"Team Butler"

“The Butler Team” recently won the three-man draft horse shoeing competition at the Four Corners Contest in Castle Rock, Colorado. The horses were well behaved and were owned by a carriage company in Denver. (Apparently there are nine carriage companies in Denver).

We drew a Shire horse with beautiful feet that stood perfectly. Everything went well for us. It was the first time that Jake and Pete and I have competed together. Jake trimmed and nailed, Pete struck with the sledge hammer and clinched, and I made the shoes. I’m most grateful for that experience of working together. It brought to my mind the differences in shoeing draft horses as opposed to shoeing light horses.

The Finished Front

The Finished Hind

Draft or heavy horse shoeing is different from light horseshoeing. Draft horses move slowly. They often pull heavy loads. They are heavy and their feet need more protection than light horses. They are very strong, and though they are often gentle for most work, they sometimes resist shoeing.

A heavier thicker stock shoe is required due to the size of the animal. Our horse required 18 inches of ½ by 1¼ inch stock to cover its front foot. We used 17 inches on the hind foot. Horses with smaller feet can be shod with a lighter section. Nail holes are punched over the white line and at the pitch of the hoof wall to insure safe and secure nailing.

The shoe was fullered to make it easier to extract the nails and to provide some traction. The fullering fills with dirt – you have dirt against dirt which provides more traction than steel against dirt. Heel calks from one-half to one inch in height are popular for farm and pulling horses. Toe calks one-half inch in height are usually only put on the hind shoes of farm horses. One-inch toe calks that are tilted forward, so they will dig in as the foot breaks over the toe, are put on the front and hind shoes of pullers. Horses used on asphalt road surfaces are often shod with Borium® or bolt-on replaceable rubber “tires.” Borium® can be put on with a forge or with an oxy-acetylene torch.

A wider web shoe is desirable since many draft horses are flat-footed and have a weak hoof-bone attachment that may be compromised by their weight and concussion on road surfaces. Although they need sole protection, they must not have sole pressure. The inside of the shoe must be seated out, sometimes called concaved (hollowed out), to prevent sole pressure and bruising when the sole descends slightly each time the horse’s foot bears weight.

A longer shoe is desirable to support the limb. It also should be a bit wider than the hoof from the last nail hole back to the heel to give more surface area to distribute concussion and prevent corns and deep flexor tendon injury.

The shoe heels should be made and fit to make room for the frog and allow easy cleaning of the foot. They should be finished straight up and down to provide the most ground surface area possible.

The outside branch of the shoes should be fit wider than the hoof since most draft horses are base narrow. The outside of the shoe should be boxed (filed on the foot surface) to reduce the chance of another horse in the hitch treading off the shoe. The inside branch should be safed (filed on the ground surface) to prevent injury when accidently treading on the opposite foot.

Toe clips should be used to prevent shoe shifting when the heavy shoe hits the ground. It is possible for the nails to be sheared off when a heavy horse’s foot strikes the ground. Clips on ½ by 1¼ stock should be an inch high and triangular in shape and without sharp points.

Front View

The nails should be appropriate to foot size (we used number nine nails on our horse) allowing you to drive them 1/3 of the way up the hoof wall with the nail line parallel to the coronary band. Nails must be driven above the chips and cracks found in neglected feet. Broken out areas can be filled with superfast by Vet Tech. Feet should be dressed to correspond to the shape of the coffin bone. The shape can be determined by looking down at the silhouette of the coronary band.

Horses that are not well trained for shoeing should be put in a stock or given a drug by a veterinarian to help them stand still when being shod. Each time the foot is put down it should be put down slowly to prevent the horse from falling. Also, dropping a foot with a heavy shoe on it can cause the coffin bone to fracture. Charges for shoeing drafts should be twice what you charge for a saddle horse since it is more than twice as much work.

Show draft horses are shod differently than working horses. The size and especially the width of the feet are exaggerated. Square shoes that have inserts welded on the inner web allow feet to be built to a greater size. These shoes are manufactured by Will Lent in Michigan. We have applied some for clients here at the school. We used a great quantity of Adhere or Superfast composite by Vet Tech to fill in the space and create square feet. We offer specialty courses of one week in length for those that are interested in draft horse type shoeing at www.butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com. 1-800-728-3826.

