Hey Smitty, yip, it has been a while, but I have once learned it. And we have enough old shoes here for a bit of fun forging - good thing is that I don't have to work under time pressure. You are thinking of putting an extra clip and nail holes at the front, right?
Stef tidy up the foot the best you can. try fit a lighter shoe if possible, put a clip at the toe and one on each heel quarter also, you can punch some nailes in fresh ground and give the bad area a chance so some nailes at toe area and the heel area with in reason
It looks like you could really pull the shoe back by trimming the heels and find the true apex of the frog. It looks like you are driving the nails outside the white line which results in a weak nail job and lose of shoes. Derek Grimwood
Derek, thank you for having a look - I will pay a bit more attention to this. I usually take a pen and mark the entry point of nail on the hoof if I can't see any marks when hot seating, just to make sure. Will also work more on heels and will let you all know how it's going.
Stef, If you want to invest in a magazine, the American Farrier's Journal is a really good mag. Plenty of good articles and advice. You have the internet, so you got lots of information available at your finger tips. There are lots of really good videos on Youtube for just about anything you want. Just remember when you look at something, ask yourself questions after. If you got real doubts, many of us are here. I know it might be a little spendy, but Chris Gregory's book is fantastic! I don't have it, but I've looked through it. Great pics and lots of good understanding.
Hi Mikel, Thank you so much for your suggestions - I have been constantly reading on the AFJ since months (they have an amazing amount of info on there). I am also lucky enough to have an amazing boss - a Swedish woman that has rescued our horses - and she went to the states last year and brought me Gregory's book as well as Butlers Essential Principals of Horseshoeing. Still would like to get Butlers P3. Chris Gregory's book is fantastic and I have not put it away since I got it - and husband is complaining all the time that I am always studying in my free time. Unfortunately most the people that shoe horses here in this area just try to make the foot look nice, no conformation, anatomy, balance or gait analysis in mind. And since we had more rain this year than in the last 50 years in this area it's not the easiest hoofs that we have to work with. Smitty, I am home today to take care of my sick two-year old, but I'll promise that I will upload more pics the moment I'll touch the hammer again You all have a great day and thanks again!
Just for you, Smitty, a pic from about 3 months ago, resetting a pulled off front shoe. What do I learn from this picture: convert old rasp into clenching block, get a hoof stand (my 94 pounds vs. 1100 pounds horse no fun after a while), better foot wear (pink is definitely NOT my colour).
Stef, As far as a hoof stand goes, I made my first one. Took a piece of pipe, around 1", welded three legs on it with something welded between the legs at the bottom for support so they don't spread. I then took another piece of pipe, a thin walled 1" would just slip inside. Then drill holes, get a bolt and you got an adjustable hoof stand pretty cheap. I would also think about making a cradle top to use on the back hooves.
Stef, Welcome. I was thinking about your sorrel horse that keeps pulling shoes. Chronic shoe pulling is usually caused by lameness or imbalance, or both. It's foot is stretched and distorted forward. The long toe retards the breakover, keeping the foot on the ground longer, allowing the hind foot to pluck it off. Not to even mention the additional stress on the skeletal structure. What I do for this type is to place the shoe where it would be if the foot was perfect. You're on the right track with holding the heels back and rolling the toe, but you need the toe back a bit more too. I would forge the toe broader, curl the heels more and box (bevel) them well. Looking at the foot laterally, envision where the coffin joint would be. Draw a line from the center of the joint 90 degrees to the ground. The ground surface of the shoe should be at least half in front and half behind this point. 40% forward and 60% behind would be better. Let the hoof hang over the toe of the shoe but don't rasp the wall to meet the shoe, just bevel (road chamfer) the bottom of the hoof a bit.
Thank you all again for all your input, help and comments - you guys are amazing! This is what I did yesterday: 22 year old Pinto, slight rocker toe recommended by vet. First pic is the before. I see already a lot of things that I have to change and improve.....and those d**** rasp marks! Got a buffy today though You all have a good weekend and please keep those comments coming!
stef you need to dress your feet up more, and fit your shoes always start at the toe shoes are not fitting
After a busy week I finally have a minute to post again. First of all, Derek & Mikel, thanks for the hoof stand suggestions - I am right now using a stand made out of a small tree (definitely worth a picture, but forgot to take one). Bill, thanks a lot for your comments - I have been shoeing our sorrel shoe puller today and tried to follow your suggestions. I tried to pull the toes back, held heels back, but only beveled the shoe under the toe - I was very afraid to mess it up with a non-fitting rocker toe (need to practice more on that one). I beveled the heels, but wished that I would have saved the broken out area on the right fore more (have to get some Equipak shipped here). I was able to fit the left fore hot, but ran out of gas for the right front - Smitty, I have been practicing to put extra clips on the shoes this week and got so incredibly mad for being such a beginner and not have checked the gas tank). My trim is not the best and I still have to work more on the dressing of the foot. Some clinches could have been a tad shorter, too. While working on this horse I realized that his hoof quality is improving, the horses have been exposed to so much humidity throughout the last 8 months, but now all the paddocks are finally dried up. Please let me know what I could have done better (probably everything) and how - I really want to learn. Thanks again, Stef
Looks okay. Maybe forged the branch round a bit hard so lost the symmetry of shape. But the foot may of needed that.
Stef it looks to me you could have come down a size in the nails. on the NF you have 3 on the inside and 2 on the outside the 2 on the outside on each side of the clip for me I would have went one at the toe and either the heel nail or 2nd from heel your side clip is as good as 2 nails so no need to cramp and your heel nails are your best ones for keeping those shoes on your clenches could be halfed as david mentioned also well done
