Justin Hill's Horseshoeing

Frequently Asked Hoofcare Questions

Do you have a question that's not covered on this list? Send me an email at justin@malandseitz.com

Q. Does my horse have to wear shoes on all four feet?

A. No, many horses are shod only on their front feet and left barefoot behind. Horses carry 70% of their weight on the front legs and because of that the front feet are put through more stress. In some cases a horse might only be shod behind for soundness or performance reasons, like sliding plates on reiners, or weighted shoes on a gaited horse.

Q. After shoeing my horse will they have to be kept shod forever?

A. Not necessarily, this depends on why the horse needs to be shod. If the horse was shod for traction or to protect against excessive wear during heavy use, then they can return to barefoot when the need for traction and wear protection is no longer needed. If the horse was shod because of soundness issues then it is possible that they need to be kept shod to maintain soundness.

Q. What can I do to keep my shod horse from slipping on pavement?

A. There are several options available for traction on pavement. There are materials such as Borium or Drill-tec that your farrier can add to ground surface of the shoe before nailing them on. Horseshoe nail manufacturers also offer nails with the heads coated in borium as a quick and easy solution to traction problems, however they are expensive, and must be replaced every time the horse is shod or loses a shoe. There are also many different types of carbide tipped studs that your farrier can either permanently drive-in, or your shoes can be drilled and tapped so that you can add, remove, or change studs as needed. New technology has given us plastic and rubber composites that offer great traction on slick surfaces.

Q. Is it normal for my horse to get sore after being shod?

A. No, absolutely not! The horse should always walk off better than they walked up. If the horse has a history of lameness, sometimes they will not walk off as well, but that's usually from making them bear weight on one leg for too long without enough rest, or over-flexing an arthritic joint.

Q. Why does my horse always throw a shoe?

A. Horses generally don't "throw" shoes, but they do however "pull" shoes every so often. There are several reasons a horse might pull-off a shoe. It could be conformational, a lack of training or coordination, lameness, pawing, or even just a mis-step. Most of the time however it's due to imbalance in the horses shoeing. Too long of a toe, and a lack of support will change the horses natural timing and make them more apt to pulling shoes. Even keeping a horse in muddy conditions will tend to cause more lost shoes. Contrary to popular belief, "mud" does not pull off shoes, what it does do is change the horses timing so they step on themselves, and their shoes.

Q. Should I have my horses shoes pulled in the winter?

A. Weather and time of year should not be a deciding factor in keeping your horses shod. The horses use and current level of soundness should be the primary consideration. If your horse can stay sound and comfortable with your use and environment, then there is no reason to keep your horse shod in the winter.

Q. My horse friends are trying to get me to switch to a "Natural Hoof Trimmer," is there really much of a difference?

A. Be careful when choosing a farrier or a trimmer. Most are sent out into the public with very little knowledge of the function and anatomy of the lower limb. There are talented and knowledgeable professionals in both fields, but there are also a lot of ignorant and dangerous people out there. Don't change your farrier just because everyone else is unless you're having problems with your current farrier.

Q. How often should I have my horse trimmed or shod?

A. This tends to vary by state, but here in the Columbia River Gorge, a sound healthy horse usually does well within 6-8 weeks. If your horse has soundness issues or requires corrective care then you may need to have them attended to more often. Shortening the schedule by a week or two can mean the difference between fixing a problem, simply maintaining it, or letting it get worse.

Q. Does it hurt them to have nails driven through their feet?

A. When the job is done properly all they feel is the tapping of the hammer. It's similar to when you trim.

Q. What does it mean when a horse is "quicked"?

A. "Quicking" or a "Hot Nail" is when a nail is driven into the sensitive structures of the hoof. It can lead to abscesses, and mild to severe lameness. Normally a nail is started in the outer edge of the insensitive laminae, between the hoofwall and the sensitive laminae. When the shoes are not fitted properly, or the nail or driven poorly, you increase your chances of a hot nail, or quicking. 

Thank you Joey Aczon "The Farrier Geek" for helping me out with my FAQs page