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Farrier Tales: Valuable Lessons To Learn

To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them – Montesquieu

In the past, I frequently attended riding instruction clinics of a very sought after Olympic medal winning rider and trainer who opened every session with the following statement (paraphrasing), “I have been doing this my whole life, 50 plus years. I don't consider myself an expert and if I'm not an expert, than you most certainly are not an expert.” That statement always received uncomfortable laughs from the participants, most likely connected to their realization, that no matter how good you are, there is always something that you can learn in horse sports if you're willing and open to receiving the knowledge. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced many such moments in my life and career. If I am ever considered good at something, anything, it will only be because of the many people who have played a significant role in my shaping my career, skill, and education.

One such moment came a number of years ago when traveling to Kentucky and finding myself in legend D. Wayne Lukas's kitchen. The Coach was patiently waiting for a film crew to set up cameras for an interview. I thought to myself “ask the guy a question dummy,” which spurred me on to ask, “what are you looking for in horses when you are at sale?” Lukas sparked up, like superman exiting the phone booth–you could almost envision him donning professorial robes. What proceeded was a 30-plus minute master class in conformation, horse biodynamics, engineering, angles, the pendulum, anatomy, and speed, including highlighting examples and drawing diagrams on images of horses. It was without a doubt a fantastic moment in time, that I was grateful to have had with the presence of mind to receive.

Another such moment serendipitously presented itself recently with another talented horsemen, Neal Shapiro. Shapiro knows a thing or two about horses, including their feet. Shapiro, a lifelong horseman has an envious list of accomplishments, including Olympic Medals earned in the 1972 Munich Games (Team Silver and Individual Bronze), membership in Showjumping's Hall of Fame, and a tremendously successful career as a harness trainer and driver. Shapiro, an affable guy, continues to enjoy his passion for horses, and with his wife, fellow Olympian and Pan American Gold Medalist, Elisa “Licha” Fernandez-Shapiro, who operate Hay Fever Farm, in Robbinsville, N.J. Shapiro invited me to grab lunch with him, taking a momentary break from his jammed-packed riding lesson schedule where he was willing to share his thoughts on all things shoeing and horses over a slice of pizza.

Neal Shapiro aboard Uncle Max at Hickstead UK | Courtesy Neal Shapiro

“I had a very good friend who did the work at our farm and he was a very good horseman and blacksmith, very skilled at what he did,” Shapiro referring to Billy Ardito, a legendary Long Island shoer, who was later an instructor for Nassau County's BOCES Thoroughbred horse program. Shapiro recounted his progression into shoeing, occurring in between riding duties with the United States Equestrian Team (starting in 1964) and his acquisition of a harness related driver licensing (1967-68) thanks to Ardito.

“I would spend afternoons at the shop [Ardito's] shop making shoes,” he said. “I loved doing it.”

“Pulling shoes, trimming, nailing shoes, years of learning,” which eventually landed Shapiro the added responsibility as the “Team's (USET) relief blacksmith” during its European Tours, he recalls with amusement.

As the discussion delved deeper, the conversation segued to all things hoof related, growth, schedules, general care, and maintenance of the feet.

“[Poor hoof growth] probably has a lot to do with nutrition, minerals, and vitamins,” he explained. “What I learned at the racetrack is very different from the horseshow world. In the horseshow world they put on hoof dressing because it looks pretty, however, at the racetrack we don't put things on [the hooves] to make anything look pretty.”

Shapiro highlighted the success realized by simply applying different types of dressing(s) to the coronary band directly below the hairline, stimulating blood flow and circulation, “that seemed enough to allow horses to keep good healthy feet.”

When asked about the possible root cause of foot related issues in breeding for performance versus soundness he explained, “The horses today are very different. Standardbreds are basically bred for soundness, Thoroughbreds for increasing speed versus soundness, and the European Warmbloods for jumping. I see so many Warmbloods with conformational flaws.”

Shapiro also cited a recent change in thinking and returning to practices of yesteryear, pulling the shoes when possible.

