Old timer named Bud changed my mind about hot shoeing last week

I've been cold shoeing for about 8 years, always figured hot shoeing was just more work for no real gain. But this guy Bud at a clinic in Missouri showed me a hoof that had been hot fit 3 weeks prior. The shoe sat flush as a pancake with zero gaps. He said heat lets you match the foot exactly instead of forcing a cold shoe to fit with clinching. Now I'm trying it on my next few horses to see if it sticks. Anyone else come around to hot shoeing late in the game?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade78027d ago

That flush fit you're talking about doesn't last long once the horse moves on that foot. A hot shoe cools and shrinks slightly, so by day three you're already getting a gap from normal wear and hoof growth. Plus you're cooking the hoof wall every time you do it, which dries it out worse than cold shoeing ever could. I've pulled plenty of hot shoes off that left burn marks and cracks in the white line that weren't there before. Cold shoeing is slower but it doesn't damage the foot, and a good farrier can get just as tight a fit with proper shaping and clinching. Bud's a nice fella but he's been doing it his way for forty years and can't see the downsides.

colesanchez27d ago

@wade780 brings up some solid points about the shrinkage and drying. I've seen that too if you're not careful with the heat and timing. My trick is to get the shoe on fast while it's still hot but not glowing, and let the hoof cool naturally before trimming anything else. Makes a big difference in how it settles.