Steve Norman, a farrier from Georgetown, Ky., describes some of the problems he sees as a racetrack shoer, as well as how he deals with them.

Among many of the challenges a farrier must deal with are sheared heels. Scott Morrison, the veterinarian and farrier who leads the Podiatry Department at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Ky., says this problem is usually the result of less than ideal conformation. Usually the horse toes in or out, putting more stress on one side of the hoof wall (and heel) than the other. When a horse develops sheared heels, the stressed heel becomes jammed upward, the hoof symmetry is distorted and one heel is bearing most of the weight.

Based on preliminary data compiled from fatality reports from regulatory veterinarians at racetracks, there appears to be fewer fatal injuries with synthetic track surfaces than dirt.