I thought those new composite shoes were just a fad for show horses

About five years back, a vet in Lexington kept pushing me to try them on a heavy hunter with chronic hoof soreness. I was sure they'd crack or shift on a big horse. We put a set on, and after three months, the horse was moving better than he had in years. The shock absorption was real, and they held up through a full season of work. Now I keep a few types in my truck for specific cases. Anyone else have a go-to composite brand for draft crosses?

2 comments

2 Comments

david7395d ago

My old farrier in Ocala swore by the polyurethane composites for big horses with thin soles. He said the flex was better than steel for letting the hoof move naturally. I've seen a few crack at the nail holes under extreme stress, but that's usually a fitting issue. For a draft cross doing regular work, I'd pick a full wedge design every time.

tara7455d ago

Totally agree with @david739 on the polyurethane for thin soles. My big warmblood went from ouchy on stones to totally fine after we switched to a composite shoe. That flex really does make a difference in how they move. Seen the same thing with nail hole cracks, but like you said, that's almost always because the fit was off to begin with. A good farrier is key no matter what shoe you pick.