Farrier Horshoeing

Farrier Horseshoeing

Description

The performance and temperament of a polo pony is affected by the care of their hooves.

A Farrier is a blacksmith who shoes horses.

Farriery is the art of horseshoeing.

Farriery is a physically demanding profession. It consists in the attachment of a shoe (a rim of iron), by means of nails, to the lower border of a polo pony's hoof, in order to prevent excessive wear and improve performance.

Many Farriers have a professional level of National Certification such as AFA, BWFA, and GPF.

Overview of Horseshoeing

A horse's hooves can become too long because horseshoes prevent the natural hoof wear down which occurs in the wild.

A farrier first removes the old shoe using pincers called shoe pullers. Next, he trims the hoof wall to the desired length with a sharp plier tool called nippers. Then the sole and frog of the hoof are cleaned and trimmed with a hoof knife.

If the excess hoof is not trimmed properly, the coffin bone will become misaligned with bones in the pastern. This would place stress on the legs of the horse.

Next, the horseshoes are bent to the correct shape using a hammer and anvil.

Now the farrier nails the shoes into the hoof wall at the white line of the hoof. The nails bend outward as they are driven in, avoiding the sensitive inner part of the foot, and emerge on the sides of the hoof.

Next, the farrier cuts off the sharp nail points and uses special tongs called a clincher to bend the rest of the nail so it is almost flush with the hoof wall. This prevents the nail from getting caught on something and also helps hold the nail in place.

Lastly, the farrier uses a large rasp file to smooth the edge where it meets the shoe and eliminate the nail edges.

Farrier Equipment

Steel toed shoes
Apron
Safety glasses
Hearing protection
Driving Hammer
Rounding hammer
Knife
Tongs
Shoe puller
Shoe Stamp
Pritchels
Nippers
Rasps with handles
Pull offs
Creaser
Clinchers
Clinch block
Clinch cutter

Healthy Hooves

A healthy hoof includes:

hard, solid soles
soft, flexible frog bands
a triangular center
outer hoof wall at least double the width of white line
white line should bond with no deep cracks between the connecting sole

Problem Hooves

Thrush is a Frog eating bacteria which can cause bleeding, soreness, or even death if not attended to properly	• Thrush is treated by practicing good hoof hygiene
Extremely wet or dry conditions produces weak cracking of outside wall	• brittle foot cracking is repaired with a water-based hoof dressing • soft feet are improved with hoof hardening conditioners
Sole bruising often results from constant, use of horses on hard surfaces	• turn-out and rest are the only cure
Limb interference results from unbalanced riding, lack of shoeing and trimming, or fatigue	• protective wraps and boots, conditioning of pony, and Farrier work

When to Call the Farrier

All polo ponies, whether shod or not, should have a Farrier visit on a regular schedule. Most Farriers recommend anywhere from 4-6 weeks for polo ponies that are playing in season. Most healthy polo ponies can go barefoot if they are in a controlled environment.

Nutrition and exercise have a direct affect on the growth of a polo pony's hooves.

the external wall should be hard and have a shine that repels the weather and the elements
the sole should be hard as well as arched. A flat sole will bruise easily and require protection.
the frog and bulbs must have elasticity

A polo pony's feet should be cleaned and examined during regular grooming to detect common nail punctures, wounds or infections.

Shoes may be reset two or three times before they wear out. Shoeing and trimming is best left to the experienced hand of a knowledgeable Farrier.