
Six Different Types of Horse Shoes: Uses and Where to Purchase
Controversial as they’ve become, horseshoes have been around since Ancient Greece, and they aren’t going to leave us anytime soon. The majority of performance and riding horses are shod for a variety of reasons, and shoes do still have a purpose in modern horse management. But which shoes should
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Factors in Choosing Horseshoes
First, we need to know what to take into consideration when choosing shoes to suit your horse’s feet.
These factors may include:
• workload
•
• action
• medical history of the hoof and legs
• discipline
• work surface
• budget.
Start by assessing your horse’s feet and way of going. A good farrier can completely change the way your horse moves, and this will always start by analyzing his conformation (the way he is built) and action (the way his feet move). For example, a long-toed horse might drag his feet, which could be corrected by using a shoe with a more pronounced roll to assist in a better
Finally, consider the surface the horse works on and the type of work he performs.
Six Types of Horse Shoe and Where to Buy Them
1. Normal shoes: Used by the majority of horses, the regular shoe is a simple U-shape generally made of steel. There is a fuller (groove) where the nails are hammered in, which prevents the nails from being pulled out so easily, and the heel of the shoe is open. The toe is smooth. This shoe – like most others – may be drilled and tapped to allow the rider to insert studs for slippery ground. The normal shoe is adequate for correct, well-moving horses in light to medium work on
2. Rim shoes: Identical in shape to the normal shoe, the rim shoe is also made of steel. Its one difference is the fuller – present only around the nail holes of the regular shoe – is much deeper and extends all the way around the entire shoe. This fuller helps to give the horse a little more grip on slippery surfaces and works well for jumping, eventing, dressage, or endurance riding on poorer surfaces. Both rim and normal shoes are also occasionally available in
3. Racing plates: These shoes are also shaped similarly to rim shoes, but they are made of
4. Sliding plates:
5. Glue-on shoes: There are many varieties of glue-on horseshoes on the market. These are generally made of various forms of
6. Bar shoes: The bar shoe is an important component of remedial shoeing – the art of shoeing horses with foot problems in order to help alleviate the problems. Bar shoes, instead of being U-shaped, are closed. They are generally designed to support the horse’s heel or hoof wall. The most common type, the straight bar shoe, is commonly used in horses who have problems with hoof wall quality – such as quarter cracks or white line disease – to hold the hoof together as it heals. The egg bar shoe has a rounded bar at the heels, which is designed to support low or
Conclusion
Your farrier is your horse’s best friend when it comes to hoof care. Use this article to discuss what type of shoes would best suit your equine partner, but always work in conjunction with a qualified farrier who can help keep your horse safe and sound for years to come.
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