Subj: Question to the farrier-Bob Blackwell, please.
Date: 11/19/98 11:10:41 AM Central Standard Time
To: MFTHorses

I'm hearing the term "pressure shoing", and in belief that knowledge is the best weapon, I would like to know all there is to know about this practice. Why a trainer would want to do it, if there are benefits, and what a horse looks like in movement when this "pressure shoing" is done to them, and all the reasons NOT to do this "pressure shoing". Thank you.

ANSWER:

Pressure Shoeing is described in the HPA as; Any manner of shoeing a horse that causes it to suffer, or can reasonably be expected to cause it to suffer, pain or distress or lameness when walking, trotting, or otherwise moving, or inflammation or soreness regardless of movement.

"Pressure shoeing", like "soreing" is done to gain an unfair advantage in the showring. Any un-natural foot or leg movement is indicitive of possible "pressure shoeing" or "soreing". "Pressure shoeing" is done in many ways, driving nails just inside the white line,(quicking) inserting foreign objects under shoes, compressing a shoe already on a horse, (told me by a RH trainer) and in the case of FTs using a tight fitted small heeled shoe.(This is done because it could cause extended reach) The ONLY reason not to do this is that it causes the horse pain and that is a good enough reason for me not to do it.

Bob

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