I used to shape all my shoes cold, but a clinic in Kentucky changed my mind

For about five years, I shaped every shoe cold on the anvil before nailing it on. I thought it saved time and kept the foot cooler. Then I went to a clinic near Lexington where the instructor showed us hot fitting on a draft horse with a tricky flare. Seeing the shoe mold perfectly to the foot in real time was a game changer. I started doing it for my tough cases about eight months ago, and now I hot fit probably 70% of my work. The fit is just so much better, especially on horses with uneven walls. What's one thing you changed in your routine after seeing someone else do it better?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew_hart2518d ago

Man, I was just as stubborn. Thought I had it all figured out with the cold shoeing. Felt like a real genius until I saw that hot shoe just melt into place on a wonky foot. Made my old method look like I was just guessing. Had to eat a big slice of humble pie that day. Now I’m burning hoof every chance I get because the proof is right there on the anvil.

vera_campbell11d agoMost Upvoted

Read an article that said hot fitting lets you see the fit before the hoof cools. Makes total sense now.

lilys8218d ago

What kind of clinic was it, a farrier school deal or something more informal? I had a similar stubborn streak about cold shoeing for years. Watching an old timer hot fit a club foot finally made it click for me too. That smell of burnt hoof still means a good fit is coming.