Glue-On shoes have been around for a number of years with several different application techniques. This article will examine the process of gluing an aluminum shoe directly to the bottom of the foot with Hoof-Life- or Equilox-type glues. Several key points need attention.

The first and most important is cleanliness. Try to get the horse brought to you dry and reasonably clean from the stall or paddock. If the horse come from a muddy field or a wet stall, the feet will have to be cleaned and allowed to dry as part of the preparation for gluing.

After you have a clean and dry hoof, cut the foot to fresh sole and wall, while inspecting every old nail hole and crack to see if any of them run all the way into sensitive tissues. If a nail hole or crack does run into sensitive tissue, you must not apply any glue at these spots. Putting glue on these trouble spots could result in an infection after the shoe has been applied.

You must be diligent in the hoof cleaning. One of the main reasons that glue will fail is the lack of cleanliness and the farrier’s neglect to clear the foot of dirt and moisture, including body oils from the shoer’s hands. Rubber gloves are a must!

Baby Those Feet

After the foot is trimmed, you can use brake cleaner or acetone to remove any oil or foreign matter from the foot and then wrap it so that the horse…