Modern shoeing materials can pose unique challenges. The learning curve can be steep and the price tag higher than steel, but sometimes the horse’s needs require farriers to think outside the box. For Woodland, Calif., farrier Shane Westman, working at the University of California-Davis required creativity, collaboration and a variety of alternative shoes to keep horses sound. 

“The basics never leave, but at the hospital I had the opportunity to use a lot of materials,” Westman told attendees at the 2025 International Hoof-Care Summit. “I picked up tips from other farriers who worked in similar settings and innovated on my own a little bit.” 

Steel is familiar, intuitive and reliable, but innovation is inevitable and, as Westman points out, isn’t modern at all. Patent records for synthetic horseshoes date back to the 1800s. Glue-on shoes have been around for decades. Not every new shoe is revolutionary, but as manufacturers continually improve their products, with a bit of creativity, many can help horses in unique and meaningful ways.

Aluminum

As one of the first alternatives to steel, aluminum and aluminum alloy shoes are a lightweight option…