Equi-note 28 Horseshoeing-clip problems
What are clips?
Clips are raised portions of the shoe made at different locations around its frontal perimeter, usually at the toe or along the quarters of the hoof.
They are very complicated modifications to shoes, and require great skilll is applying correctly. This complexity is analyzed in this blog.
Several common problems are shown next.
Clip problems-1-3
Description of above photos:
-left photo-clip pinching hoof wall; hoof overgrown shoe
-middle photo-inaccurate hammer blows to seat clip bruise hoof wall
-right photo-bent clip can create soreness
Clip problems-4-6
Description of above photos:
-left photo-hoof wall breakage facilitated by inadequate preparation of hoof wall
-middle photo-bent shoe and clip, poor quality cutout of hoof to seat toe clip
-right photo-excessive interval between shoeing resulting in broken hoof wall and exposed toe clips and nails
Equi-note 28 Horseshoeing-clip problems
Why are clips needed?
According to American Farriers Journal, a number of farriers/blacksmiths justify them for the following reasons: that they are neded to:
-Reinforce the nail work
-Reduce slippage/twisting of the shoe during shoeing
-Stabilize a rolled/rockered toe on the shoe
-Stabilize a shoe on an uneven bearing surface
-Support a weak or injured hoof
However, the majority of these points are the consequence of shoeing deficiencies which weakens their justification. The most valid reason refers to the weak or injured hoof. However, these points are so important that a subsequent post will review them in detail.
Clips can play a positive role in increasing the shoe’s resistance to the effects of torque or twisting created by the leg’s action against the ground. This is an action which can contribute to weakening the hold of the nails. However, it needs to be made clear that the risk of losing a shoe is increased if there are shortcomings in the shoeing quality. Major contributors include: an uneven bearing surface of the hoof; a crooked shoe; poor nailing or if it is poorly fitted. These are farrier/blacksmith originated problems and should not be used as arguments justifying the need for clips.
The next photo shows the effect of the twisting action by the hoof. The hind hoof is at the top and has over-tracked the front hoof. This action is repeated with every step which confirms the extensive stress applied to the hoof and shoe. The twisting action is shown by the deeper cut it makes in the ground. This occurs on the outside of the hind hoof. This effect is made by the hoof as it moves into and out of the horse’s mid-line and back to a straight arc.
This photo may explain why there has traditionally been a greater use for clips on the hind hooves, as well as the effect of torque, turning and acceleration. However, it does not justify their use on the front hooves.
Hind hoof twists with every step
Evolution of side clips
Butler Professional Farrier School writes in “Horseshoe Clips” in 2019 as follows:
“Horseshoe clips have been used for many years. Historically, toe center clips are believed have been introduced between 1825—1830 in England by H. Hallen. William Youatt wrote in 1831 that “clips are necessary on all heavy horses.” As Youatt indicated, clips became very popular on heavy “draught” (draft) horses in the early 1800s due to the heavy plodding gait of the work animals. Clips came “into fashion” on riding horses a little later (Ivan Sparkes, Old Horseshoes, 1976).
Seamus Brady is credited with establishing the side clip (also referred to as a quarter clip which is slightly-one nail hole-further forward) as a standard practice for hunters and jumpers in North America through his long-term work with the U.S. Olympic team. He started using side clips on these high-level horses in the 1960s. (American Farriers Journal, Toe Clips Vs. Side Clips, 2003)
Side clips on the hind hooves have been used for much longer and were considered more justifiable by farriers/blacksmiths given the hind hoof’s narrower shape, its role in the generation of propulsion, and its twisting action.
Criticism made of side clips in this post is mainly directed to their lateral lameness effect on the horse’s front hooves. This shoeing style is of more recent origin compared to single toe clips on the front hooves.
Where do clips cause front hoof soreness?
During lateral work there are four specific locations on the hooves where the horse will reveal soreness generated by side clips: on the inside or outside quarter of either of the front hooves. These same four locations apply to both front and hind hooves.
The location of this pressure is shown in the next image on the outside quarter of the near-fore hoof and the inside quarter of the off-hind hoof.
Ground pressure is maximised on the quarters of the hooves
This condition is particularly visible when the horse is performing lateral work. This is because at this instant maximum body weight is placed at the exact location of the side clip and thus would cause the horse to react to any increased sensitivity.
How is side clip soreness on front hoof shown?
An example of soreness caused by a clip pinching the front hoof’s quarter is shown next. This compares a sound vs an unsound horse. Both horses are performing a half-pass to the right. As is to be expected with a lame horse, the horse limped every time it leaned sideways; since at this moment the horse was putting pressure on the sore part of its hoof which caused it to rdeuce the amount of lateral reach.
Sound vs unsound horse
with stretch without stretch
While the pain generated by side clips can be very evident with the front hooves, it can also affect the back, as shown next.
