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Old school vs. glue on shoes for a show string.
I had a chat with an old timer last week at a barn in Lexington. He said hot shoeing is the only way for sound feet, said glue on shoes are just a crutch. But I've got a mare who won't hold nails, and glue on has kept her sound for 6 months now. Is tradition really better, or are we just scared of new stuff? What's your take on where you draw the line?
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blake_owens6mo ago
Did you read that study from the UK a couple years back where they compared hot shoeing vs. glue ons under a microscope? I swear, they found glue shoes actually spread the load more evenly across the hoof, so it's not just a bandaid. But your old timer buddy isn't totally wrong either, nail clinching does stimulate blood flow to the coronet band, I've read that in a few different articles. My farrier told me he's seen glue shoes cause real issues when people leave them on too long without resetting, like thrush and white line disease. I'd say if she's going sound and you're pulling those glue shoes every 6 weeks for a proper reset, you're probably fine.
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david_walker974mo ago
That UK study is interesting, @claire_ross61 but do you really think the blood flow from clinching outweighs the risk of nail pricks or cracks in a hoof that's already struggling to hold nails?
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claire_ross616mo ago
Hot shoeing isn't just tradition, it's proven. Glue shoes might work for a few months but they don't support the foot the same way. Nails actually compress the hoof wall and stimulate blood flow, glue just sits there like a bandaid. Your mare not holding nails sounds more like a hoof quality issue or a farrier problem than a reason to ditch the oldest method that's kept horses sound for centuries.
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brian_hart6mo ago
I've been shoeing for 15 years and I keep a tube of glue in my truck for exactly this situation. Some feet just won't hold nails no matter how good your farrier is, and that mare of yours is proof glue isn't just a crutch. The key is keeping that 6 week reset schedule religiously, because leaving glue shoes on too long is where people mess up and blame the method. Nail clinching does help blood flow no doubt, but a sound horse on glue is way better than a lame horse with perfect coronary circulation. Bottom line is use what keeps the horse moving, tradition is great until it doesn't work on your particular animal.
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