Despite the advent of clipped keg shoes, there are still plenty of farriers who prefer to draw their own clips when a hoof calls for them. The ability to draw clips allows a shoer to place the clip exactly where he wants it, as well as to forge it to the length that’s needed.

Danny Ward, American Farrier’s Association Certified Journeyman Farrier and owner of Danny Ward Horseshoeing School in Martinsville, Va., says farriers just starting to learn the skill may benefit from using a method that involves holding the heated shoe flat against the side of the anvil.

“It’s a good, quick clip for somebody just starting out, for almost any length,” Ward says.

Ward starts out by heating the shoe in the forge. When the area where you want to place the clip has reached an orange or lemon heat (depending on how heavy the metal in the particular shoe is), remove it from the forge. With your tongs, hold the foot surface flat against the side of the anvil, with the area where you want to form the clip just above the lip of the anvil’s face (Figure 1).

“Use the round side of your hammer,” Ward says. “Use it to sort of roll the metal over the edge (Figure 2). I hit it flat, so I get the width of the clip I want first. Then I drop down and draw it out with the hammer and get the height that I want (Figure 3).”

Ward…