Horsehoes

Performance Begins with the Feet.

By: The Player

That is a truism that virtually every horseman believes. If you do not care for the horse‘s feet properly, he will not run optimally. It is that simple.

Part of caring for the feet is making sure that a horse is shod properly. There are specialists on the racetrack that are referred to as farriers. That is just a fancy way of saying “the guy that shoes the horses” or in other words, a blacksmith.

Horseshoes protect a horse's hooves from injury or wear and tear on hard surfaces. Horseshoes are also designed to improve a horse‘s standing conformation, a horse‘s gait and any leg interference problems that may occur during the running of a race.

Thoroughbred racing shoes, also called “plates,” are made of aluminum, however, there are plastic composite shoes in use as well. Some back shoes such as racing caulks have embedded steel to improve grab on the track. The process of shoeing a racehorse is actually pretty simple and most often takes less than 30 minutes to complete. First, the old shoes are pried off with large clasps. Then the sole and rim of the horse's hoof is cleaned and shaped with rasps (metal files) and knives. A suitable shoe based on foot size and hoof dynamics is chosen and hammered to fit the hoof. It is then attached to the hoof with nails. This does not hurt the horse since the hoof wall has no nerves.

Here is a picture of the horse‘s foot, clean and awaiting shoeing.

There are many different types of racing plates.

Front Regular Toe Aluminum Racing Plates. The REGULAR TOE is the most popular style plate in use. An excellent all around performer for multiple track surfaces. This is what the shoes looks like.

Front Low Toe Aluminum Racing Plates. The LOW TOE shoe is used on hard or fast tracks. It provides traction with less strain on tendons and ligaments.

Level Grip or Outer Rim Aluminum Racing Plates. The LEVEL GRIP (Outer Rim) is a great performer, excellent for turf and dirt courses. This style features a high outside rim for equal traction and balance. The grip provides 180 degrees of excellent cupping action. This shoe can be used on both front and hind feet.

Front Inner Rim Aluminum Racing Plates. The INNER RIM is popular for deep sandy tracks. The inside rim allows for good traction and stability.

Wedge Aluminum Racing Plates. The WEDGE raises and protects the heel with a solid tapered design. It allows the hoof to roll over faster and reduces tendon and muscle strain. Also useful for horses with low heels caused by concussion, poorly constructed pads, or slow growth. The WEDGE gives immediate and solid support to the heel without causing further deterioration, giving the heel a chance to grow.

Front Jar Calk Aluminum Racing Plates. The JAR CALK shoe is for use on extremely wet, muddy or sloppy race tracks. JAR or MUD CALKS can add stability and traction for the race horse. These shoes should be removed when track conditions improve.

Queens Plate Aluminum Racing Plates. The QUEENS PLATE is for tracks that do not allow inserts, calks or toe grabs that protrude above the plate. This reduces tendon strain and muscle pulls.

Queens Plate XT Aluminum Racing Plates. The QUEENS PLATE XT has a raised toe, only .080 of an inch above the aluminum surface. Not enough to create a positive toe grab, but just enough to increase the traction and wear.

Toe Grabs. Toe grabs are front shoes that have raised anterior portions to provide traction. There are many studies shown over 3x the rate of breakdown using these shoes.

Bar Shoes. A bar shoe is a regular racing plate with a full bar forged between the back extensions of the shoe creating on continuous surface. This shoe protects cracks in hoofs and other foot related injuries. Horses with bar shoes rarely run as well as horses with shod otherwise. Looking at the shoe you can see why.

Pay attention to announcements regarding shoes before the races. This can be the difference between winning and losing.