By Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I provided us with an opportunity to get some good step by step shots of him forging a plain stamped shoe using 5/16”x3/4” flat stock. Notice that Roy, right-handed, works with his struck tools in line with Continue reading →

We have all heard the sayings “time is money” and “wasted time is wasted money.” The use of grinders to modify shoes and buffers to dress hooves not only improves time efficiency; it also reduces wear and tear on the body by eliminating the need Continue reading →

by Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I Is the shoe creased or fullered? I use the term crease if the bottom of the groove is sharp or V shaped. If the bottom is flat I consider it fullered. Call it what you want, there are two reasons Continue reading →

By Austin Edens, CJF Shoeing with frog support has gained traction in the past few years with its primary benefit for caudal support of the hoof capsule. We have many tools at our disposal to combat caudal failure in the hoof capsule, such as heart Continue reading →

FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE TIPS WILL ENSURE SAFE INSTALLATION. RECOMMENDED TOOLS: Bloom C13 Stud Set PunchFootPro 2 lb. Brass HammerBellota Center PunchAnnealed Steel HammerBloom C11 Stud Set PunchC11 and C13 Studs17/64" Drill BitFootPro 17/64" Countersink Bit FootPro C11 and C13 Solid Carbide Studs C11 (left) C13 Continue reading →

By Dave Farley, CF APF-I In this article, I will show you how I shoe a horse with a mild heel shear. In future articles, we will deal with the two severe stages that I call sheared heels. I will not attempt to diagnose the Continue reading →

By Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I The following is a method for knife sharpening that I have been using for some years. You may be able to use this method to improve your knife's cutting ability. It is important that you maintain a thin blade. The Continue reading →

by Tim Shannon CJF, APF, AWCF, GradDip ELR OverviewI would like to go over a couple terms we hear a lot. Static and dynamic balance. What do they mean, why are they important to us? Is one more important than the other? Is this something Continue reading →

If you do a lot of heel check grinds this is the attachment for you. It is also useful for notching pads for clips, beveling the inside web of shoes and touch up of clips. It has a 40-grit Ceramic abrasive that does an excellent Continue reading →

In July of 2020, we had a horse come in the FootPro Shop that proved to be a good example of what can happen when hoof care is not done on a regular schedule. Dave Farley, CF APF-I came to the shop to talk about Continue reading →

The overwhelming majority of tools that are returned to manufacturers of top tools are not defective. Most tools show obvious signs of misuse and/or lack of maintenance. Even under correct use you have to realize top tools are not lifetime tools. If you have used Continue reading →

by Michael Wildenstein, CJF, FWCF (hons) "Conformation of an owner’s horse can be a very sensitive subject." - Ted S. Stashak In my experience that statement is very true and includes individual horse owners that I felt were open-minded. Study the equine conformation; learn what Continue reading →

Articles in past issues of the Natural Angle have focused on techniques, tools and other methods of bringing more efficiency into the daily routine of shoeing horses. We’ve assembled some images of the more common daily applications for various abrasives equipment. You have to decide Continue reading →

By Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I There are a lot of forging hammers in the market and just as many ideas as to how hard they should be. I have always held that the hammer hardness should not be more than the struck tool. The first Continue reading →

by Doug Workman, CJF This is a show Hunter that has just finished a long show season. He has come into my life for a little light training and to let mind, body and feet have a much needed break. The life of a show Continue reading →

by Sammy L. Williams, Mexico, MO I have shod horses professionally for over 55 years! I am primarily a Saddlebred farrier but have filled in with Morgans, Arabians, and various other breeds and disciplines in order to keep a full work schedule close to home. Continue reading →

Dave Farley visited the FootPro Shop and did a variety of shoe modifications using the Kerckhaert SX-10 unclipped shoes. The SX-10 is a 3/8” thick shoe that allows you to do various modifications without sacrificing the strength of the shoe. You can find videos of Continue reading →

THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF TRACTION DEVICES ON THE MARKET TODAY but a few of the most useful and least likely to create problems with the upper limb are the Tungsten pins, drive-in studs and nails with hard facing. All three are easily applied and Continue reading →

Volume 3, Issue 1 of The Natural Angle featured a story on clipping shoes using the edge of the anvil. In the step by step discussion in that article we used a clipping hammer, which is similar to a ball pein. In this article, the Continue reading →

By Dave Farley, CF APF-I and Roy Bloom, CJF APF-I The 12 Points of Reference article previously printed in the Natural Angle Volume 12, Issue 1, combined with the 12 points DVD "is a winning combination.” We both use these steps on every horse we Continue reading →

A significant number of crease nail pullers are returned to suppliers each year because of damage that can be avoided – not as a result of defective material or workmanship. It is possible for heat treatment or defective metal to be a problem but be Continue reading →