Winter traction for horses with "issues" :)

[NHFarrier]

I have a few horses with aluminum shoes and wedges or pads and I.M., and some with navicular or founder. Any suggestions for providing winter shoes for the lame horses?

Amy

[George Geist]

Guess the best thing for the aluminums would be to drill and tap them for sharp screw in studs.

The other shoes if steel use customary traction increasing devices.

By the way, why are lame horses being put to work anyway?

George

[NHFarrier]

The two I am concerned about the most are not lame the way they are being shod now. One is in aluminums with a 1 degree wedge, leather pads and impression material. She was not sound without these shoes even for the little riding she does. The owner wants to keep the shoes on for the winter because we've had success with them. The second horse is one I picked up because he has low ringbone and the other farrier couldn't get him pasture sound. It's funny, because by just bringing the heel and toe back and putting a 1 degree wedge on him, he has been sound for riding. Of course it doesn't help that the previous farrier had him looking like a show saddlebred! We get a pretty nasty winter here with lots of ice, so many horses that will get ridden only a little, are going to need shoes. I just wasn't sure how to get the traction on there without causing more problems.

Amy

[SlowShoe]

If you are worried about too much traction I'd consult Ray about his drive in pins, they will give minimal traction but work well. Mustad p13 drive in studs set deep should be fine. (p13's are the small ones right?) Set in just the heels.

As far as the pad package, if you want to keep IM in there just use the same protocol with bubble snow pads. Or equipak with snow rim pads.

-Josh

[Dave Whitaker]

Amy,

I have had good luck with the drive in studs in my aluminum shoes, (can't remember ever losing one). I have also found that the NB frog support pad works as a great anti-snowballing pad and allows you to keep your caudal heel support in place throughout the bad weather. I do try to get by with the minimum amount of studding that I can on these horses, 'cause the extra traction is a double edged sword, as you probably are already aware of. I think it adds additional torque to an already comprimised situation.

I have done well with a aluminum rim shoe, (like the StCroix eventer), with small studs only in the heel. I think these shoes have a little more grip on their own. Dave

[Rick Burten]

You can also use the Duratec nails and, if you are concerned about keeping the angles up, there is a wedged anti-snowball pad on the market.

[Dave Whitaker]

Rick Burten: You can also use the Duratec nails and, if you are concerned about keeping the angles up, there is a wedged anti-snowball pad on the market

Yep.. and DON'T use your good driving hammer..... don't ask me how I know :) Dave

[SlowShoe]

I missed the part about the wedge. =]

[tbloomer]

If you are worried about too much traction I'd consult Ray about his drive in pins, they will give minimal traction but work well. Mustad p13 drive in studs set deep should be fine. (p13's are the small ones right?) Set in just the heels.

As far as the pad package, if you want to keep IM in there just use the same protocol with bubble snow pads. Or equipak with snow rim pads.

-Josh
I'll second the recommendation on Ray Steel's drive in carbide pins. Good, Fast, Cheap - sometimes you get all three.

[ray steele]

Hi Amy,

Some thoughts for your consideration about shoeing these horses,

1st as Rick pointed out anti sno ball pads exist in flat and degree/wedge versions in both the bobble and rim variety also as I'm sure you are aware wedged al. and fe shoes are on the market so keeping the angles should not be a problem.

2nd the traction issue I feel requires the horseowners participation, I say this because you and I know the old saying,"If you don't like the weather in New England ,wait a minute"! This raises the question ,how much traction,since at noon the horse may be in mud but at 7 am it may have been on frozen ,rock hard mud, or glare ice,soft snow,etc.

Too little or no traction can be as big a problem as too much. Because there are so many variables I like to set an animal up with minimal grip by the use of a P13 , D13 or a carbide pin and then drill and tap at the heels so that the owner can provide what/ if necessary added traction the day or terrian calls for. I find that the pins allow more room for drill and tapped holes since holes can be as small as 1/8" as opposed to the holes required for a drive stud of 1/4 to 17/64" hole. Pins also allow me to insert carbide into the outer or inner rims of a rim shoe again providing minimal traction . remember we are speaking of animals that already have soundness issues.


Regards

Ray Steele

[calshoer]

Concerning the wedge, if your farrier cannot find wedge snowball pads, he/she can do this....if the wedge pad is one without a frog support, you can sandwich a snowball pad on the bottom, between the wedge pad and the shoe. It will thicken the package just a little bit ,but not much. Patty

[Dianne Lemmon]

Amy,

Believe it or not, the Castle (wedged) frog support pads do an equally good job of keeping snow***** out of the feet as the "bubble" type pads.

I have had some trouble in years past with thin soled horses where the perimeter of the "bubble" applies pressure, bruises and potentially lames a horse.

If you still feel you need more anti-snowball help, try cutting a rim snow pad to seat around the inside of the toe area affixed between the frog support pad and the shoe. Watch for mud build up under pads later in the winter season.

You can use drive in studs easily enough in aluminum. Just remember to make sure the stud size is appropriate for the size horse (P13's for size 2 shoes and under, P11's for size 3-5, and Ice 4's for Draft horses).

(I am not missing having to put winter shoes on this year AT ALL!)

Dianne