He continued, “[Keeping a horse barefoot] has changed a lot. It has been a big plus, the feet grow out and they get healthier. Amazingly, some [previously shod] horses have seen improvements in bone structure, contracted heels, possibly created by shoeing, opening up. Shoeing is necessary in certain instances, to keep the feet from breaking up. But [when necessary] pulling the shoes and trimming may cause some initial soreness, especially in horses that have been shod for a long time, however, it's going to stimulate blood circulation and growth.”

Countering convention, he asked, “If the shoes are tight and not worn out, why can't they go six or seven weeks, especially if they are not growing foot?”

Shapiro also underscored the probable adverse effects and impact [including on the hoof] of the 52-week cycle of expected performance and competitions.

“It's a big problem,” Shapiro admitted. “The horses basically go year-round never getting a break. Look at today versus history, how many top horses are around for any length of time today. Horses had time off back then, they didn't compete year-round.”

Overall, Shapiro believes farriers are doing a good job. However, admits he worries about the overall state of horsemanship, recounting multiple stories to prove this point. Something that I can also directly attest to, I recently having found myself working on a horse known to be difficult for shoeing, and multiple grooms standing witness to the unfolding events were immersed in a discussion about favorite cruise destinations, seemingly unwilling, or unaware that it was part of their job to assist the farrier.

He concluded, “I don't think it's rocket science. We need to try to do what's best for the horses and making people a little more knowledgeable. It's a balancing act, you need to balance everything. We keep these horses going way too much, they need a rest, a long enough rest which can also allow their feet to be healthier.”

Jude Florio, who has served as a professional farrier for over 20 years, is also a patented inventor having earned a graduate diploma from the University of London's Royal Veterinary College in Applied Equine Locomotor Research. He is among the current MSc Equine Science cohorts researching the effects of farrier interventions at the University of Edinburgh, Royal 'Dick' School of Veterinary Studies (June 2023).

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Growing Pains

I've often wondered about the significance and the origins of what I might label the arbitrary four-week shoeing cycle, and its strict adherence by some owners, trainers and stable managers. I recognize scheduling is simplified when the shoeing occurs the same day every month. However, having now done this job for some time, I have identified many circumstances where horses would benefit with more time in between shoeing and on more than one occasion that has been my recommendation (accepted or not).

Unfortunately, there are some non-farrier professionals who fail to recognize how frustrating it can be for a farrier in situations where there is little or nothing to do when addressing a horse's hooves. This is especially true in examples of horses with poor feet, odd hoof conformation, and the often-associated lack of hoof growth. Most unnerving are the circumstances connected to top performers, and a farrier's singular mission to ensure soundness and optimal performance against all odds. Interestingly, in top performers of any sport or discipline, there exists some correlation between superior performance and hoof-related issues.

Routine struggles can be commonplace with some farm managers' insistence on tight schedules due to travel or competitions, often overriding or disregarding individual horse needs. On these occasions, virtually little or nothing can be done from a trimming standpoint and farriers find themselves going through the motions. It seems counterintuitive and possibly even detrimental in one's attempts to maintain and/or improve the hoof's integrity, often resulting in more nail holes, broken hoof walls, possible results from the stress, pressure and “The torque of the shoe's marriage to the dynamic hoof.

Often, owners and trainers are nearby keeping a close eye, a predictable scenario when working on their top horses. Occasionally they chime in, “you did nothing” or quizzically “not much foot there.” Usually I have a quick persnickety reply, “I get paid for what I leave on and not what I take off,” borrowing from an old timer.

How does a younger, less experienced farrier react to those occurrences and statements?

Undoubtedly, the unspoken pressure results in some obligation to do something greater than lightly rasping and repositioning the shoe for compensation, which can lead to unnecessary invasiveness, harmful to the foot and the horse's soundness.

It stands to reason, very simplistically, taking something flat and rasping it flatter probably won't increase or improve the vertical depth of the coffin bone, but maybe extra time with correctly executed interventions could.

