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Front shoes and Back Shoes????

28K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  Horseman56 
#1 ·
I was not sure where to put this quesiton... so I just picked a spot.. I have just been informed by a friend.. that there are "front" shoes and "back" shoes. I was dumbfuzzled to say the least.

I knew the farrier heated and shaped them to fit the foot. but did not realize that there was a specific "front" and "back" shoe.

Is this information correct? If so can someone give me a quick tutorial? As far as I know my farrier has basic sizes and weights. he then heats and shapes the shoe putting on clips or whatever he wants to it.

We just had the horses shod so won't see him again for a few weeks and I am dying to know the truth of the matter.

Rhonda
 
#3 ·
I don't think your friend meant there are different shoes for front hooves and back hooves...usually when somebody says front shoes, they mean the front hooves have shoes. There is no difference in the shoes, but the shape of the front feet are usually a little different from the back feet so the farrier has to tweak the shape a little more.
I think that's what she meant, but no, same shoes lol.
 
#5 ·
It can be both. Shoes DO come in front and back shapes. The fronts being more round and the hinds more triangular. But basic keg shoes can be a "compromise pattern" that is kind of like a in-between shape so you can use them on either end of the horse.

When I used to shoe my horses all the local stores carried where the compromise shape and I had to try to shape them (cold) to fit the hooves. It was a pain trying to get them to fit the feet properly. Fonts and hinds would have been so nice!

Generally for basic use such as trail riding, we don't use toe clips in the USA. There are farrier that do it but it is mostly for specialized horses (like racing) or because the hoof has a specific need. But the average horse doesn't wear toe clips.
 
#6 ·
It greatly depends on the brand, actually. If you buy keg shoes (shoes that are pre-shaped and machine prepared), they usually are available in either front or back shapes. The fronts are generally more round/oval and the backs are generally a bit more triangular in shape with a more squared off toe.

Fronts:


Hinds:


However, there are some that are sold as "universal", like this one

where it is the responsibility of the farrier to shape it to fit either a front or back hoof.

Truthfully, though, I would be very concerned about any farrier that didn't shape a shoe (even a keg shoe) before putting it on the hoof.
 
#9 ·
Truthfully, though, I would be very concerned about any farrier that didn't shape a shoe (even a keg shoe) before putting it on the hoof.
Agreed, Robs. My farrier uses front and back shoes for JJ, but always shapes the shoe prior to nailing it on the foot.

JJ currently only has front shoes, but I'll probably put back shoes on him again once he's being ridden more consistently. Stupid TB feet...... The Arabs are barefoot.
 
#8 ·
Thank you so much everyone.. it appears my friend was correct.

My farrier shapes my horses shoes, with heat and puts clips on all. they tend to stay on better with the clips. I assume he has a general shoe and shapes it for each foot, but I am not sure!!! I am going to ask when he comes back.

I grew up in S. Texas in the sand.. as kids we NEVER used shoes.. in fact never even had a farrier. (we were poor). It was a eye opening experience to watch a farrier at work when I moved to N. Georga and HAD to have shoes where I ride.

I am continually learning!

Rhonda
 
#10 ·
I never knew there were "front" and "back" shoes. My farrier spends forever and a few days shaping each shoe before he puts it on so I thought they were all the same within each type of shoe. Hmm... farrier is coming out this week, I'm going to ask him about it!
 
#13 ·
There are certainly front versus hind pattern shoes, whether keg (pre-manufactured) or handmade.

As already shared, there are also a few "compromise" patterns intended to be used on either end of the horse. Farriers call these "frinds". They're not a front or a hind... they're a frind. :smile:

St. Croix lights are an example. The frind shoe is popular with farriers who have a preference for cold shoeing or are less skilled in the forge.

As previously shared, the difference between a front and hind pattern shoe is due to the difference in how a horses front feet are shaped as compared to the hind feet.

The hinds will tend to be more "pointy" at the toe with the heel quarter radius farther back relative to the middle of the shoe.

The fronts are more rounded or oval shaped at the toe and will have the radius change occur closer to the center of the foot (ideally).

The front and hind hooves are shaped different because the coffin bone inside that hoof is different. The difference is a consequence of limb function... support (fronts) versus propulsion (hinds). Remember... horses are, for the most part, rear wheel drive.

Now here's the fun part.

What is lesser known is that there are also right and left patterned shoes!

