Shoeing your horses: What are the best practices?
The origins of farriery date back to around 2000 BC, first irons attached with leather straps then associated with nails which appeared at the time of the Gauls and finally the appearance of clips and orthopedic irons from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Since then, these have changed a lot as well as farriery techniques and knowledge of horses. Today, we use shoes for sport, leisure, to care for and correct aplomb or simply to provide comfort on varied terrain and slow down the wear of the horn. There are several types of shoes:
The classic fitting
Made of steel, it can be fitted hot or cold by the farrier. The shoes are made up of pliers, udders, quarters, sponges and several stampings to slide the nails into. There are several sizes of shoes so that they are well adapted to your horse.
This shoeing is reserved for leisure horses, sport horses or horses with a pathology requiring only a simple correction. The farrier can make several modifications (rolling, onions, covered branches, plates, resin, ...) so that it is more suitable and comfortable.
Aluminum hardware
Often intended for sport horses, it was created to lighten the limbs, reduce constraints and offer more comfort, speed and performance to the horse. However, aluminum shoes are less resistant to wear than steel ones. They are fitted cold and the farrier can make the same modifications as on a classic shoe.
Orthopedic or physiotherapy shoeing
Therapeutic or preventive, its purpose is to re-educate the movement of the foot to the reaction of the ground. It is used to promote the rocking of the foot, reduce tendon, ligament and joint constraints, relieve the foot and protect the sole. The irons are made of aluminum and relieve many pathologies such as osteoarthritis, laminitis, navicular syndrome, ...
A shoe should be changed every 6 to 8 weeks depending on the type of shoe and how the horn of the foot grows. It is best to leave 24 to 48 hours of rest or to do light work after the farrier's visit so that the horse gets used to its new feet.
Some points to check after the farrier's visit
- Your horse can move freely, naturally, comfortably and without lameness
- Each foot should be in good alignment with the limb. The wall should be trimmed in a natural shape, in a straight line from the crown to the plantar edge without flaring or excessive rasping.
- The rivets are aligned, solid and flush with the surface of the shoe
- The iron must be long enough to provide good support for the heels without reducing the support surface.
If you notice an abnormality within 48 hours of the farrier's visit, call him back so that he can correct his mistake. You can also call a veterinarian to check and probe the foot if in doubt.
Why shoe your horse?
The main role of a shoe for a horse without pathologies is to prevent rapid wear of the foot when it works regularly on varied terrain . The iron can also serve as protection at high level in order to hold the foot and absorb shocks (in particular when receiving obstacles). For horses with a pathology, there are a lot of different orthopedic shoes that will best relieve your horses.
The disadvantages of ironwork
When the horse does not work on varied terrain and does not suffer from any pathology, it is not recommended to shoe it. Indeed, today we tend to shoe horses automatically but this does not only have advantages.
Due to their rigidity, they prevent the feet from absorbing shocks and cause vibrations in the joints, tendons, ligaments and tissues in general.
Thus, as the frog is no longer in contact with the ground and its role is to return blood to the heart in order to guarantee oxygenation and the elimination of toxins, these functions are limited because of the shoes. This can cause pathologies in the long term in horses that are basically healthy.
An alternative to irons
There are now plastic shoes that are lightweight and have been designed to keep the hoof distortion so they can absorb shock and thus allow good frog stimulation.
Unlike steel, plastic allows better adhesion to the ground , whether it is humic or concrete, horses slip less. These are shoes that are glued or attached with the same nails as a classic shoe. The disadvantage is that they are more expensive and some farriers do not know how to install them.
Keeping your horse barefoot
It is quite possible to keep a horse without shoes whether for leisure or for sport. More and more owners are choosing this option. All horses can live and work without shoes but some feet require more attention than others...
Indeed, there are horses that can have a very good foot nature with a flexible horn that grows easily, good aplomb which allows more even wear of the foot , ... but there are also horses with less good feet.
In all cases, it is important to monitor the barefoot horse and to maintain the foot by moisturizing it or using products such as oil, ointment , etc. A poorly maintained bare foot can cause discomfort, lameness, abscesses, etc.
Shoeing your horse barefoot
If you want to make this transition, there are several precautions to take. Talk to your farrier first or contact an equine podiatrist.
They are specialized in feet, aplomb, locomotion and trimming in order to offer horses adapted care. These professionals will guide you and help you so that your horse accepts the transition to barefoot as best as possible.
You should pay attention to your horse's reactions to different types of ground and call a professional if there is any discomfort or lameness. It is also advisable to walk on several types of ground regularly so that the horse gets used to the change more quickly.
In case of discomfort, especially on hard surfaces, there are hipposandals that protect the sole. You can use them when going out but also wear them every day.