Finally changed my mind about aluminum shoes after a bad case study

I used to swear by steel shoes for everything, no exceptions. But last month I read a case study from a vet clinic in Kentucky that tracked 40 horses over 6 months. Turns out aluminum shoes reduced concussion-related soreness by 30% in horses on hard-packed trails. I found the data in a farrier science journal my buddy subscribed to. That stat surprised me enough to try them on a client's trail horse. Have any of you seen similar results with aluminum on certain terrain?

2 comments

2 Comments

blakem3729d ago

Jumped on that same train about a year ago after seeing a local farrier's data. He ran his own trial with 15 horses on mixed terrain and aluminum shoes cut down on stone bruising way more than steel did. I was skeptical at first since aluminum wears faster, but for trail horses hitting hard pack or gravel, the trade off is totally worth it. The way I see it, if the horse is moving better and coming in less sore, that's a win for everyone involved. Plus you can always slap steel back on if the trails get sloppy or you need more grip.

blake69129d ago

Feel you on that, a good farrier's numbers can really change your mind on something you thought you knew. Glad it's working out for your horses too.