In fact, whether handmade or keg, almost all properly shaped horseshoes will have a front right, front left, hind right and hind left pattern. They are not interchangeable.

Why is this?

Because the hoof wall is typically straighter on the medial side than the lateral side. The lateral side (outside) will usually be more rounded or bolder. This difference in medial/lateral shape is a consequence of how a horse loads.

Yep, it all goes back to that bio-mechanics thing.

Even those keg shoes that are not sold in right/left patterns should be shaped to reflect that difference in the feet. The right/left patterns are more visually obvious in front feet than in the hinds. Keg shoes sold in right/left patterns will often have a manufacturers stamp on the outside branch of the shoe to remind the farrier which side is which.

If the shoes are not sold/marked as right or left patterns (many aren't), some farriers will use a punch to create a small dot on the lateral branch of the right shoe. Again, this helps to remind the farrier which is which when he's finished shaping and carries the shoes back to the horse.

I mark my shoes for left/right (actually just the right shoe) and add a punched dot each time I reset a pair of shoes. That helps me remember six weeks later how many times, if any, I've reset those same shoes. One dot means I put them on new at my last visit. Two dots, I've reset the same shoes once; three dots they've been reset twice and it's almost certainly time for new shoes. I rarely get two resets out of a pair of steel shoes. I never reset aluminum.

So... does some of this information give you pause to wonder at just what your farrier is doing when he shoes your horse? Does he shape the shoes with front/hind/left/right patterns in mind or does he just nail 'em on cold and rasp the foot down to match the pre-manufactured shape?

Is he shaping the shoes to fit the foot, or is he shaping the foot to fit the shoe?

More to the point, does he/she know or even care about the difference?

Do you?

Your horse certainly does! :wink:

Cheers,
Mark
 
#14 ·
WOW Mark..

Thanks soooo very much for the tutorial!! That was very interesting and informative!

My farrier usually comes while I am at work. although I have watched him before and he does hot shape them, and burn them onto the hoof. We usually get one reset per pair! (I may not have used the correct terms)

I will have to try and have him come when I can be there so I can ask him multiple questions.. you have given me enough info to make me dangerous!!ha!!

Rhonda
 
#15 ·
If he's taking the time to hot shape and hot fit your horse, you can safely bet the farm that he well understands the difference between front/hind/left/right patterns.

As a sidenote, the AFA requires that the certification shoe board display (one of the three part certification exams) must present a combination of front and hind patterns. The rules changed, effective May 1st of this year, in that the certification candidate must supply the original patterns with those same patterns cut to accommodate clip placement and size.

The AFA just raised the quality bar... again.

Hopefully, forum readers are starting to get the idea that there's a lot more to good farriery than just nailing a piece of steel on a horse's foot. :wink:

Cheers,
Mark
 
#16 ·
Love Mark's post! I always wondered why my farrier punched holes into my horse's shoes...
Is it also normal for the lateral side of the hoof to be less "fleshy" than the medial side? Because the medial side is more weight bearing?

My horse right now actually has shoes from two different continents on his hooves. The fronts are a shoe from Germany and the hinds are a shoe from the US.
 
#19 ·
Love Mark's post! I always wondered why my farrier punched holes into my horse's shoes...
Thanks for the flowers.

Is it also normal for the lateral side of the hoof to be less "fleshy" than the medial side? Because the medial side is more weight bearing?
Yep and yep.

My horse right now actually has shoes from two different continents on his hooves. The fronts are a shoe from Germany and the hinds are a shoe from the US.
Must be a veeeeery long backed horse! :wink:

Cheers,
Mark
 
#17 ·
Thanks Mark.

My farrier is a young guy, just got out of school about a year ago from some fairly well known one in oklahoma.. I know he does a good job and has gone above and beyond at times for us. I just had a friend say her horse had front/back shoes and never knew that.. NOW I KNOW!!

THANK YOU!

Rhonda
 
#18 ·
Thanks Mark.

My farrier is a young guy, just got out of school about a year ago from some fairly well known one in oklahoma..
Probably Five Star Horseshoeing School. Tell your farrier to tell Dusty I said hello! Yeah, Five Star is one of the best and Dusty Franklin is as good as they get.

I know he does a good job and has gone above and beyond at times for us. I just had a friend say her horse had front/back shoes and never knew that.. NOW I KNOW!!
Knowledge is power! :lol:

THANK YOU!

Rhonda
De nada, por nada, con placer! :wink:

Cheers,
Mark
 
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