The royal wedding in England has captured the attention and imagination of the world. As I watched, Adam Smith’s statement in The Wealth of Nations came to mind, “The chief enjoyment of riches consists in the parade of riches….” In spite of the occurrence of other significant world events, “the story book event” took precedence. Not that getting married to the love of your life is not significant! My marriage of 44 years has certainly been a most important event in my life that has allowed me much achievement and happiness.

Much preparation went into creating London’s beautiful pageant observed by three billion people. The beautiful horses that accompanied the bride and groom and chauffeured the British royalty were all shod by master craftsmen trained in an ancient but effective system of farriery that preserves the soundness of these noble steeds.

Farriers in England are trained in the most exacting farrier training system in the world. It has been under the watchful eye of the Worshipful Company of Farriers since 1356 A. D. I sought permission twenty years ago to study their system and take all of the exams administered by the Company. My objective was to better understand how to best teach and help students learn this difficult craft. In 1992, I was the first person outside of Great Britain to obtain the Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (FWCF), by taking and passing the Company’s highest examination.

Apprentices are first taught to trim the feet of horses that are kept in pastures and are not to be used on roads or ridden to any degree. Those horses that are used on roads, and do something besides eat, are shod with steel to protect them and the people who use them. Due to benefits to the health of the foot and precision in fitting, most horses are hot fit by British craftsmen. This seals moisture in the foot, prevents excess moisture from entering, and assures a perfect unity of hoof and shoe.

The steel horseshoes are fashioned according to the individual animal’s use. Some are made from fullered concave – a section of steel that until recently was available only in the U. K. Fullered refers to a groove all around the shoe which fills with dirt and dirt against dirt gives better traction than steel or even hoof against dirt. Concave refers to the self-cleaning pattern – meaning it is sloped or concaved on the inside edge so mud and snow is shed from the center of the foot as the horse moves. The portion of the shoe against the hoof is wide protecting the wall and sole from bruising. The edge of the shoe contacting the ground is narrow, creating a gripping action supplying traction to prevent dangerous slipping. The horses didn’t slip while carrying the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Additional traction may be provided by installing studs – sharp projections that are screwed or driven into the shoe. They are of varying height depending upon working conditions. They have a tungsten core that bites into the ground or pavement to provide safety for horse and rider or coach passenger. Horseshoe Borium® or Carbraze® containing particles of tungsten carbide are often used for this purpose in America.

We wouldn’t shoe horses if we didn’t have to. Horses that are rarely used don’t need shoes. Wild horses that have been naturally selected for sound feet rarely need shoes. Domestic horses that are used to any degree need protection for their hooves, especially since we have bred modern horses for things other than and at the expense of soundness – such as color, conformation, and athletic ability.

The hoof wall is protected from chipping or cracking by shoes. The sole is protected from bruising by shoes. The fragile coffin bone inside a weak hoof is protected. Foot balance is maintained to lessen stresses on joints. Even race horses wear aluminum shoes to provide and maintain balance, protection and traction.

The current barefoot fad has been tried before in the horse industry. Books written before 1900 tell of its trial and call it “the barefoot experiment.” It was abandoned in England and America due to the injury of horses and riders.

Most horses that are rarely worked don’t need shoes. But, those that are worked, ridden over uneven or abrasive ground, and for extended periods of time, do. Horses used for athletic activities such as jumping, racing, reining, cutting, roping, etc. usually need shoes. Using unshod horses in these events could be judged to be cruelty to animals or to the humans who depend upon them. Especially in Britain, where the people are great lovers of horses, animal welfare laws that prohibit unskilled persons from working on horse’s feet are enforced. 

More than luck goes into making a Royal Wedding appear as a fantasy spectacular.

In reality, accomplished horsemen know they need a competent well-trained farrier to maintain their valuable horses. They will either find one or learn the skill themselves. At Butler Professional Farrier School we specialize in training farriers and horsemen to know how and why they do their job of keeping horses sound. We invite inquiries at www.butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com. Or call 1-800-728-3826 or 1-308-665-1510.

