Stud holes in horseshoes

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

Q: I am looking for some advice about stud holes. My farrier has always put two stud holes in my horses’ shoes, fairly near the heel. But my friend’s farrier puts her stud holes much further around the shoe, about halfway up the sides. And a friend in the US tells me she puts three studs in her horse’s shoes. Is it just a fashion/preference thing or is there a technical reason for all the differences?

Amanda B, Napier

A: There’s some personal choice regarding the placement of stud holes. It’s important to make sure we remember that the main purpose is to help provide grip and therefore safety.

It’s more common for owners in New Zealand to have a maximum of two stud holes in their shoes. There are a handful of farriers who will fit three or four but only usually keep the third and fourth holes as spares in case the other holes fail. Overseas, it is not unusual to see stud holes fitted in various places around the shoe including towards the toe area. This is something that might be a great source of discussion to those unfamiliar with this placement!

Most commonly, we see farriers in New Zealand fitting stud holes either towards the end of the heel, close to the last heel nail hole or somewhere in between.

The argument for fitting the stud holes towards the end of the heel is so once the stud is in place in the hole, the foot cannot rock backwards – the opinion being if the stud is fitted further forwards around the shoe it introduces a fulcrum point which allows the foot to rock backwards and forwards.

We also need to consider the potential for injury when choosing where to fit the stud holes. Studs can be very dangerous and cause a lot of damage stuck in the wrong place!

David Hankin Dip.WCF

This question and answer first appeared in NZ Horse & Pony magazine, January 2010

Posted in Horseshoes and hoof boots, Advice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

$#*! my boss said – number three

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

Some of the stuff my old boss would come out with when I was training to be a farrier might not fit into the politically correct category nowadays. I wonder if he’s still using the same sayings.

Number three:

“I only make a hundred quid a week”

Yes boss, after you’ve paid for the upkeep of the houses, fed the nice horses in your stable block, refuelled the jag and covered most other living costs, there’s probably a hundred quid left for extra spends. If you work very hard all your life and work smart too then you deserve these nice things but it adds up to more than a hundred quid a week.

Posted in Farrier Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

$#*! my boss said – number two

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

Some of the stuff my old boss would come out with when I was training to be a farrier might not fit into the politically correct category nowadays. I wonder if he’s still using the same sayings.

Number two:

“Coca-Cola was sent from the devil to test you”

That was something a 20 year old farrier apprentice thought was a pretty wacky thing to come out with.

But it turns out he was right. Coca Cola has rotted my teeth, cost me a fortune in dental bills (still ongoing) and made me fat.

I have failed the devils test.

Posted in Farrier Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

$#*! my boss said – number one

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

Some of the stuff my old boss would come out with when I was training to be a farrier might not fit into the politically correct category nowadays. I wonder if he’s still using the same sayings.

Number one:

“Do it like I showed you”

It has to be the first on the list due to regularity of use. Relates to a training method geared towards “you watch then copy me”.

Posted in Farrier Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

$#*! my boss said

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

Some of the stuff my old boss would come out with when I was training to be a farrier might not fit into the politically correct category nowadays. I wonder if he’s still using the same sayings.

I’ll post some of those that have stuck in my mind in an ongoing series.

Posted in Farrier Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How to sharpen a hoof knife

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

How to sharpen a hoof knife using the Paul Mitchell diamond hoof knife.

Here’s a short video I shot today. I enjoy making videos and it’s something I hope to improve on :)

The Paul Mitchell diamond hoof knife sharpener is available from www.farrier-shop.com

Posted in Advice, Farrier tools and gear, The Blog | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How high should the farrier put the nails?

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

Q: Hi David. My friend’s farrier says that nails should always be put in ‘as high as possible’, but my farrier says this is completely incorrect. What is your view on this?
Nellie, Manawatu

Answer: Thanks for your question. “As high as necessary” might be a better approach.

That is, only as high as necessary to hold the shoe in place for the duration of the period before the next shoeing and also to cause minimal damage to the hoof wall during this period.

It would be possible to nail shoes on as high as the nail is long but, in everyday situations, this would be both pointless and potentially harmful.

With a very fine line between sensitive and horny structures, nailing shoes on can be a tricky thing at the best of times. Nailing excessively high increases the likelihood of the nail pricking the hoof or pressing on the sensitive structures. These scenarios are commonly referred to as “nail prick” or “nail bind” respectively and can result in lameness and/or some blood. Of course, there’s always a small risk of these things happening when shoeing any horse regardless of how skilful and careful the farrier is.