So how long does it take for the hoof to grow, what may affect growth, and how can positive hoof growth be promoted? There are many factors which are believed to influence the hoof's quality and the amount of future growth, but there are also as many mysteries. Any attempts to make a convincing argument on this topic that 100% applies can prove elusive. There is always one horse that can make you a liar. Some horses can routinely grow significant amounts of hoof, but why that is can only be theorized. Hoof growth can be quantified by measurements of the toe's length with changes equaling 1/4 to 1/2 inch or more. Farrier visits and time in between certainly can affect this measurement. However, there are always exceptions and some horses may require shorter periods of time (three weeks) in between appointments, while others can go longer (six to eight weeks). When considering the shod hoof, the frequency of visits are primarily dictated by the ability to maintain the shoe's integrity, perhaps the farrier's greatest challenge.

It's universally acknowledged that it takes approximately one year for the hoof to grow from the top of the coronary band to the bottom of the foot. Old-school horsemen often preached the belief of the dam's influence on her offspring's hoof conformation and presentation, something I can directly attest to (including a propensity to kick). Genetics aside, diet, environment, terrains, work, conformation, injuries, climate, weather, moisture or lack thereof, and the time of year, as well as previous farrier interventions, all directly influence hoof growth. The most often overlooked influence on hoof growth are forces and pressures experienced, encountered, absorbed, and dampened, affecting circulation and a hoof's ability or inability to allow healthy blood flow which plays the most significant role in overall foot health and future growth. The hoof grows away from pressure, so low-heeled hooves have increased heel pressure and restricted blood flow promoting the foot's forward migration. Conversely, the same can be said with the presentation of high heels, shorter toes, medial, or lateral pressures.

Certainly, all of this trimming and 'balancing' keeps us farriers in business and recent changes in thought have owners and trainers considering individual needs instead of the calendar to the horse's betterment. This shift in thinking likely comes as a result of previous experience and unintended negative consequences.

Regrettably, time may never be on our side and overriding factors may fail to account for the time needed for optimal hoof growth. Shoeing schedules vary throughout the world, with greater amounts of time elapsing in between farrier visits, however, economics and environment may influence those practices.

In the end, the foot can only grow with time, proper nutrition, care, and maintenance. It's amazing how resilient the foot can be and it's always advisable to follow the recommendations of one's farrier or a knowledgeable professional. They may likely suggest the application of certain approved hoof dressings and/or topical ointments to the coronary band or sole meant to stimulate blood flow, hoof growth and/or enhance protection. The added extra steps actually work and most farriers report an ability to detect improvements.

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A Farrier’s Intervention

Curtis Burns is passionate about horses. Like many in the horse industry, he credits the horse for everything that he has. A lifelong horseman, he grew up in the Minnesota, noting his then small stature had him poised to be an exercise rider or jockey prospect. However, at around age 14 a chance opportunity led him to the racetrack.

“Pretty much from there I never went home,” he said.

Burns now wears many hats–farrier, innovator, teacher, and the manufacturer of the Polyflex Shoe and other farrier products. He told the TDN he was willing to step out of the shadows of the backside to lend a voice to ongoing concerns he has fielded in recent weeks from multiple farriers from several jurisdictions about one of the new Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) regulations.

Burns shared photos of recently removed horseshoes provided to him by farrier Gary Gullo highlighting the severely compromised integrity of front shoes lacking extra toe, in accordance with HISA rules. Burns explained that the issue was popping up at tracks where the horses traverse the backstretch on pavement or macadam, which was leading to severe wear in the front of the shoe. He said that without the extra toe, the realities of maintaining the aluminum shoes' integrity is proving challenging.

Additionally, reports include observations of abnormal dorsal hoof wall wear, with some back to the white line, which is not good for Thoroughbreds, who are famously thin-walled and sensitive.

Queen XT horseshoes–widely worn until the new regulations came into effect–offer a hardened steel toe piece extending two millimeters above the aluminum, acting as an additional durable layer for the aluminum plate when coarse surfaces are encountered.