Driving horseshoe nails accurately, consistently and safely is a difficult task for the beginner. Some persons have abandoned horseshoeing altogether and become barefoot advocates because of their lack of confidence and skill in this area. It’s sort of like throwing out the baby with the bath. There are times when nothing but nailing on shoes will help a horse get or stay sound.

Today’s horseshoe nails are manufactured to a high standard. One company, Mustad, controls the majority the nail production in the world. The nails are of high quality and are consistent. Most farriers eventually choose a preferred nail and stick with it. I prefer a slim-bladed nail as it doesn’t displace as much hoof as a nail with a thicker shank.

Nail head fit in shoes is most important. The nail should be tight and not wobble in the hole. When pushed into the shoe it should seat in the nail hole and not fall out when the shoe is turned upside down. The head should project above the shoe 1/16 of an inch to allow for clinching.

Nails should be driven to come out about 1/3 of the way up the wall from the shoe. The nail line should be parallel to the coronary band. Since the hoof wall grows down from the coronary band, the next shoeing will place the new nails in sound horn where they will hold the shoe securely.

After driving all the way into the shoe, the end of the nail should be turned out and wrung off with the hammer claws or hammered down against the side of the hoof to be cut off later. Severe injuries can occur when the ends of the nails are not properly made safe.

Before letting the hoof down, block the nails to seat them in the shoe and start the nail ends to turn where they exit the hoof.

Place the foot on a stand and turn all the nail stubs to a right angle with the wall with the clinching tool. Rasp the projecting ends of the nails to all the same length – about 1/16 of an inch. Turn the nail ends with the clincher letting the jaw slide over and shave the nail. Change position by moving the handles downward and push the nail into the foot with a second squeeze of the handles. Finally, smooth the job with the fine side of the clinching rasp.

Foal limb soundness begins before a foal is born. It involves considerations of nature (genetic) and nurture (environment). Genetic factors include inherited conformation and behavioral traits from the stallion and mare. Environmental factors include physical space in the mare’s uterus, nutrition, training and disease prevention.

Choosing a mating that has a good chance of producing a structurally correct horse is important since conformation deformities predispose animals to unsoundness. Nutrition of the mare is especially important during the last three months of gestation, as the majority of the foal’s limb growth takes place during this time. Nutrition of the lactating mare and supplemental foal feeding affects the growth of the foal after birth. Imprint training should be done soon after birth as a preparation for hoof care that should begin during the second month of life.

Genetics
Sound legs start with the mating of a sound stallion to a sound mare. They each contribute one half of the whole. Some horses are said to be very prepotent, meaning they are capable of stamping their characteristics on their offspring no matter what the genetics of the other horse. Sometimes, we see exceptional “nicks” or good combinations that consistently produce good horses. In some cases outcrossing is desirable as it produces heterosis or hybrid vigor. The mule is an extreme example since it is usually hardier than either parent. Most horsemen realize that breeding is a “roll of the dice” but they do what they can to control some of the variables.

Unfortunately, many of our modern horse breeding programs are not focused on soundness. Instead, they are focused on beauty, color, disposition, speed, cow sense, early rapid growth, mature size, etc. Structural deformities are accepted where they should be cause for rejection. Structurally incorrect horses are then trained and put into use, eventually becoming unsound. A price must be paid for adopting the short term at the expense of the long term. Structurally incorrect horses may stay sound for a while, but very few unsound horses are structurally correct.

Heritability of skeletal structure in horses is one of the highest for any trait, estimated by some researchers as high as .65. This means that there is a 65 percent chance that crooked or sound legs are due to heredity and a 35 percent chance that they are due to environment. Selection of sound horses for mating is essential.

Prenatal (before birth) Environment
Foals grow to the size of the mother’s womb before birth. Some almost look like spiders when they are born, as their legs are so much more developed than their body size. The limbs complete much of their development in the womb and are largely a product of the nutrition received by the mare.

The cartilage in the leg rapidly proliferates during gestation, and its maturation to bone may be delayed in horses fed diets deficient in some minerals and vitamins. Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Copper and Zinc are especially important minerals, as are Vitamins A and D.

