I'm thinking about trying my hand at the CF. I got some many months of studying ahead, but I wanted to ask ya all...

What can and cant ya use during the on site modification portion? Bob Punch to draw a source bubble, angle Grinder, etc.?

What do you bring with you to the actual practical test? Everything you use for your everyday shoeing? Again is there anything you can't use there, for example grinding to box and safe?

I've heard some guys say to make your own patterns. I was gunna buy em off the AFA site, but not sure what the pros/cons are.

Pros and cons to making your own Bar Shoe vs. welding an insert?

I was thinking of using St Croix Lites for my shoe board. If you used Kercks or another brand, what was the reason?

Many thanks ya all. I found most thread on here very helpful. These are just some loose ends for me.

Scotty Lang wrote:



Hey Scotty, I will tackle these questions since this is all recent for me.

1) What can and can't you use during the practical? No power tools.

2) What do you bring to the test? Yes, just your everyday stuff.

3) AFA patterns or make your own? I bought my patterns from the AFA and I am happy with that decision. I still use them on a regular basis.

4) Bar shoe or weld one? I chose to make mine. I started out trying to jump weld a bar in and it didn't work for me. I thought one weld is easier than two so I bought Chris Gregory complete AFA Certification set and learned to make my own bar shoe. It took several before I made one that I wanted to turn in. I made this shoe first for my shoe board.

5) You could use St. Croix lites if you want. I used SX8 because I like the crease and I drew a horse that had a #2 size hoof on one side and a #1 on the other with a broad round toe. The SX8 fit the hoof with little modification and this saved a couple of minutes of time. I bought SX8 front shoes from 00 - 2, and had shoes in my trailer to fit anything. St. Croix lites would not have looked good on this 1300 # horse. Use what you use in your everyday shoeing. I shoe with Kerckhaerts standards or Delta normally.

Here's my advice. Go to a pre certification clinic if you can and go to an actual certification way before you decide to test. This will give you a feel of how everything flows on certification day. Scribe for the testers to understand how points are given and taken away. Build a bar shoe, or weld one (first), then make your other fronts to that pattern. Study the recommended study material. Get the study guide from the AFA and follow it completely. Good luck! Being prepared is key

Good advice from Cody. I would suggest getting with a CJF who knows and actively keeps up with the rules and can do the work. When you take the practical, you will need to bring your rig, or you can borrow someones, there will be no power tools allowed. For your shoe board, forget the patterns. Just make sure all fronts and hinds fit each other. The fewer shoes the better. Whether you want to handmake or weld your bar in on your bat shoe, well, do what you are most comfortable with. You are not going to get any brownie points just cause you hanmade your barshoe. As long as it has all the mods and fits the same foot. Where do you live?

Really solid advise from Dan and Cody. For your shoe display follow the book to the letter. For the written Blombachs study guide was great. One thing I learned that I couldn't find in the book; on your mod to raise hoof angle, if you choose a wedge pad it must have as much flat as there is height to the pad plus the 1/16th of boxing. I was able to re do my pad on another shoe before I turned my display in (another farrier caught it and saved my butt) so my board passed. Make sure they all match the pattern, I turned in a pattern with mine, they liked it, but it's not necessary. Good luck, and have fun. It is well worth the time you will spend, the journey is the reward......Oh yeah, and the belt buckle!!


Here is a pic of my passing shoe display, minus the on site mod. Was going to add one of the pattern I made, but it won't let me upload pics right now? Maybe I'll try later.

Lori McBride wrote:Lori , what were your two traction devices?

I see the Drive in Pins, now, with the Borium, Congrats ! keep on it, Now to handmades!

Gilreath Horseshoeing wrote:DITTO!

It is difficult to figure out what YOU need to do to prepare unless YOU have seen the entire process with your own eyes. At least, having seen the slope, you will know whether it is a mountain or a mole hill.

I am wondering if you carry power tools in your truck and can power them with out an outside source (carry a generator) then why would you not be able to have them assist you in the exam just as you have them assist you on a daily basis? Seems to be a double standard to me. I always thought that the certification was to show that you could shoe to certain standard; the end result is our main concern is it not, to shoe the horse to the highest quality to keep the animal sound and comfortable? So if someone invest in making his or her life easier with less wear and tear on there body why would you disallow such equipment we do not disallow nippers why not have to use a sole knife to trim the hoof (yes I know nippers are not power tools).Sorry I believe that if I carry a plasma cutter on my truck that I should be able to cut my bar shoe out with it.I am still using my hands (or even a CNC machine in the near future) Just my thoughts on the whole process. May be we need to keep up with the times. Do not get me wrong I believe that you should be able to build a shoe to fit and work to the situation at hand. JMHO

mmhorseshoeing wrote:I don't know it the rules have changed, but in the past the Examiner had the authority to decide whether power tools were allowed at the exam. I think the discretion had to do with the logistics of each site - some horses get upset around grinders and such. Spectators might be milling around. More of a safety issue.
There is a lot of luck involved. If you happen to test someplace where power tools are allowed, then you have that advantage. If you draw a rank horse, you can refuse, but no guarantee that the next horse will be any better. A horse that has really messed up feet will cost you time, and you won't get any consideration for that either. OTOH, you could draw a horse with really nice feet that just requires a touch up . . .
Yes, exactly.
The test and the standard has nothing to do with the horse. The standard is a predefined target. The horse might get in the way of you hitting that target. Every horse is unique and different. The standard doesn't give much consideration to that. That makes it fair, because everybody is taking the same test . . . shooting at the same target.
See above. Everybody is shooting at the same target with the same gun. Some might test on a windy day, and some on a calm day. That's the "luck" part.

Lori McBride wrote:
Lori your shoe board that passed was it for your CF or CJF?

Smitty, it was just for my CF. I've got allot of bar stock to destroy before I even think about my CJF. lol

Thanks Jake! Yep I'm working on the handmades....well at this point they only kinda resemble shoes. So for me it will be, practice, practice, practice.

"The test and the standard has nothing to do with the horse. The standard is a predefined target. The horse might get in the way of you hitting that target. Every horse is unique and different. The standard doesn't give much consideration to that. That makes it fair, because everybody is taking the same test . . . shooting at the same target."
If it not about the horse it should be in the CJF and therapeutic it should be about the horse at this level. You should be able to tell examiner what you are going to do to the horse while shoeing it to help if need be. And unless they are dragging BLM horses up for the test power tools will have little affects on most horses. I still think the standard should be for the horse not a target we need to put the horse first its about the horses legs and hooves not the metal we tack on the bottom of there hooves. The trim comes first then the shoe. This should stir the pot.

mmhorseshoeing wrote:CJF exam is EXACTLY the same standard as CF. Only difference is hand made shoes and clips.
There are no horses used in the practical part of the therapeutic endorsement exam. Isn't that special?
That would make the test very subjective. Basically it would be totally up to the examiner whether or not your shoeing plan was suitable for the horse.
Obviously you havent been to a certification held in a dark indoor arena where sparks flying off a grinder light up the room like flames from a fire breathing dragon . . . It can turn into a train wreck very quickly. Outside in bright sunlight the sparks aren't so noticeable.
Not really. The test is about having the skills to hit a target. It is basic entry level - same criteria for everybody. If the test was about the horse, a lot of folks might end up in a debate with the examiner since there is no "one right way" to shoe every horse or any horse.

Ok guys, answer me this. On either the CF or the CJF if the trim is not right do you pass?

BS-Horseshoeing wrote:Far as I know you can't pass with a failing trim score. OTOH, does a passing trim score mean the trim is "right?"