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