© Walt Koepisch, Jr.
published in the American Farriers Journal, December 1995
reprinted here with permission of the author
You can comment on this article in the "Farriers Helping Farriers" Bulletin Boards, in the board named "Shoes, shoes, shoes... and Nails too!" Walt Koepisch monitors this board regularly. Surf by.
The concept of flotation is relatively simple: the less a horse's foot sinks into the ground, the less effort the horse requires to carry itself.
In the case of show horses that show on the flat, such as English and Western pleasure horses, reining horser, hunters and horsemanship, equatation and trail-class horses, a knowledge of a few flotation tricks could be very valuable.
We tend to shoe horses so they travel as well as we can make them go. The trouble is, however, that such a strategy often gets the most out of these horses at home but not in the arena.
Different Conditions
Conditions at a show are likely to be very different than those at home. The footing could be deeper or muddy from a heavy rain, or it could be dry with random deep spots that will affect the way a horse moves.
In either case, if a horse gets bogged down, it will start to labor and lose its rhythm. However, horses shod with high flotation in mind will have an advantage in these situations.
A CROSS-SECTION VIEW. The shoe shown in Figure B would be better for general use, but the shoe displayed in Figure A would better serve a show horse by increasing flotation. |
Let's look at bicycle tires as an example. A mountain bike has wide tires to prevent it from sinking into soft ground. A road bike, on the other hand, can use narrow tires built for speed because there is no danger of these tires sinking into the hard surface of the road.
Think of a high-flotation shoe as being similar to the mountain bike tire, valuable in deep-footing situations; a low-flotation shoe, such as a built-for-speed aluminum racing plate would be similar to the road bike tire.
To get a clearer picture, assume that Figure A is a cross-section view of a horseshoe. Note how the ground surface is as wide, or nearly so, as the foot surface. Figure B, on the other hand, represents a low-flotation shoe, or one less able to support weight.
Of the two, the shoe represented in Figure B would be better for general use, but the one shown in Figure A would better serve a show horse.
Flotation is similar to support, but there is a big difference. If you were to fit a shoe fully on one quarter, you would be adding support to that quarter. If one branch of the shoe had a wider web, you would be adding flotation to that branch and preventing it from settling as far into soft ground. Fit that shoe full on that branch and you also have increased support, thus making the shoe more effective.
Support Vs. Flotation
Here's another way to look at support and its differences from flotation: A bar shoe will add flotation while an egg bar shoe will add flotation as well as support. Adding flotation to the whole shoe keeps the whole shoe closer to the surface, while adding flotation to a part of the shoe keeps that part of the shoe closer to the ground surface. By using this principle, we can improve the way a horse moves.
FLOAT YOUR HEELS. The heel shown in Figure C offers more support and flotation than the heel in figure D. |
Also affecting flotation and support are the cut and finish of the heels of shoes. The heel shown in Figure C affords the most support and flotation while that shown in Figure D is less desirable.
Many horses carry more weight on one side of the foot than the other because of their conformation. In soft footing conditions, the heavy side of the foot sinks into the ground more and as ground conditions change, the balance of the foot changes. A horse that wings or interferes is often carrying more weight on one side of the foot than the other.
In such a case you might consider using a side weight or side-support shoe, which features a wider web on one side of the shoe than the other, thereby making it capable of bearing more weight on that side.
Other shoes that will help you address flotation considerations are even-weight shoes, which offer uniform flotation and are often best for a show horse, and toe-weight shoes. The webs of these shoes are wider at the toe than at the heels, making the heels less able to carry weight. Toe-weight shoes should normally be avoided for the show horse.
Also keep in mind that while low-flotation shoes may grip the ground better than high-flotation shoes, this may not always be desirable. You don't need the foot to "stick" to facilitate fluid movement. If the foot wants to move a little, let it. If you ever have the opportunity, watch a foot in slow motion--you'll see the benefit in letting the foot move in a natural fashion.
Float To Victory
Finally, understand that we are not making a Swiss watch, nor are we capable of making a 10 mover out of a poor mover. However, the sum of details such as these flotation concerns is what wins classes. A horse that travels with a free, fluid stride is going to place better than a short-strided, inconsistent horse. If you can make a good mover more consistent or move it up a notch in performance, it will be worth the extra effort.
If I close my eyes and imagine a pretty, moving horse, I see a horse that seems to move over the ground without touching it. Shoeing should strive for that picture.
Return to the Farriery Articles listing page.
(Comments and questions related to this article may be posted in the "Farriers Helping Farriers" bulletin boards, the board named "Shoes, shoes, shoes... and Nails Too!" Walt Koepisch monitors this board.)
