# Road Studs



## vallin (12 May 2011)

Just wondering if anyone uses them for hacking and if they make any difference re. slipping? My horse tends to prat about and has ended up slipping a couple of time, and has now scared herself, we're going right back to basics with the hacking (i.e. walking out in hand, the joys!) but I was just wondering if road studs would help with slipping (generally, rather than when she's pratting about) when we eventually get back to being able to do ridden hacking.
TIA
Vx


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## Roody2 (12 May 2011)

I don't use studs but my farrier does use one or two titanium road nails on each hoof which help with grip.


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## milo'n'molly (12 May 2011)

We've had a new road surface at the top of the lane our yard is on and its very slippy. I have had road nails put in and it has made all the difference


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## smiffyimp (12 May 2011)

road nails are great for general slipping and no faf like studs


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## Sarah_Jane (12 May 2011)

Road nails may help as above if you have a slipping problem, I tend not to use routinely as they do increase concussion.


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## vallin (12 May 2011)

Sarah_Jane said:



			Road nails may help as above if you have a slipping problem, I tend not to use routinely as they do increase concussion.
		
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This was sort of why I was wondering about studs rather than nails as then they're not in all the time (i.e. when in the field on rock hard ground!) but the studs just looked really big so one would expect them to unbalance the foot considerably...


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## Joyous70 (12 May 2011)

Road nails do help, however, my boys tend to break off after about 2.5/3 weeks


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## oldvic (12 May 2011)

All ours have road studs in behind and it makes a huge difference - they can barely stand up in places without. The road nails are also good although sometimes need replacing before the shoe.


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## vallin (12 May 2011)

oldvic said:



			All ours have road studs in behind and it makes a huge difference - they can barely stand up in places without. The road nails are also good although sometimes need replacing before the shoe.
		
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Do you find the studs really chunky? They look like they would unbalance to hoof a lot...


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## Ranyhyn (12 May 2011)

I looked at the road studs and ended up thinking the same Vallin, if that's of any use to you at all.  I can fully understand the principle on ground with give, I can see how the grip could be improved but road studs just don't work in my brain - someone knowledgeable please teach me!!


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## Ranyhyn (12 May 2011)

I found this useful Vallin http://www.studsandstuff.com/typesofstuds.html


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## vallin (12 May 2011)

Kitsune said:



			I found this useful Vallin http://www.studsandstuff.com/typesofstuds.html

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Yeah, I read that earlier, but still can't see how they work


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## ArcticFox (12 May 2011)

When you have your horse shod, the nails in the shoe will be slightly prominent, so riding on a slippery tarmac road will probably not be a problem just after shoeing.  once you have been out a few times the nails wear flat to the shoe therefore taking away grip.  

roads are slightly uneven so the use of road nails (which have a tungsten middle which takes much much longer to wear out), and road studs will give a bit more grip.  

Does that make sense?  i prefer road nails, one on the outside of each shoe - my dad who was a farrier recommended it - over road studs


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## oldvic (12 May 2011)

vallin said:



			Do you find the studs really chunky? They look like they would unbalance to hoof a lot...
		
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No, we use the type that the farrier puts in and they stay in permanently. They don't stick out far so are similar to stud nails but are more robust and last a full shoeing rather than 2-3 weeks especially if the horse is a little heavy on his shoes.


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## vallin (12 May 2011)

ArcticFox said:



			When you have your horse shod, the nails in the shoe will be slightly prominent, so riding on a slippery tarmac road will probably not be a problem just after shoeing.  once you have been out a few times the nails wear flat to the shoe therefore taking away grip.  

roads are slightly uneven so the use of road nails (which have a tungsten middle which takes much much longer to wear out), and road studs will give a bit more grip.  

Does that make sense?  i prefer road nails, one on the outside of each shoe - my dad who was a farrier recommended it - over road studs
		
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Thanks, I get how the road nails work, and in theory the road studs to, but I don't understand how the road studs don't act like football studs on concrete IYSWIM?


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## oldvic (12 May 2011)

The screw in road studs are not really meant for everyday use, more for situations where you just need a little stud or some people use them on the inside of the shoe so the horse doesn't injure himself.


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## horseywelsh (12 May 2011)

Road nails - 2 in each shoe for us. They can't stand up without them, we do alot of roadwork (no off road tracks  ) and have steep hills which are slippery. Very occassionally one or two may get scrubbed off, but usually still have at least 1 in each shoe on the heavy footed welsh.
Have tried the pins before but found these stuck out too much (almost causing them to rock on their hooves, hated them) and didn't help slipping either (one of mine jumped and went splat on the road, not nice). So we stick to road nails now, yes there may be concussion issues but for us it's a tradeoff as I think the risk of injuries from slipping/falling are greater in our case.


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## vallin (12 May 2011)

Cool, thanks for all the info  Think I understand, will just stick with road nails for now


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## ArcticFox (13 May 2011)

I know what you mean Vallin, I would say that road studs probably do not make the whole shoe flat to the ground. I travel my boy to events with flat studs in and you can just see a little gap when he is on concrete.  

Road nails for me too


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