Saw a new guy at the barn yesterday trying to fit a size 1 shoe on a horse that clearly needed a 2

He was forcing the clinches and the horse was getting agitated. A proper fit matters more than making the shoe you have on hand work. Anyone else run into this and have a good way to explain it to apprentices?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_dylan24d ago

Forcing the clinches. Did the guy give any reason why he was so set on using the wrong size?

lee.stella19d ago

And it's wild how stubborn some folks get. I saw a guy once trying to make a size 1 work on a hoof that clearly needed a 2, just because he didn't want to trim the foot back a little more. He was pinching the heel bulbs so bad the horse was shifting its weight before the shoe was even set. @kelly.nora is totally right about the pressure points, that horse was lame for a week after. Sometimes the reason is just pure laziness, and the horse pays for it.

kelly.nora24d ago

Forcing a shoe that's too small is a sure way to make a horse footsore and ruin your reputation. I've had to tell apprentices that a trip back to the truck for the right size is always cheaper than a vet bill. Like @the_dylan asked, you have to find out why they're so set on the wrong size. Sometimes it's just being rushed, other times they need a clear lesson on how pressure points from a tight shoe cause real damage.