www.equuspasspor t .com
by Oliver Swatton
Fancy footwork
The most frequent question we get asked as Farriers is “Does it hurt?” Normally this is asked by inquisitive Children! The short answer to this question is NO, but there are many different factors that happen in horses feet that would change this answer to Yes!!!
Mismanagement of feet, whether by unskilled/ unqualifi ed Farriers or by leaving shoes on too long is the biggest most common reason! Shoeing periods not only vary from horse to horse, but also to the type of work that the horses are in. As a rule of thumb most general hacks are shod every 6 weeks. Happy Hackers place less stress on there horses than Sport Horses. Race Horses are on average shod every 4 weeks when on training plates (Light Steels) and when plated up for racing the shoes generally only last 10 days but this time due to wear.
We at Absolute Hoof Care shoe Polo Ponies every 5 weeks. This period is because of the stresses caused on the feet due to the work and what is required of the Pony when playing Polo. For instance the sharp turns and immense changes of speed that is required within Polo places. We all know that injuries and problems occur in the Ponies throughout the Polo season, this we’re afraid is part of life and The Game. Long Toes on Polo Ponies can be caused by infrequent, inferior shoeing or having an incorrect type/weight of shoe for not only the Pony in question but again the type of work they are in! Another problem that arises from unqualifi ed or inferior Farriers is a medial/ lateral imbalance.
Medial/ lateral imbalance is in very simple terms the length of foot on the left hand side to the length on the right hand side of the foot, try walking around with a small piece of wood placed on just one side of your foot and think how uncomfortable this would be!
Another cause of medial lateral imbalance could be caused by the conformation of the Pony. Most horses will stand very slightly toe out on the hind limbs, this is natural to most horses and not seen as a conformational fault, to compensate for this we generally shoe the lateral (outside) very slightly longer and wider than the medial (inside). Another example is horses that stand “Pigeon Toed” on their fore limbs they need to be shod slightly wider on the medial aspect (inside) of the Hoof. Shoeing wider on the inside of any horses hoof causes us more trouble than shoeing wider on the Lateral aspect, as naturally if there is any part of the shoe that is proud of the hoof wall (which is needed to compensate for conformation), the Pony will fi nd it easier to “Hook” the shoe off. We can compensate by fi lling the gap where the shoe is overhanging to avoid the Pony treading the shoe off!
All U.K trained Farriers undergo a 4 years 2 months apprenticeship, both Michael Johnson and Oliver Swatton from ABSOLUTE HOOF CARE have completed this Apprenticeship. The exams that we have taken and qualifi cations we have gained are recognised world wide. These exams are the most extensive throughout the world and there are Farriers from across the globe that come to the U.K just to achieve these qualifi cations.
Within the Farriery industry changes and advancements happen all the time. New products appear, new data and theories occur. Advancement on shoes and shoeing materials have been happening with the introduction of shoes aimed at the Polo Market within the last 2 years. These shoes are lightweight but provide the support that Polo ponies need, made from mild steel (as with most shoes on the general market) they are malleable to work and arrive with “Polo” legal stud holes in the hinds. Just a few years ago most shoes were made from wrought Iron and were unable to be fi tted to the foot without being heated up, now with mild steel this is not the case and a shoe can be fi tted to any shape foot without the need for heating them up. Both Michael and Oliver continue to study and actively attend seminars and conferences to continue our personal development.
Michael and Oliver joined as a Partnership in 2009 to create ABSOLUTE HOOF CARE; we provide an exclusive unbeatable service throughout the Polo Season. We are pleased to be resident Farriers for Ham Polo Club as well as other professionals and players throughout West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire and London.
You can fi nd us watching chukkas at Ham Polo Club on most Thursday evenings where we Study Conformation, watch “our” horses perform and have a crafty beer.
To contact us with any enquiries about this article or to discuss your shoeing requirements, call our offi ce on 0845 269 4679 or email us at
shoes@absolutehoofcare.com.
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