Hot take: that new lightweight aluminum shoe is overrated for most horses

I was at a clinic last month in Lexington and this young farrier kept going on about how aluminum shoes are the future for every horse. I get it for racehorses or show jumpers, but for the average trail horse or lesson pony? I've seen too many thin soles and bruised feet from people switching to aluminum just because the big names push it. I shoe about 15 horses a week and maybe 2 of them actually need the weight savings. The rest do fine with a good steel shoe and proper trim. Anyone else finding that lighter doesn't always mean better for the long haul?

3 comments

3 Comments

williams.jenny25d ago

Switched three ponies back to steel last spring and saw way less hoof stress.

elliot_barnes12d ago

Oh man, that's wild how different horses react. My buddy runs a small stable and he tried aluminum on two of his trail ponies, and both ended up with quarter cracks within three months. Swapped back to plain steel and they've been sound as a pound ever since. There's something about that heavier shoe that just stabilizes some feet, you know?

fiona_murphy25d agoMost Upvoted

Funny you say that @williams.jenny, because I did the exact opposite last fall and went full aluminum on my gelding. He was landing funny on steel and the concussion actually seemed worse, not better. The lighter shoes let him move more freely and his sole depth improved by the next trim. Different horses, different outcomes I guess.