Overfeeding of carbohydrates and protein can also cause problems. Excess protein is treated like excess carbohydrate by the body and may cause hormonal imbalance as well as nutritional diseases. Overgrowing in the confining uterine environment caused by a delayed foaling date causes some limb deformities.

Post Natal (after birth) Environment
Foals are naturally awkward when they are born. Their body size will grow faster than the length of their legs. The small bones of the knee or hock may not be completely formed at birth and are crushed by excessive exercise and body weight. Many times foal legs will straighten as the animal grows older and stronger.

Limb defects can be aggravated by many things. The stall should be safe and large enough that the foal won’t be injured by the mare. Exercise areas should be as safe as possible. Some foals have had a leg broken while in a stall or while exercising in a rough pasture. Other older horses in the same pen may purposely injure foals.

Fences that are sharp or not visible are especially dangerous. The fact that the foal has a short neck in relation to long legs may also aggravate deformities as he spreads his legs to eat off the ground. Standing with one front foot back and the other forward may also cause the development of club foot on the foot that is back if it becomes a habit.

The most important post natal consideration is the lactation of the mare. Too little or too much milk can cause limb development problems and lameness. Mares that are easy keepers and good milk producers have a higher incidence of foals with DOD.

Developmental orthopedic disease (nicknamed DOD) is the name given to various abnormalities of the limbs. These can have genetic or environmental origins. Horses bred to grow fast and mature rapidly are susceptible. Horses fed a high calorie, imbalanced ration are at great risk for epiphysitis – an inflammation of the growth plates of the long bones. Usually, this comes about from excessive grain and protein supplement consumption. However, overeating of high quality alfalfa hay may also produce it.

Types of Neo Natal (new born) Deformities
Foals with the knees or hocks turned in are called valgus. Foals with the knees or hocks turned out are called varus. When both left and right hock (or knee) joints are bent in the same direction, we say the foal is windswept.

A foal with a straight pastern and high-heeled foot is said to have contracted tendons or be club footed. A foal with the fetlock forward due to superficial tendon contracture is said to be knuckled over. Foals with the pastern down and the heels crushed with the toe up are said to have tendon laxity.

Learning to learn applies to every phase of life.

Recently I became aware, through an article titled “Divided Attention” by David Glenn published February 28, 2010, in The Chronicle of Higher Education, that many students today are having greater difficulty learning and applying what they’re being taught due to inattention and the illusion of competence that comes from their being “multi-taskers.” (It has always been a challenge for teachers to get and keep a student’s attention, but it seems that today there are even more things to distract students.)

A study by Dr. Clifford Nass of Stanford University supports this theory. Dr. Nass found that distracted multi-taskers believe they have learned and absorbed more than they actually have. As a result, multi-taskers typically perform worse on cognitive and memory tasks than do students who focus on a single task.

Students learn better and retain more when they are not distracted by electronic devices, such as cell phones, I-pods and laptop computers. Although we provide free wireless internet for our students at Butler Professional Farrier School, we do not allow them to use the computer or text on cell phones during lecture and discussion time.

We have found that vocabulary memorization, study with intent to answer questions, and accurate drawing of spatial concepts help students absorb and retain more material than simply reading and discussion alone because it helps them stay focused.

Learning to learn requires at least seven things:

First, have a desire to learn. Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, has said, “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” An inquisitive mind can be developed, but only if one wants to. How bad do you want to learn?

Many of life’s experiences can suppress a desire to learn. Sometimes it’s people who have a strong influence on you, such as parents, school teachers, childhood friends, mentors, peers, and other close associates. Drug use, especially marijuana, also can kill the desire to learn. Yet, ultimately, you are the one who chooses your attitude toward learning. You are in control of your future, your destiny.

Second, accept personal responsibility for your own learning. You must accept the responsibility for finding the answers yourself. We each have a varying capacity to think and to learn. How we use that ability determines our success in life. It is a measure of our belief in ourselves, the questions that we ask, and the power of the answers for us and those answers we can give to our clients in the future. Don’t expect your teachers to spoon feed you — their role is to provide the opportunity for you to learn.

Third, search all available sources for the answers. Search out the answers that others have already discovered. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Do your homework! In science, it is called “The Review of Literature.” Try to understand why others came up with the answers they did. Spend as much or more time reading as you do using Google or other electronic search tools. Just having the materials is not enough. You must know what is in the book or article and how to apply it. When solving a problem, start where others have left off.

