Do you always use matching shoes?

For example, if one foot is smaller than the other, do you use the same size shoe on both? If one foot needs a bar shoe, do you put bars on both? If you put a rockered toe on a club foot, do you rocker the toe on the other? I'm sure "It depends", but why or why not do you use matching shoes.

Thanks.

Regards

Rick, I usually try to have matching shoes, but sometimes I do have to use a smaller shoe on the smaller foot.

99% of the time they'er the same size but often different shapes. On the smaller foot I may curl the heels around and in, or grind the heels a bit shorter,

I was originally taught to always start with the larger foot, in fact that was one of the questions for the CF test back in the late 70's.. I find now that as Bro Rick always says "It Depends".

I almost always put the same thing on both feet except for aggressive therapeutic shoes.

How aggressive? I recently put a bar shoe with a heel clip on a foot with a crack in the quarter, and a regular shoe on the opposite. My instinct was to use two bar shoes, but I couldn't think of a good reason why.

Regards

For me if its on stall rest as in fractures or for other ressons I will shoe one foot diff if needed ..also if the horse will not showing that cycle I will be more llikely to she each foot diff..but if the horse is showing its more important to me to match weight and angles. .I have no idea if it effects movement and such...but I do know in the upper hunter shows alum shoes can mean the slight diff in a win or a second... when I get a new horse in and its mismatch up front I do my hardest to match weight and angles..

Travis, I have been able to "even out" a gait on a club footed horse by rockering the club shoe and not the other. On another subject, I've always been skeptical that an ounce or two on a horses foot could make much of a difference.

Regards

Imo rick 99% of the time ounces dont mean much..I find in the local shows its nothing more than a piece of mind for the riders. .they get it in there head they cant win if they are not in alum..in the upper shows it does make a diff in a hack class imo.. ive even seen alum pulled for the hack and put right back on.. ive sent ponys to finals with un clenched shoes so they can be pulled easier by client/trainers. . On some ponys i can see the diff in a hack so i feel a judge can deff see it..

Heart bars for instance. I have a horse that has rotation on one front but not the other. I see no reason to put a bar shoe on the "normal" foot. Also anything like a Patton bar.

Guess I'm in between, have always used heartbars in pairs. Have never used a pair of Patton Certainly a horse in a Patton is a therapeutic case that doesn't need balancing..

Can't imagine 2 patten bar shoes on one horse, LOL.

Only once have I put a bar shoe on only one foot - that's what got me to thinking about it.

Jack, what difference would a heartbar shoe on one foot and a plain shoe on the other make, do you think? Weight, flotation, not having to explain it to the owner/trainer? What are your thoughts. Thanks.

Regards

I'd think flotation would be more Germain than the bit of weight. The weight distribution in the heel might be a gait changer.

Well seeing it is in Heartbars I would think work and gaits could be put on hold until the protocol changes as the hoofs grow out from and damage from rotation or separation?

I've had more than one client put a horse back to work while still in heartbars, including one that went back to jumping. All was well, but I didn't think they'd done a wise thing.

I have a couple of jumpers, full sister and brother, that each have the off hind with a swelled heel. They may be a few ounces off in weight, but they wouldn't go with out that setup.
The gelding wore that shoe only, as in one foot shod, for about a year before he went into work. He's had less trouble than his older sister.

I have seen Champs wearing 4 different shoes...

How did you figure that out Bill? Why did you first try it. What problem did you see to warrant that setup? Thanks.

Regards