Many years ago, John Patterson Sr. kept asking me to drill holes in the back feet on some of his trotters, usually between the first and second nail and into the border between hoof and shoe (Fig. 1).

The angle gauge is a useful reference tool. To be helpful, however, it needs to be used appropriately.

Horses' hooves are seldom perfectly uniform. If you took the right front shoe and nailed it on the left front foot, you would normally have to make at least a small adjustment to the shoe.

When the hoof is injured during a race, it is usually the hind foot striking the front and nearly always involves the rear third of the affected hoof. Of course, there are many other ways a horse might incur a hoof, but this particular injury involves the most critical area of racehorse shoeing.

Over the years I've heard many comments about long toes on racehorses. Horses that knuckle over behind were said to have "long toe-itis."? Many trotters that are doing well "don't need any toe to trot,"? trainers say.

Feathering the heel of a horseshoe is another way of dealing with a sore-heeled foot.

The steel full swedge shoe (Fig. 1) is one of the most popular in horse racing.

For many years, the standard pad for any shoeing application was leather. Shoeing options with pads these days are numerous. Leather still remains a viable choice for pads, but not as popular or in vogue as they used to be.

Sometimes farriers work as a two-person team in order to shorten the duration. One works the floor (horse); this is normally the farrier in charge of the shop. The other works the fire (shoe making). Both people do their part with the idea of doing as much work simultaneously as possible. (By the way, please don't ask the farrier's assistant to hold the horse as he is there to help with other task.)

The proverb has been around for a long time, and it is a fact that races have been lost for the want of a shoe. Horses lose shoes in races from time to time. That will always be a part of horse racing. However, racing, qualifying, or even training with a shoe that needed repair to begin with can easily be avoided. A paddock blacksmith is normally available for racing, but sometimes a farrier isn't around when needed. Racing at fairs, training at farms or other off-track facilities are some examples of places that might not have a farrier available when needed.