Fourth, think about the question/problem all the time. Isaac Newton said he discovered the law of gravity by thinking about it all the time. Eventually the answer will come to you. It may be when you least expect it. This is the way our subconscious mind works. The more experience you have the easier it becomes to compare the current problem to a similar one from the past.

Fifth, experiment and prove the answer/solution that comes to you. Don’t adopt the idea until it has been tested by your own experience. Try it enough times so you are confident it will give consistent results. Also, others may try to steal or crush your ideas if you share them too soon.

Sixth, look at the answer/solution from several perspectives. Look at it up close, then look at it in the context of the overall expanse. This takes time and requires a commitment to learning. Don’t become obsessed with an idea by itself. If you do, you will look only at things which justify or prove your tentative conclusions. Rather, try to see how it fits into the big picture. For example, at Butler Professional Farrier School we teach horseshoeing, not just foot shoeing.

Seventh, try to group concepts in units of seven or less. Dr. George Miller of Harvard University, as far back as 1956, suggested that humans’ working-memory-capacity – that is, their ability to juggle facts and perform mental operations – is limited to no more than seven things at a time. It is less if a person is distracted by multi-tasking. Fending off distraction and focusing your attention is critical to learning.

Learning to learn is an important activity. You must desire to do the hard things. It can make the difference as to success or failure in life. Dr. Nass of Stanford worries that, “Media multi-tasking might actually be destroying students’ capacity for reasoning.” Students often choose to do the easy rather than the hard things.

You will find it easier to learn new knowledge and skill, and therefore excel at your craft, if you incorporate these suggestions into your learning activities.

“Doug, I attended your Horse Expo seminar this past March in Lincoln and really enjoyed your lecture.  I never thought that I would have to bring out notes from what you talked about in such a short amount of time, but we ended up having a horse go lame on us this spring.  We saw some signs around Thanksgiving but the horse seemed to get worse recently.

“After some tests and x-ray’s, the vet diagnosed him with Navicular Disease.  The x-ray showed some history of deterioration and such, but the concern that I have is even though the x-ray indicates a historical problem we haven’t noticed it until recently.  We bought the horse a year ago and rode him quite a bit with no issues.  This brings me to the comment you made about those who may shave off too much of the heel.  We have had the hoofs trimmed twice.  I’m suspecting the trimming job.  Can you tell me what to look for again when looking at the heel?  We do have him on Bute which seems to help, and I think when he was shod he was better.”

Answer:  When shoeing for navicular disease, the most important thing is the alignment of the axis of the pastern with the axis of the distal phalanx or coffin bone.  The front of the upper one-third of the hoof should be parallel to the front of the pastern when viewed from the side.  Sometimes it is necessary to use a wedge pad in addition to the shoe to achieve this.  When these are in alignment, you will have the least amount of stress on the navicular bone.  For more information, see pages 558-566 in The Principles of Horseshoeing (P3).

On April 10th, I did a full-day large group clinic for the New Jersey Equine Veterinary Clinic — among the topics I presented was one on the “Barefoot Experiment,” and the response from veterinarians and farriers alike was very positive!  Of the several farriers who visited with me after the clinic about experiences they’ve had rehabilitating lame horses from these incorrect procedures, one farrier in particular said he had conducted a year-long experiment with two of his own horses.  Please see his “Comments ” added to this blog post.

More than one hundred years ago farriers were confronted with the same problems as farriers are facing today. The “shoeless experiment” was then proposed as a one size fits all solution by “the barefoot people.” (See page 2 of William Hunting’s, The Art of Horseshoeing, published by W. R. Jenkins in New York, in 1898).

It was a con man’s dream. It seemed too good to be true. No longer would horse owners have to pay to have their horses shod. Little training was necessary. The horse owners themselves could simply round the edges of the foot.

For inactive pastured horses it probably was all that was necessary to maintain the animal. But, for most other domesticated horses, that had a job to do, it was probably cruel. Well trained horses were plentiful then. If one went lame, they could simply get another. Heroic measures to save expensive animals were unheard of.

