Switched to aluminum shoes after 12 years of steel, here's why

I always thought aluminum shoes were just for racehorses and rich people. But last month I had a client in Lexington bring me a horse that kept losing steel shoes on hard ground. I was about to blame my nailing until I looked up some stats on the American Farriers Journal site. Turns out aluminum shoes are actually lighter by about 40% on average, which cuts down concussion on the hoof wall. That surprised me because I figured they'd wear out in a week. But the real kicker was reading that some dressage barns in Virginia switched completely and saw fewer quarter cracks. I tried a set on that horse and he's held them for 6 weeks now without one pull. Has anyone else seen better hoof health after making the swap?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_rodriguez3012d ago

Laid out my first aluminum set like a fumbling intern and somehow the horse didn't land on my foot, so I'm calling it a win lol. The weight difference is wild, I noticed my horses moving freer right away. Gotta say the lighter material makes me feel way less bad when I drop one on my own toe too.

ivan_harris12d ago

Eh I've gotta push back a little on that aluminum hype. Steel's heavier but it holds up way longer and you don't have to worry about cracks as much.

green.iris12d ago

Aluminum's great until you're pulling a twisted shoe on a gravel road and the toe clips strip out.