Clip soreness on hind hoof
Details
The above photo shows a seriously distorted off-hind leg swing. It is caused by a wrongly placed and wrongly shaped clip on the inside branch of the off-hind shoe. This shoeing mistake created sufficient pain such that the horse showed its discomfort both in the front-back leg arc swing as well as in the lateral work. This meant that the horse was showing an almost continuous unsoundness. As can be expected, the horse did not perform well. It is disappointing to note that this horse is from one of the leading European dressage nations while competing at a major international competition.
Is the intensity of the soreness variable?
The intensity of the soreness is highly variable. It may be different from one front hoof to another; it may be different on the inside compared to the outside of the hoof. Pain can range all the way from mild discomfort to severe lameness. There are multiple possible causes in the creation of this hoof pain, which is analyzed below.
One key factor in the diminution of pain is that it will ease as more time elapses since the horse’s last shoeing. Much of the clip pain will disappear in about one week after shoeing. This is because the previously sensitive white line hoof material becomes more desensitized as the hoof grows. This process can be technically termed as the transition from dermal/vascular to epidermal/horny matter. In this way hoof growth results in the removal of pain caused by a sore hoof wall. This provides a convenient explanation for farriers/blacksmiths to use to evade their responsibility for its creation in the first place.
There is a further reason why the horse is susceptible to unsoundness at the position of the side clip. This is because there is a very small location along the quarter of the hoof where both the side clip and two or three nails are placed. This section of the hoof wall along the quarter is both thin and almost vertical. The hoof wall is much thinner near the quarter than at the toe. This requires great accuracy in nail placement by the farrier/blacksmith. A slight variation in the nail’s placement means that it can penetrate the sensitive portion of the hoof wall.
An example of a side clip and three nails is shown next.
Three nails and side clip are very close together
What are the causes of side clip soreness?
The pain from the side clips can be the consequence of various actions:
-Poor quality preparation of clip
-Poor quality fit of clip into hoof
-Misfit between hoof cut-out and clip
-Cut-out too deep into the white line
-Twisted shoe/clip causing unequal mediolateral hoof pressure
-An excessive number of nails too close to the clip
-Too large nails too close to the clip
-Nails that have been excessively tightened too close to the clip
-Excessively harsh hammering to seat the clip and clenches into the hoof wall
-Too aggressive burning of shoe and clip into hoof
Are clip originated problems international?
An important question to ask is whether these clip problems are generalized or whether they are located in particular countries or regions. The following photos indicate that the problem is generalized.
Comments are included to indicate some of the types of problems and the effects they may cause. These examples show horses at the top of their competitive careers at international level, where the standard of shoeing ought to be at the highest level.
List of clip problems and consequences
Too large/misplaced clips-risk lameness/interference
Spain Sweden
Details
Left photo-the clip on the Spanish hoof is too large and exposed, as is the rim of the shoe towards the heel, which risks interference.
Right photo-the clip on the Swedish horse has a poor shape and has been poorly prepared. When the clip was raised, the branch of the shoe beneath it was distorted creating an uneven bearing surface. This obviously unbalances the horse. The heel of the shoe has been thickened. This has been done to compensate for the fact that the toe of the hoof has not been properly trimmed by the farrier/blacksmith. As can be seen, the toe is far too long and hangs over the toe of the shoe. This has created a too low angle of hoof which the thickened heel tried to correct.
Mismatched toe and shoe-risks imbalance/slippage
Spain Australia
Details
The above shoes rely on clips for stability in part to compensate for incorrectly prepared bearing surfaces. However, the two shoes are different.
Left photo-in the case of the Spanish horse the toe of the shoe is set back away from the toe of the hoof. While this may have been done for the purpose of improving break-over it has created another problem. This is now a double toe. This means that at the moment when the hoof leaves the ground there is no single defined hoof perimeter for final push. This is usually the leading edge of the shoe. However, in this case it is now somewhere between the rim of the shoe and the rim of the hoof. This dispersion weakens the leg’s thrust. There is a further problem in that the clips are too large and the shoe is too wide which also presents a possible problem of shoe loss.
Right photo-in the case of the Australian hoof, there is a different problem. While the clips are in a correct location in terms of width and quarter, they appear to be too small. There is a poorly prepared bearing surface of the toe of the hoof with the shoe, which will create similar conditions to the shoe in the left photo.
Double toe-results in imbalance and slippage
Details
This photo shows a double toe from a different perspective, but one which clearly shows how the thrust of take-off is compromised by the dual location of the toe of the hoof and the shoe.
Too large/too high clips-imbalance and pinching
Brazil
Details
There are issues with clip size (too big) and placement (too far to the front), which can lead to imbalance and pinching. In addition to the fundamental problem of the size and placement of the clips, there is a serious distortion of the hoof capsule. The shape of this front hoof capsule seems to have a shortened toe and its size appears to be significantly smaller than the hind hoof.
The hoof capsule size is too small (this can have multiple causes, including conformation, injury or excessive rasping), and square toe (probably dubbed). There is also likely to be an increased risk of interference from a longer and wider hind hoof.