Foot and Shoeing

Question 1

In general, how frequently should a horse be shod?

Answer 1

Every 4-6 weeks, but it depends on the horse’s foot growth, condition of its feet and the work they do, as they can go 6-8 weeks max.

Question 2

How does the type of horse’s feet impact when they need to be shod?

Answer 2

A horse with brittle feet may need to be shod at 5 weeks, but a hard foot will go 6 weeks.

Question 3

What problems can happen when a shoe is left on too long?

Answer 3

• Shoes left on too long are likely to put pressure on the seat of corn, and cause bruising or lameness.
• The angle of the foot will also change and put unnecessary stress on other parts of the horse’s limbs.

Question 4

What are the 8 main reasons for shoeing?

Answer 4

1) Grip
2) For protection of the feet
3) To keep the feet in healthy condition
4) To help reduce concussion
5) For medical reasons
6) To protect against bad weather
7) To improve feet in poor condition
8) To improve defects in confirmation or action

Question 5

What are signs that a horse needs shoeing?

Answer 5

• The clenches are raised
• The shoe is loose
• The shoe is cast
• The shoe is sprung (held on by one or two nails)
• The shoe has worn thin
• The foot has grown too long
• Problems such as nail bind or prick (where the nail has gone into a sensitive area)
• For medical reasons that need remedial shoeing

Question 6

What is a buffer?

Answer 6

A tool used to raise the clenches before removing the shoe.

Question 7

What is a driving hammer?

Answer 7

A tool used with the buffer to raise the clenches, and to drive the nails into the foot securing the shoe.

Question 8

What are pincers?

Answer 8

A tool used to remove the old shoe.

Question 9

What are hoof cutters?

Answer 9

A tool used to trim the foot, similar to the pincers, except one blade is thin and sharper, the other is thick and flat.

Question 10

What is a rasp?

Answer 10

A tool used to level the surface of the foot, and to finish off the foot and shoe.

Question 11

What is a drawing knife?

Answer 11

A tool used to trim the horn, frog and sole. It is also used to make an indentation for the toe clips.

Question 12

What is an anvil?

Answer 12

A large piece of metal on which the shoes are hammered into shape.

Question 13

What is a tripod?

Answer 13

A three legged stand used for placing the hoof on when rasping and finishing off.

Question 14

What is a nail clencher/clenching tongs?

Answer 14

A tool used to flatten the clenches against the hoof wall, and at the same time tightening them to keep the shoe in place.

Question 15

What is a pritchel?

Answer 15

Used for carrying hot shoes.

Question 16

Describe the process of hot shoeing.

Answer 16

1) Raise the clenches using the buffer and driving hammer.
2) Remove the shoe using pincers.
3) Put the new shoe in the forge.
4) Trim excess growth using hoof cutters.
5) Trim horn, frog and sole using the drawing knife, and make an indent for the quarter and toe clips.
6) Rasp the foot level
7) Shape the hot shoe as necessary
8) Check the fit by burning into the hoof.
9) Cool down hot shoe in a bucket of water.
10) Nail the shoe on and cut off the excess nail.
11) Clench the nail ends
12) Finish off the foot.

Question 17

What are the steps to remove a horse’s shoe?

Answer 17

1) The foreleg is is held between the farrier’s knees, the hind leg is rested across the farrier’s thighs by bringing the leg up and forward over the thigh. The hind leg is not held between the knees in case the horse kicks.
2) The buffer is used: one end under the clench, and the blunt end is tapped with the hammer to raise the clenches. You can then use the pinchers to cut off the end of the nails.
3) The pinchers are then used to remove the shoe, starting on the outside heel. The farrier grips the shoe, levering towards the inside of the foot, which is then repeated on the other side of the heel, then the quarters, and finally the toe, where the shoe should come off. At all times, the pinchers are levered towards the centre of the foot, never away. The shoe should come off cleanly.

Question 18

How is the foot prepared for a new shoe?

Answer 18

• Excess sole and frog is trimmed away with a drawing knife.
• Any overgrowth of the wall is removed using the hoof cutter and the drawing knife, depending on how much needs taking off. (The longer the shoe is left, generally more foot needs to come off).
• The rasp is then used to level off the surface of the foot.
• The drawing knife is then used to make a gap in the hoof wall for the toe clip in the front feet and two quarter clips for the back foot.

Question 19

How is a new shoe shaped to the hoof if the farrier use manufactured shoes?

Answer 19

• Most farriers now use manufactured shoes where the shoe is already ‘fullered’ with nail holes stamped in.
• The shoes come in different sizes, so when the foot is measured, the size shoe can be checked against the foot and put in the forge to make any alterations.

Question 20

How is a new shoe shaped to the hoof if the farrier makes their own shoes?

Answer 20

• Farriers who make their own shoes have different shoes which vary in weight and type of iron depending on the work the horse does.
• The iron is shaped on the anvil, nail holes are stamped in and clips are ‘drawn’.

Question 21

What is the advantage of farrier’s making their own shoes?

Answer 21

That they can change where the nail holes are, whereas the ones in manufactured shoes can’t be changed.

Question 22

How is the new shoe fitted to the horse’s foot?

Answer 22

• It’s done whilst the shoe is still hot, using the pritchel to carry the shoe to the foot. The shoe is held against the surface of the hoof, which will burn slightly. This is to check the fit, see if there is discolouration to the hoof, and will give a clear indication as to where alternations must be made to the shoe.
• The shoe must not be too hot or held against the hoof for too long, as if burnt too long the hoof will disintegrate in time and break away.
• The hot shoe can be hammered into shape and tried on again, and when the farrier is satisfied with the shoe, it is put into a bucket of cold water before put on the foot.

