Q. Concave shoes are more frequently used by foreign farriers than horseshoers practicing in the United States. If you don’t use these shoes, what reasons deter you from using them? 

A: I have some concave stock on my truck, but there is not a large demand for concave shoes in my area. I use it on my own horses and for practicing making shoes. I really like using it, but it’s not economically feasible.

— Randy Pennycuff, Jamestown, Tenn.

A: I don’t usually use concave shoes simply because they have too much traction. Most of the horses I shoe are companion or backyard horses that rarely do more than trail riding or the occasional gymkhana (timed, equestrian speed events that display precise, controlled actions and tight teamwork between the horse and rider) and don’t require anything more than flat shoes. I do use them on some barrel horses.

Concave shoes can also cause problems if the horse has any pre-existing pathology in the leg/limb.

— Brian Kunka, Herald, Calif.

A: I love using concave to make shoes. They make up 90% of the shoes I nail on. Concave stock is versatile and works well on many different types of horses.

The ability to reset easily makes up for the time spent making them. Farriers who aren’t accustomed to using concave usually have problems because it’s very unforgiving. You can bend it, but you can’t forge it.

— Josh Stanley, Bozeman, Mont.

A: Concave shoes are just too heavy for most…