the same height around the outer edge of the hoof wall. The sharp end of the nail is then broken off.
The remaining nail edge is bent over using a Clincher so that it lye's flat with the hoof wall, this part of the nail is then known as a clench which will help to hold the shoe in place and prevent anything from getting caught on the sharp edge.
The hoof is then rasped and smoothed over.
The hoof will now have been trimmed and re balanced and will have no nail protrusions and a smooth surface.

Signs Your Horse Needs Shoeing
Have your horse regularly shod at least every 6 weeks, horses that are in a lot of work may well need to be shod every 4 or 5 weeks but your farrier will advise.
Signs to look out for are nail clenches raised, overgrown toes, shoe physically loose, shoe excessively worn, shoe fallen off.

Lameness After Shoeing
Horse shoeing is not a painful process and if your horse is lame directly after shoeing then there is a problem and your farrier should be contacted immediately to relieve the problem, for example if a nail is driven in too close to the sensitive structure it can cause a nail prick or nail bind to occur and once the nail is removed soundness usually returns very quickly.

Healthy Hoof Growth
Some horses hooves are brittle and cracked, this can be due to diet or other factors such as ground conditions or conformation, the addition of a Biotin supplement to the horses diet can in some cases greatly help to obtain strong healthy hoof growth. The application of a topical product such as hoof oil can also greatly help with cracked hooves. Horses hooves crack when the moisture balance is disrupted and by applying hoof oil daily to the hoof wall the moisture balance is maintained and this helps to prevent cracking.

Preparation For Shoeing
A horse that stands quietly when being shod will give your farrier the opportunity to successfully shoe your horse, if your horse is young and has never been shod before then well before the farrier is booked practice picking up each of the horses feet and holding them up.
Tying up a hay net can help to occupy your horse while it is being shod and therefore help to cut back on the fidgeting.
Ensure that you have somewhere that is well lit, undercover and on a flat surface for your farrier to shoe your horse.
Your horses legs must be as clean and as dry as possible before the farrier comes.

What A Well Shod Hoof Should Look Like

The well shod foot should allow the internal and external structures to expand on impact and therefore assist in lower limb circulation.
There should be no restrictions to movement caused by the fitting of shoes.
The angle of the hoof wall in relation to the floor should be at 45 degrees on the forelimbs and on the hind limb this should be 55 degrees, these measurements follow the angles of the coffin bone.
The coronet band should form and approximate 30 degree angle at the heel.
All the clenches should be at the same height and flush with the hoof wall.
The horses action and way of going must be taken into account when shoeing a horse.
An imaginary line drawn across the underside of the hoof should show symmetry.
An imaginary line if drawn directly down the centre of the hoof would show both halves the same.
There should be no flaring out of the hoof wall at the bottom.
There should be ample hoof to support the heels.
Provide the horse with the appropriate shoe for the chosen discipline to be undertaken.
The shoe should in no way cause lameness or discomfort.

Specialist Horse Shoes
There are many variations to the traditional horse shoe available that can be used for specific disciplines, assist horses with specific veterinary ailments and conformation weaknesses.

Heart Bar Shoe
A shoe which also covers the frog and increases frog pressure. Often used for horses with Laminitis.
Egg Bar Shoe
Shaped like an egg this shoe increases the ground bearing surface of the heel often used for horses with Navicular disease.
Bar Shoe
The continuous circle of this shoe increases the ground bearing surface of the heel.
Rolled Toe Quarter Clips
Assists in the horses break over action and reduces pressure on the toe.
Straight Bar Shoe
Enlarges the ground bearing surface at the heels, by forming a bar that runs straight between the two heels. Therefore offering support to low heels protect the set of corn.
Racing Plates
These are lighter than traditional shoes and are often made of aluminium.
Polo Shoes
These have often been tailored to help reduces the shoe from causing speedy cuts.