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Here is the short report.
After dropping my shoer of 6 years..many issues. I decided it was time
to do-it-myself.
Like just how bad can I mess things up with the horses I do not ride
in the sport? At least after 30 years of reading, watching, reading
more and
doing touch up trim jobs, I should be able to get this done.
And like what's the rush - so it takes me a day per horse??

I got a cheapo not so good video from ebay watched it 3 times. Read the
books on shoeing again..and spend a good day with Jaye Perry..
READY TRIM FILE..

Completed the trims of the 4 older horses. Job was OK looked nice. I
took off too much and had very flat soles - did not cut out the soles
deep enough. Well at least they looked good and were sound. I tried to
get the toes back and not take too much heel. It was sort of like that
cartoon of trying to balance the 4 legs of a wooden table.. :)

After the trim jobs. It was time to try the shoe job. I selected the
plastic EQUIFLEX shoes. The test rat horse was Fame the little gray I
bred.. and run most of my tests on..
I selected the size that was just larger then the foot. I had to
select the correct heel spread bridge bar to expand the heels of the
shoe. I have the complete range of shoe sizes and heel bridges here.

I shaped the shoes on the bench grinder - very easy to work. I removed
all the side and toe clips.
To get the shape I used a felt tip pen to draw around the hoof on the
shoe. I ground the shoe to the outside of the line. Easy.

I cleaned up the foot and drew a line over the white line with a
black felt tip pen.
I can place the shoe over the foot and see the BLACK line though the
plastic . Easy
Now this shoe slips all over  the place and makes nailing it in place
difficult.
So the fix is to glue the shoe in place where I want it.  I use Vettec
AHDERE, a little dab at the toe and the heels. Held in place for  about
60 sec -Done - shoe glued on foot.

Now to nail it on.  The first nail was the worse. I did not drill
pilot holes in the shoe as some advised. I just lined up the tip ,
tapped it in place then a few good wacks, check to see the tip is
coming out the side wall , then set it in hard. I have this nail set
tool from EquiFlex to place over the nail and really set it into the
plastic.
I had problems getting the nail shanks bent over but it got easier
after a few more nails. I cut off the nails   after I had them all set.
I used 4 on the outside and 3 on the inside. . A few did not come out
soon enough, I had a high set nail. I decided to remove a few and go
for a lower exit. Rather have the nails too low then too high and hit
the white line.
The clinching did not go too well. The clincher is a cheapo, I could
not get then to bend over real tight, but I got a bend in the shank.
Took about 45 minutes to get both front done.
I decided to do only the front in the morning.
The I had to go do medical repair work to my hands fingers and leg.
Cuts, file scraps, hoof knife nicks, nail snags, bashed finger and
thumb where I missed the nail, and sore knees.. but all was well I had
two shoes on.
Came back in the afternoon and did the rear. That went much faster.
I have a foot stand - to hold the foot and clinch as well as to file
the shoe to a nice fit with a rim for expansion.

All done. Job looks OK? I thought it was kinda good, no blood running
out the nail holes?? and she trotted out sound.

I took some video for motion study analysis. I ran it back in slow
motion a did frame by frame review of her flight at a walk and trot. It
was not too bad. I had good break over and landing on 3 and fair on her RF - 
which
is a slight club. Not easy to get balanced.

Shoes have been on for about 4 1/2 weeks, she is still sound :) and we
have done close to 70 miles of riding ( testing the TIMEX GPS) She
goes GREAT on the hard top road and fly's over the stones/ rocks. Very
little slipping in the mud or  grass etc.
These are GREAT shoes.
I plan on putting them on the 3 older ones and maybe Carol's regular
horse. I think for general riding use they will be great. I do not
know how long they would hold up to the longer  higher mileage rides
and conditioning. I would like to try them on Omni but Jaye says NO.

At this time I have found another shoer who will get a shot next Tues.
He had agreed to put on the these shoes. Jaye will decide on Sunday
when he comes here for Omni and Raz, if Raz can go in them.

At least I now know I can do this - so if this new shoer does not
work out, I can get them all trimmed and shod with the Equiflex shoes
and we can ride them.

It was a good experience. I feel I could even nail a replacement steel
shoe  back on Omni at a ride. I plan on taking a full set of used shoes
ready to nail on to all the rides along with the shoeing tools.

I again really do recommend these EQUIFLEX shoes.
See at the web site www.equiflex.net   I am not at this time going to
sell these shoes. If you want to try them go direct to the company.

As a post note- the all glue on job did NOT work they fell off in 3 to
4 days. Way to much moisture in the hoof walls for the Vettec to hold.
Best deal is to glue and then nail them on.

See pictures of the job at  the below link   album Horse shoeing jobs

Roger Rittenhouse
www.vmaxept.com
800 655 8629
pictures  http://community.webshots.com/user/psdendurance   



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