On a similar topic, a visually pleasing row of neatly placed nails is not always important. Nails that are placed in a row and close together are more likely to pull a chunk of hoof away if a shoe it lost or torn off. Placing nails in the most appropriate and strongest part of the hoof wall can be better than only nailing for symmetry. The concept is, “don’t sacrifice a good nail for one that’s in line”.

David Hankin Dip.WCF

First published in NZ Horse & Pony magazine in October 2011.

Read more of my hoof related questions and answers blog posts 

Posted in Advice, Farrier Services | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Farrier hammer

Posted on January 28, 2012 by

The first farrier hammer I ever used to nail a shoe on was a 10oz Diamond nailing on hammer.

My first visit to Hereford School of Farriery, everybody in the group – 16S -was given a full set of tools from the WCF (Worshipful Company of Farriers) and I’m pretty sure this is where my first hammer came from. I think we were the last group to get this handout from the WCF but it’s something I’ll always remember and yes, pretty generous I think you’d have to agree.

Farrier hammer

The Diamond farrier hammer is an affordable and robust hammer and they don’t seem to have changed at all over the years.

I tried a few different hammers over the years from various manufacturers but I bet if I picked up the Diamond hammer again, it would feel very comfortable and familiar!

We now stock the Diamond 10oz farrier hammer at farrier-shop.com

Posted in Farrier supplies NZ, Farrier tools and gear | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another reason why hot shoeing is better

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

There’s regular discussion about the pros and cons of hot shoeing over cold.

One of the things I enjoyed about hot shoeing was the smell.

After a busy day shoeing, my clothes had that distinctive pong, particularly if I’d been working in a stable or in a closed environment. Less airflow really helped the odour linger.

Sometimes for a bit of fun and to break the daily grind, I’d go into the bank to pay the cheques in and stand at the counter with a straight face. Then slowly but surely, would always see the bank teller recognise that there’s an unusual smell. The changing facial expression would suggest the teller, within the space of a few seconds, was going from:

  • what’s that smell?
  • I recognise that smell
  • It’s burning
  • Something is on fire!
  • Panic
  • Stay calm, it’s probably me just imagining it

At some stage, the teller would ask, “can you smell that burning?”

Of course, I’d stay straight faced, lean over the counter, give a sniff and nod my head with a worried expression. But never admit the truth.

It’s the little things in life that keep us amused.

Posted in Farrier Services | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Laminitis

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

Q: My pony has come down with a bad case of laminitis for the first time and the farrier has asked me to get some xrays of the feet before he trims her. Is it usual for farriers to ask for xrays and can you tell me what use they will be to him? I thought xrays were only for broken bones!

Sarah, Hawkes Bay

Answer: Sorry to hear about the laminitis. This can be a painful and debilitating condition which affects the feet. More commonly associated with front feet only, laminitis can affect any or all of the feet at one time. I would guess that the farrier doesn’t suspect any broken bones but is asking for xrays to see what’s going on inside the hoof capsule.

It’s vital for the hooves to be balanced and dressed to reduce the amount of damage that can occur. During the initial stages of the condition, the risk of the pedal bone in the hoof moving within the hoof capsule should always be of concern. As a result of the compromised structures within the hoof during an episode of laminitis, the pedal bone sometimes rotates within the foot and in more serious cases, can also sink downwards towards the sole.

The mechanical effects of correct and appropriate trimming for the condition can have a significant impact on the severity of rotation of the pedal bone and therefore the amount of pain experienced by the pony.

If your farrier is asking for xrays then that’s a good sign for starters. It’s likely he’ll want to assess the position of the pedal bone relative to the hoof wall, solar surface and the point of the frog in a hope to trim the foot to help realign the angles relative to the position of the bone. This will be likely be done with consultation and input from the vet.

Most often than not in these cases, the trimming that is required when rotation has occurred involves the lowering of the heels and dressing of the dorsal (front) wall along with many of the elements of a regular trim for this pony. The amount of trimming will be indicated by what is shown by the xrays and the interpretation of what is ideal.

The vet will usually have placed markers on certain parts of the foot before xray to make it easier to assess the true point of frog, the angle of the outer wall and also the height of the coronary band so they can assess if the pedal bone has moved. These markers also make it easier to compare subsequent xrays at a later date.

Xray showing pedal bone rotation

In an ideal world, the farrier will work alongside the vet to ascertain the trim that is required from the xrays and following the trim, fresh xrays taken to check if suitable angles have been achieved to help reduce the effects of the condition and make the pony more comfortable in the long-term.

It’s important to call the vet as soon as possible with any suspected case of laminitis. The earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis.

Good luck, David Hankin Dip.WCF

This question and answer first appeared in NZ Horse & Pony magazine in April 2011

Posted in Advice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment