so i got a call to work my first show. and since im still a apprentice and use the guys shoes who i work with i was wondering what is a decent shoe that wont kill my bank and it easier to shape? i was looking at the MFC's opinions on them?

Brad Beers in gray

so i got a call to work my first show. and since im still a apprentice and use the guys shoes who i work with i was wondering what is a decent shoe that wont kill my bank and it easier to shape? i was looking at the MFC's opinions on them?

What kind of show are you working?

nothing exciting just a small show at a local barn. nothing fancy.

Brad, I think what Mr. Tom meant in type was,western pleasure,hunt seat,jumping? Makes big difference in shoe type.Probably best to use what the fellow your working for uses. More flexibility when replacing lost shoes.

little bit of jumping. then i believe the rest is basic pleasure. its a little hard to explain i guess when you dont have much info on it yet :/

I would ask the farrier you work for to borrow shoes from his inventory. Depending on the discipline, carry the styles of shoes that may be needed, ie. aluminums, rims, or whatever. Pay him for what you use and return whatever you do not need. When I started out this is what I often did so I didnt have to invest so much into inventory. Most of the horseshows i have worked, primarily events, hunter and jumper and dressage shows, i see mostly eventers and sx8s.

Is it not so that they still have the shoe if lost at a show?
We also collect used shoes over time ,ones that are really like new ,in a big box ,then when doing shows,show jumping mostly,we have a that with us for the day real mixed bunch of stuff..

maybe it works a bit different where you are?

ray knightley.

yea if they loose a shoe at the show or prior to arriving and dont have it with them. so you can put new ones on

Most of my lost shoes at horse shows are from the horse pulling the night before or a few days before and the farrier not getting out. A few pull them while going in the show and yes in those instances they have the shoe. Typically im busy in the morning with the excepting of the events, typically they grab em in the cross country.

It is getting better here but a few years back ,those show jumpers came to small local shows with horses that where due to be shod about a month back ,i saw one loss a shoe at a jump he left the ground and the shoe stayed put ,as he came to have it put back ,you could see it was lost because the nails just pulled through the hole and you could shave with the shoe..
I shod 7 head all new shoes at one show all over due ,now the vets pull them up and stop them starting for bad shoe work so most are done a week before starting..

All the best and goot contacts for yourself!!!

Ray

It's a small world. I used to run into that at rodeos. A guy would throw a shoe and want you to tack it on a foot that was 12,14,16 weeks long. Next rodeo he'd have another shoe off different foot. 5 or 6 rodeos later the horse was reset,one shoe at a time. Always paid in beer. Full reset about $10 worth of beer. I refused to do one foot at a time,only pairs,and a minimum of a case per pair. They thought it was highway robbery! Ahhhhh, the good old days.

I used to make good money working shows of about any kind. People showed up looking for a farrier. Now the show organizer needs to pay me because people have their competition horses on a schedule and I might spend a weekend there and replace one or two shoes.

At local shows now, I often make arrangements to do some of my regular clients who are about due and are there anyhow.

Just something to think about before you get to the show. What are the other guys in the area using? 90% or more of the shoes that I pull off or get asked to tack back on are non-patterned "frinds" hung by some whack and tack. (or boyfriend / relative) About 60% St Croix lite rims, 30% diamonds, and rest are mostly St Croix lite plains and EZ's.

Like Clint most of the time it's either a fresh shoeing or 4-6 weeks overdue. I'll flatten the foot and tack one back on if the foot isn't broken up, otherwise I also require the pair.

Myself, I carry SX7's, SX8's, SSP's, Triumphs / lites, St Croix lite rims. I'm phasing out eventers and EZ's but I still have a few. All front pattern, and nothing clipped. Oh, and I usually have about 30-50' of barstock in a few sizes. Somewhere in there, I can "git-er-dun"

SOmeone mentioned to me shapers ever hear of them? and how about the st coix euros? are they cheaper then the sx8? and does any one have a opinion on the MFC's?

Brad,

Shapers are great all-around shoes. I can and have used them on all my applications from rodeo/barrel horses, to Dressage and Jumpers. I pull clips on the larger shoes (Anything larger than a 7 or 8.) They are sized as the race plates are, 5=00, 6=0, 7=1, etc.

These shoes are priced reasonable and are a good choice when on a budget and needing to service a wide variety of disciplines. They are the main choice of shoe that I use.

Trevor