just wondering what everyone else is using on cutting horses,I use a light weight rim for the fronts and a plain with trailers for the hinds.I work on alot of these guys and was wondering what else is out there that would give greater support for the hinds.

Why do so many cutters have trailers on the hind feet? I've always thought that with all of the quick stops and turns that they do, the trailers would be harder on the hocks, than they would be supportive. I don't shoe any cutters, and havent' for quite awhile, but it's one thing I never understood. Maybe that's why I'm not shoeing any cutters anymore. That and there aren't very many of them in Ohio.

Dave

Dave without pleanty of shoe behind,these horses can sore up fast.Good cutting horses have such huge stops like reiners. you dont want their hind end driving into the ground,you want a shoe that will allow some slide. Cutting horses turn on their hinds just like a reiner would spin. fitting tight not supporting them behind would make it harder on them to stop /turn causing more stress.

Hi tagvette,

I shoe a few cutters, but I never looked at the trailer as an aid to help a cutter to slide even a little. And frankly I don't think you should.

When a cutter turns you don't need the heels of the hind feet digged in more than avoidable. That's where the trailers come in. They offer support. Like Dave said the drawback is it may hinder turning of the foot too, but that IMO is more of a matter choosing for the lesser evil here.

If sliding is a help like you think, just try some 3/4" sliders like you could use on a working cowhorse or a roper.

I don't think a cutter would like it.


Ronald Aalders

I shoe a few of these guys.

I will put a lite rim in front maybe a half round it depends on what he is along with physical factors. I have had to go to more steel in front on some aged horses that are heavy because the lite steel did not provide enough support.

Behind I go with plains mostly. This is where you sort the great horses no-matter who or how they are shod from the horses that need all of the help a Farrier can give. I like plain shoes with extended heels sometimes they will be no more that big heel checks up to regular extended heels.

Unless they are what I call "scooters"(sliding past cattle) I wont put on a trailer.

More later my partner has arrived.

Jeff ,CF

I'm with Jeff on the extended heels. 1/4 to a 1/2 inch at the most. Best, Gary

Hi jeff, I agree every horse is differnt,some stop with the cow some slide past.What kind of plains are you using?also what kind of problems do you see in using a 3/4 slider I have seen many with hand mades that are basicly a slider.I have had vets wanting a shoe that forgives in a stop letting the horse slide some rather than force a stop is this wrong?

T

I like the Kerchhaerts but I use some lite plain St.Croix and some Xtra's. The kerchhaerts forge well and the heels are beefier in case I want to put some steel out the back.

The sliders or plain stamped shoes make more sense in relation to being easier on the horse or his hocks. But most of these guys get into the ground pretty hard and the trainers want them to stop not slide.

Not forcing the stop in not wrong it just doen't get a cow whacker to the pay window often enough to keep us employed. Alot of these horses will at least have some blemishes on the hocks.

Remember if at the last show the winning horses head was painted purple at the next show you will see several.

Jeff, CF

I shoe alot of cutters and see every type of shoeing method imaginable at the shows. There were many losing their footing at the Ft. Worth finals due to the ground conditions. There were sliders, plains, caulks, trailers, rims, eventers, diamond competitors, etc. The practice pens also vary so much that a method acceptable in my area might not work 200 miles up the road. Also, each trainer has an idea, based on his training pen and past experiences at the shows. I received one last month from out of state that had diamond caulks on the rear, and was told he was such a hard stopper that he must be shod in that manner to keep from sliding underneath himself. I did as I was instructed and two days later was asked to remove them because the stop was too abrupt for the ground conditions. I do not extend or trailer a hind shoe and am never asked to do so by the trainers for whom I shoe, and, "knock on wood", none sore up. As I check their stops in the practice pen I notice the toes rotate downward into the dirt, creating the stop, and that the heels elevate slightly. I drill, tap and plug when sending them to a meet so the trainer can install a threaded stud if more traction is needed in the event the dirt is shallow with a hard pan, which is generally not the case. I always remember that tomorrow is "another day", subject to change without notice.

Donnie

You are exactly right,subject to change without notice. I have shod some of these guys and wondered, why?, but usually have got to practice sound shoeing principals. Most of the trainers I have worked for are good horsemen and my opinions can be explained to them and they actually listen.

Jeff, CF

i own and show a cutter and i like to put st criox eventers up front and extra ez with a rocker toe on the back it takes some of the stress off of the hocks