Question 23

How is the new shoe secured to the foot?

Answer 23

• The amount of nails is traditionally 4 on the outside and 3 on the inside. The farrier will decide on the number of nails and put the first nail in nearer the toe to keep the shoe in place.
• Each nail should emerge from the wall 3-4cm from the lower edge of the hoof. Once the nail is hammered in, the farrier twists the end of the nail off so there is a shorter length left to work with.

Question 24

How is the new shoe finished off once secured to the foot?

Answer 24

• The sharp point of the nail is smoothed with a rasp, and a small indentation in the hoof is made with the rasp or drawing knife to create a ‘bed’ for the clench.
• The nail protruding from the wall of the hoof is flattened down with the clencher to make a clench.
• The toe clips are then knocked into place with the hammer, and the rasp is used around the junction of the shoe and hoof to make sure there are no gaps and the hoof is flush with the shoe.
• When finished sometimes people trot the horse up to check for lameness, as if the nail is too close to the white line it can cause pressure on it, known as ‘nail bind’.

Question 25

What happens during cold shoeing?

Answer 25

The foot will have already been measured and the shape will either fit or be close fitting. A cold shoe can be hammered into shape, but will not be as precise has hot shoeing.

Question 26

What problems can arise from nails being driven inncorectly?

Answer 26

• Nail bind: the nail is too close to the white line, causing pressure, soreness and pain.
• Nail prick: the nail is driven into the sensitive part of the foot, causing a puncture wound.
• Course nailing: the nail is driven too high up the wall.
• Fine nailing: The nail emerges too low down the wall. The shoe is more likely to fall off and the hoof more prone to splitting.

Question 27

What should you check for when a horse is newly shod (11 points to look for)?

Answer 27

• The shoe is made to fit the horse, not the foot fit the shoe.
• The shoe is the correct size.
• The shoe fits properly and is flush with the hoof (ie. no gaps).
• The correct amount of nails are used.
• The clenches are level.
• The correct weight/type of shoe has been used.
• The frog comes into contact with the ground.
• All the feet have a regular, even shape and look the same.
• The correct amount of hoof has been trimmed away.
• The heels of the shoe are the correct length.
• The horse is sound.

Question 28

What is the importance of the horse’s feet?

Answer 28

The feet bear the horse’s weight, absorb the concussion and prove essential foot hold to prevent slipping.

Question 29

What are the main external parts of the hoof?

Answer 29

• Wall
• Coronary band
• Heel
• Frog
• Toe
• White line
• Bars

Question 30

Describe the structure of the wall.

Answer 30

• This is the horny portion which grows down from the coronet.
• Like a human nail, the wall is insensitive as it has no blood vessels or nerves.
• The wall is covered with a varnish-like substance called ‘peripole’, which regulates the amount of moisture entering and leaving the foot.
• The wall is tough, providing protection to the inner sensitive parts.

Question 31

What is the function of the bars?

Answer 31

• The bars are situated between the wall and frog, and merge into the sole before the point of frog.
  -Together with the frog and grooves between, they act as a non-slipping device.

Question 32

What is between the bars and wall?

Answer 32

The seat of corn.

Question 33

What are the four main functions of the frog?

Answer 33

• It absorbs concussion on contact with the ground (shock absorber).
• Helps to bear the horse’s weight.
• Provides grip through its shape and clefts (one in the centre and two lateral either side).
• Pumps blood and lymph back up the leg by putting pressure on the inner part of the foot.

Question 34

How does the frog pump blood and lymph back up the leg?

Answer 34

As it comes into contact with the ground, it spreads under the weight. This affects the digital cushion inside, which compresses, forcing back up the leg.

Question 35

What is the structure and function of the sole?

Answer 35

• It surrounds the frog and extends to the hoof wall. The external part is hard and protects the inner sensitive, fleshy sole.
• The sole should be slightly concave, which prevents bruising, injury, increased concussion and lameness.

Question 36

What is the white line?

Answer 36

Between the wall and sole. On the outside is the insensitive part of the foot (wall and insensitive laminae). On the inside are the sensitive parts (nerves, blood vessels, bones, sensitive sole and laminae).

Question 37

What are the main parts of the internal structure of the hoof?

Answer 37

• Bones (end of long pastern, short pastern, pedal and navicular)
• Tendons
• Laminae
• Plantar or digital cushion
• Lateral cartilages
• Ligaments
• Sensitive sole

Question 38

What is the structure of the tendons in the foot?

Answer 38

• The tendons are attached to the muscles in the forearm and hind quarters which run down the leg and connect to the bones in the foot.
• The extensor tendon runs down the front of the leg, and the deep flexor tendon runs down the back of the leg.
• There are no muscles beneath the knee or hock.

Question 39

What is the laminae?

Answer 39

• There are two parts: the sensitive and insensitive.
• The sensitive is attached to the pedal bone, and the insensitive is is just inside the hoof wall.
• Both parts hold the pedal bone in place.

Question 40

What is the plantar/digital cushion?

Answer 40

• It is situated above the frog and is a similar shape.
• It is thick and because of its elasticity, acts as part of the shock absorbing mechanism.

Question 41

What do the lateral cartilages do?

Answer 41

Hold and support the digital cushion, and they also absorb concussion.