Firstly I have put this in here if any owners want to contribute. What are the collectives thoughts on the various traction devices both positive and negative? I have been eventing today with the daughter and spent the day discussing studs and the use of them with other riders and professionals.
All my driving horses have tungsten road stud nails in their hind shoes. The eventers have shoes with 4 holes for screw in studs and to take 2 studs and position and type of stud dependent on course and ground. So firm ground longer pointy stud. varying a standard pointed jump stud. Boggy or wet, a fat grip stud. I use them because I always want the horse to have the best chance and don't want to risk dropping one on slippy tarmac or when turning tight or landing a jump
As ever ( well mostly) you have the picture perfectly Thomas. The ground was firm today and people as you say had long pointy ones. I wonder about the resistance they cause to the limb.Road studs in your game are a must.
that's why you should always select studs appropriate to the ground conditions and remove them once you've finished competing.
I don't know, I guess I pick my stud differently, I don't take the ground conditions into consideration.
Yep that would make sense, but it isnt as simple as that. I spend a long time balancing feet, I feel the studs have possibly catastrophic effect on that. Do they benefit the horse to the extent they are used in competition, I am not so sure.
IMO, I'm not sure. I think you really have to be good at matching the right studs to the conditions. I would think one wants some traction, but too big of a stud would cause stress on the ankles/legs?