The experiment didn’t last long because:

1) People had a fairly high level of equine knowledge due to the widespread use of horses in the city as well as the country.

2) Emotion didn’t enter into a decision as much as common sense.

3) Common sense was more common than it is today.

4) Con artists hadn’t thought of the natural wild horse model to sell their ideas.

5) Even if they had, people didn’t see wild horses as an ideal.

6) People weren’t as consumed with the idea of avoiding learning and hard work as they are now.

7) If a horse went lame after being so treated, it was recognized immediately as an ineffective and cruel practice.

All that is necessary for a “trimmer” to start in business today is to read someone’s article or book, create a clever (and misleading) brochure, and advertise to often unsuspecting horse owners. The promoters say anybody can do this. No qualifications or experience are necessary [to cripple horses]. Certification is given to future practitioners by those who sold the con.

Twenty-five years ago, the AFA (American Farriers Association), would not allow me, as a horseshoeing instructor, to certify my own students. The reasoning was that this would be a temptation to certify my own students to make my program look good. At the time I felt they were questioning my integrity, and I was not pleased.

In retrospect, I believe it was the right thing to do. These “trimmers” or “barefoot people” are doing that very thing now. They are telling their disciples to watch a DVD, or read an article/book, or attend a short course. Then, pay a fee, and they will be certified and added to a list of certified “natural hoof care practitioners.” It’s brilliant!

I recently gave a presentation at a horse expo where I pointed out the flaws of so-called natural hoof care by unqualified persons. A local farrier came up to me later and told me how the natural trimmer in his area was good for his business as he was called to redeem horses that she had crippled by using her technique of cutting the heels down until they bled.

Trimmers, and other fad promoters, will go to great lengths to justify what they do. The founder and chief executive officer of an association of barefoot people sent me an email in 2001.  He was very critical of the German veterinarian who advocated radical and inhumane hoof trimming techniques. Yet his disciples and “certified practitioners” are now advocating and practicing the same things this veterinarian does. They are crippling horses that a qualified professional farrier has to try to rehabilitate.

Why would horse owners hire an inexperienced, unqualified person to trim or shoe their horse? 1) Perhaps no qualified farrier is available; 2) Perhaps they want to believe the appealing marketing story told by the con artist; 3) Perhaps their previous hoof care provider had done a poor job of educating his or her clients; 4) Perhaps they think they will save money; or 4) Perhaps they are ignorant of the damage that can be done.

I’m willing to believe the reason people buy into the natural trimming idea primarily goes back to the widespread ignorance about the foot and shoeing that exists among both the farriers and the public. I was raised by a mother who instilled in me a soft heart for abused horses. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to warn others of things that will cause unnecessary pain and suffering to our equine friends.

This near perfect barefoot con allows its promoters to take no responsibility for their mistakes and errors. They deny individuality of horses when they say one size fits all. They use the term “natural” to sell their “new and improved” technique. They simply blame the horse’s lameness condition on the shoes the horse used to wear.

What ever happened to “first do no harm?”

Our society is rejecting science and education as a whole. We are willing to pay more for entertainment than education. We value glamour more than substance. Emotional appeal is more convincing than scientific proof. The insanity of animal rights has replaced common sense. The prevailing attitude seems to be, “My mind’s made up – don’t confuse me with the facts.”

Who do you trust? Do you believe those who have experience and a track record over several generations of doing what is the best for the horses in their care? Or, do you believe those that have made up their own rules, even their own vocabulary, while ignoring anatomy and physiology, so they can sell their radical ideas and practices?

It comes down to making a choice. It’s wonderful to have the choice. But, with that choice goes the responsibility for the welfare of your animal. It’s a question of stewardship and trust.

Of course, some horses can’t tolerate shoes. Some people can’t tolerate them either. I’m not one of those. I want to get up and go again tomorrow. Yet, some people do fine without shoes. Does that mean that all of us should go without shoes under all terrain conditions and in all kinds of weather?

Of course not – we must account for individual differences. One size does not fit all. We are not all the same. Each horse is unique. That is why you need the services of a well trained and experienced professional farrier to help you decide what is best for your equine companion’s welfare.