“We are just about a month in a half into the new rules,” said Burns. “We are not seeing the problem everywhere. However, the Queen XTs, with a hardened steel strip on the toe no more than the width of quarter, eliminates the aluminum wearing away with each foot fall. Honestly, I wasn't overly concerned when the initial rules came out, however, some of the shoes are wearing significantly.”

Burns said that he was a staunch HISA supporter, noting that during his years of travel around the country, “I struggled a lot just getting licenses and with the differing regulations. I often thought, 'why in the world are we not able to get a uniform license, we are all doing the same thing?'”

Burns indicated he was optimistic for HISA's mandate and future, and hopeful that HISA regulations will level the playing field. However, he also added his hope that HISA would reevaluate the shoeing rules in light of this new evidence and allow for the use of Queen XTs.

By design, he said, having the additional steel better maintains the integrity of the soft metal aluminum toe, offering better resistance to the abrasive surfaces horses encounter at some backside stabling areas.

Burns also reinforced the need to change certain vocabulary, clearly defining what should be considered a 'traction device.'

“It's not a traction device,” he said. “It's a wear plate. All we are asking for is the Queen XT, which eliminates the wear problems that we are starting to see. Most of the top barns have generally always used these. If they would have just said Queen XTs all the way around, I wouldn't have thought that much of it the new HISA rulings. I didn't see how that would be detrimental to the horse.”

Burns said that the unusual wear pattern he described has also created issues for trainers who are forced to “short cycle” the normal four-week interval for shoeing to avoid the potential for injury or catastrophic consequences caused by the shoe's deteriorating integrity. With a shortened shoeing cycle, farriers are faced with limited amounts of hoof to trim, as well as an additional possibility that the hoof wall will be further compromised with additional nailing. Additional consequences of the shortened shoeing cycle include the further cost outlays for trainers, owners, and farriers.

Burns said that he hoped that HISA would consider these findings and further contemplate an amendment with an allowance for the usage of a wear plate up front. He noted the organization's willingness to amend a shoeing rule to allow for traction devices to be used behind after reports of slippage due to a lack of traction behind, the source of the horse's power.

When asked to comment, HISA offered the following statement: “HISA's shoeing rules were created and refined in collaboration with horsemen, and HISA will continue to listen to feedback from farriers and other experts as we implement HISA's rules. The rules were drafted with equine safety and welfare as the top priority above all else. HISA's decisions have been consistently rooted in research, and as additional research continues to emerge, HISA will ensure its policies are always grounded in the latest science. HISA also continues to work directly with manufacturers to ensure they are producing shoes that comply with HISA's rules and prioritize equine safety.”

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Rood & Riddle to Host Second Annual International Podiatry Conference

Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital will host the Second Rood & Riddle International Podiatry Conference, an educational seminar for veterinarians and farriers, Apr. 15-16 at the Spy Coast Equine Educational Center on Newtown Pike in Lexington, Ky. The conference aims to create a collaborative experience for veterinarians and farriers to work together, increasing and sharing their knowledge of biomechanics, laminitis, and innovations within equine podiatry. It will feature lectures and demonstrations by some of the equine industry's most notable members.

Guest speakers include Dr. Renate Weller of the University of Calgary, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. She is joined by Dr. Thilo Pfau, University of Calgary, Professor Faculty of Kinesiology, and Yogi Sharp, DipWCF BSc (Hons) First Class, best known for his platform “The Equine Documentalist,” which brings research to the wider equine community.

Podiatrist Dr. Scott Morrison, the Rood & Riddle Podiatry Center founder, said, “We wanted to hold a conference that incorporated both veterinarians and farriers in a collaborative environment that will inspire all who attend,” Dr. Raul Bras, International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame inductee, added, “We hope this will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn new techniques, meet each other and facilitate future collaborations for everyone.”

For more information or to register for the course, click here. The conference will be limited to 85 participants.

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