There are a lot of tools and devices found in shoeing rigs and boxes that have one factor in common. They were conceived as a way of making part of the farrier’s job a little easier.

Hoof stands help save the shoer’s knees and aching back. Various hoof gauges and measuring tools aim to solve the mystery of balancing the horse’s hoof. Propane forges made it easier for farriers to “get up and go” without having to stop and make sure they weren’t trailing hot coals in their wake as they went from stop to stop.

Every year, as we hit the trade shows, we see one or two new products that make us wonder if we’re seeking the next big hit — or the next 90-day wonder that for one reason or another, just won’t catch on with the farrier community.

Two of the more intriguing devices we saw this year are Fred Zweifel’s “Shoe-Tru” magnetic toe clip and the Eagle’s Eye Hoof Gauge, invented by Phil Ross and marketed through his company, Farrier Innovations. Both devices try to make the farrier’s job a little easier. One is relatively simple, while the other is a bit more complicated.

Lost Thumb Is The Catalyst

Necessity — in the form of a lost thumb — was the mother of invention in the case of Zweifel’s device. According…