Although he is based in North Florida, Ty Garner’s work isn’t fully localized — he travels to follow his clients on the circuit, taking him through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. On this “Shoeing for a Living Day,” he shows how his daily approach relies on the basics, but also thinking how best to keep horses in the show ring.

Assessing a horse’s conformation is a staple for farriers, and for good reason. Certain conformations offer an understanding of movement, wear and potential lamenesses. “We’re all familiar with different types of conformation in the front limbs,” English farrier Sam Head told attendees at the mid-November Thoro’Bred Extravanza in Anaheim, Calif. “But how many of us truly consider the same in the horse’s hind?”

When a well-clipped shoe is applied correctly, it sure looks sharp on a horse’s hoof. Some farriers will even go so far as to call them sexy. Proclivities aside, they serve an important function. “Clips are mainly used to improve the security of the shoe on the foot and relieve stress on the nails,” says Tucumcari, N.M., farrier Jim Keith. “They can be applied anywhere around the wall perimeter, but usually only in the anterior half due to their ability to constrict wall movement. They may be used to contain wall flares.”

It’s natural for hoof-care professionals to focus primarily on a horse’s lower limbs as they work, but a general knowledge of equine anatomy and conformation is also important. This knowledge becomes more critical for those who work on performance horses. The higher the level of performance, the more critical that knowledge becomes.