“There’s nothing intuitive about nailing a shoe on a horse. It’s a skill we develop to the point that most farriers drive in a nail and wring off the end without even thinking about what they’re doing.

If you’ve had troubles with glue-on shoes, listen up. “These things all work,” says Bill Kirkpatrick, general manager of Sound Horse Technologies of Unionville, Pa. To create the strongest possible bond between hoof and shoe, choose the right glue for the job at hand and mix it properly, work with clean, dry feet, and use as much surface contact area as possible, he advises.