Just about any equine veterinarian who specializes in hoof care or farriers who do a lot of therapeutic shoeing will tell you the thing they most rely on to do their work isn’t found in a toolbox, mounted on a shoeing rig or installed in a workshop or veterinary clinic.

I have been a farrier for 7 years. I have started doing endurance riding. My horse has very sensitive front feet. One of them is slightly upright. I usually put plastic pads on him for endurance rides because the footing is often very rocky and we ride pretty fast and hard.