# Shoes - toe or side clips in front?



## Dovorian (15 December 2009)

OH and I are debating whether or not toe clips are better for horses doing fast work in soft going. I believe that a toe clip helps and my argument is that most lost shoes we have had this season have been on horses which have side clips on front shoes. 
It may be coincidence but I know other people who have similar views! Hence have decided to get an accord between us before the farrier comes again!!


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## teddyt (15 December 2009)

Depends on the horse! Some need quarter clips. It depends on their conformation, foot balance and breakover, etc as to whether a horse has toe or quarter clips.

In terms of puling a shoe off, i can see that a toe clip may provide more resistance to a shoe being trodden on at the heel. But if any shoe is trodden on it is likely to come loose, even if not pulled right off. Ultimately though i would choose the shoe according to what the horse needs, rather than what may help reduce the chance of it pulling off.

Ask your farrier for a more informed opinion though, thats his job!


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## K27 (15 December 2009)

I personally prefer side clips as the toe can be pulled back and the metal shoe can be fitted wider/longer at the heels, but if you have a horse that is doing faster work or hunting you may be able to get away with a standard toe clip hunter shoe or have you considered a rolled toe without any clips at all- they are good shoes.  See what your Farrier recommends for your horse.


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## brightmount (15 December 2009)

My shod horse was always pulling her shoes off when she had toe clips, resulting in the quarters losing a lot of hoof wall. I changed farrier and he put on fronts with quarter clips, it really helped to stabilise the shoe on the hoof and hold everything together. You can also slightly roll the toe as well (without going as far as Natural Balance) to help with breakover.


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## Fiona (15 December 2009)

Was taught at PC that a clip was worth 2 nails in holding shoes on, so purely on that basis quarter clips are better.

I also like them on a shoeing front, as stated above - they mean the heels can be supported better, and shoe can be set back slightly (in a semi natural balance sort of way).

Both my mares are shod with Q clips, and I notice it a lot more now (at shows and in H&amp;H pics etc).

Fiona


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## criso (16 December 2009)

Just a thought but maybe the reason you are noticing more horses with quarter clips pulling shoes that ones shod with a front clip is that these are horses that need something in their foot addressing in the first place.
Mine has had no clips and quarter clips as my farrier works on correcting his foot balance and HPA. He is a horse with foot issues and a real talent for pulling off shoes but the quarter clips are not the cause of this.

If you are concerned I would chat to the farrier about why he shoes your horse a certain way.  Mine is happy to explain in great detail exactly what he is doing and why.  You can also discuss the amount and type of work he is doing which may influence what he does.


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## Amymay (16 December 2009)

My horse has quarter clips as he had a tendancy to loose shoes.....


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## millitiger (16 December 2009)

most horses who have side clips are horses with slightly suspect feet so more likely to loose shoes anyway.

i go with whatever my farrier suggests tbh as he is the expert.

if he thinks mine need side clips, they get them. if not, i don't suggest it (but i do have a v.v.good farrier).


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## TheFarrier (23 December 2009)

There is absolutely no difference to a horse working in soft ground what clips it has on its shoes as it will choose its natural break over so the speeded up break over of double clips is negated as is the driving through of a single clip as both these actions only apply to hard ground and have no bearing on soft ground what so ever.

Horses with poor quality feet are often fitted with side clips because a clip is worth two nails and so this would be the reason that they loose shoes more often although there is no scientic bearing to your arugument. If the horse is going to pull a shoe its going to pull it.


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## FestiveSpirit (23 December 2009)

This is a really interesting thread - my last horse (a Selle Francais) had rubbish feet so had quarter clips on his front shoes, and my present horse (a TB) has also always been shod that way by my farrier although the TB's feet are loads better than the SF's were.

Having said that my TB has never ever lost a shoe unless another horse has trodden on his heel in the field (which happened twice before I insisted he was turned out on his own).

I suppose it means my farrier does a brilliant job - well I knew that already really


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