Loading…
10
Finally gave in and tried a hand-forged shoe after years of saying it didnt matter
I spent 10 years swearing factory shoes were just as good until I had a client with a nasty quarter crack on a horse that kept barreling through every keg shoe I put on. The old farrier down the road let me watch him forge one and I could see the steel flowing different, filling the clip slots way cleaner than any pre-made. Has anyone else noticed a real difference in how a hand-forged shoe holds up on problem feet?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
adamgreen3mo ago
That bit about "steel flowing different" is spot on. I've seen hand-forged clips grip the wall so tight they don't budge, something prefab shoes never seem to do on thin soles.
3
adamgreen2mo ago
The grain structure thing is close but not quite right. Hand forging doesn't really change grain size in a way that matters for grip. It's more about how the steel gets compressed and shaped, which can make it denser in spots. But what really makes a difference is the fit and the way the farrier sets the clips. Prefab shoes are stamped out and don't account for the hoof's actual shape, so they just sit there. A good hand-forged shoe gets molded to the hoof wall, and that's why the clips bite in so well.
6
the_patricia3mo ago
Read somewhere that old-school farriers say hand-forged steel has a tighter grain structure, which makes sense for that grip Adam mentions. @adamgreen, you ever try a set from that guy down in Arkansas? Heard he does them right.
4