How to Make Horse Shoeing Stocks

Farrier work is a labor intensive job that can be back breaking and dangerous. As farrier F. Thomas Breningstall notes in the Windt im Wald website, "The horse must be trained to stand quietly while you work on its feet. Horse wrestling and hoof trimming are not compatible activities; you can get hurt." Due to the extreme pressures a horse can put on the stock and its hardware, only a skilled carpenter should make a wooden shoeing stock.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 inch by 4 inch oak or hardwood lumber - one 96 inch board
  • 1 inch by 4 inch oak or hardwood lumber - one 168 inch board
  • 2 inch by 6 inch oak or hardwood lumber - one 144 inch board
  • 2 inch by 6 inch oak or hardwood lumber - eight 168 inch boards
  • 4 inch by 6 inch oak or hardwood lumber - three 168 inch boards
  • 4 inch by 6 inch oak or hardwood lumber - two 144 inch boards
  • 1/8 inch flat plate steel - 32 by 11 1/4 inches
  • 1/4 by 2 inch angle iron - 72 inches
  • 3/8 by 3 inch steel flat bar - 48 inches
  • 1/8 by 1 1/2 inch steel flat bar - 160 inches
  • Band saw or oxyfuel cutting torch
  • Metal bender
  • Drill press and bits
  • Portable hand drill and bits
  • 10 inch circular saw
  • Hand saw
  • Wood chisel
  • Wooden or hard rubber mallet
  • Hammer
  • Wrench
  • Nails -- 50d, 12d, 8d
  • Lag screws -- 3/8 by 2 inch, ½ by 2 inch
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Instructions

  1. Material Preparation

    • 1

      Label four 4 by 6 posts "front," "back," "inside," "outside," "top," and "bottom" to assist with notch instructions and assembly.

    • 2

      Cut six 4 by 6 by 84 inches for four posts and two runners; cut two 4 by 6 by 52 inches for the side rails; cut one 4 by 6 by 30 inches for the front rail; cut four 4 by 6 by 16 inches for the rectangle hoof rests; cut two 4 by 6 by 9 ½ inches for the top of front rectangle hoof rest; cut four 4 by 6 by 17 inches then cut a 1 inch slope on one end of each 17 inch piece for the sloped hoof rests; cut eleven 2 by 6 by 42 inches for the flooring; cut two 1 by 4 by 44 inches for the front and rear top supports; cut two 1 by 4 by 84 inches for the side top supports.

    • 3

      Cut the metal using the band saw or oxyfuel cutting touch. Cut eight 1/8 gauge flat plate 4 by 11 ¼ inches then drill six ½ inch holes in two sets of three, 1 inch from both 6 inch sides at 1 inch, 5 inches, and 10 ½ inches; cut two 3/8 by 3 inch flat bar 24 inches in length then drill ½ inch holes in two sets of two off-centered in each end within the first two inches of the ends to anchor bar to wood, then bend each end 2 ½ inches from ends to 40 degrees using the metal bender to obtain a brace for a 90 degree wooden structure; cut eight 1/8 by 1 ½-inch flat bar an overall length of 20 inches with one end of each having a 32-degree angle. Drill three ½ holes with one at each end and one in center. (When two are placed with angles together they should form the outer edges of the letter A.) Cut twelve ¼ by 2 by 2-inch angle iron 6 inches in length, then drill 3/8-inch holes ¾ inch from each end.

    • 4

      Notch four 4 by 6 by 84 posts inside bottom 1 inch deep and 2 inches up from the bottom of the post using the hand saw, chisel, and wooden or hard rubber mallet. Notch two of the 4 by 6 by 84 posts front 1 inch deep between 42 1/2 inches to 46 1/2 inches to fit side rail 4 by 6 by 52. Notch two of the 4 by 6 by 84 posts back 1 inch deep between 42 1/2 inches to 46 1/2 inches to fit side rail 4 by 6 by 52. Notch two 4 by 6 by 9 ½ inches on one end 2 inches deep by 4 inches in length to fit the top of the front rectangle hoof rests.

    Assembling Shoeing Stock

    • 5

      Place two 4 by 6 by 84-inch runners on flat, level surface with 6-inch side down. Attach two post to each runner using 12d nails keeping outside of post flush with outside of the runner at 14-inch center from front and rear of runner ends. Secure each post to runner with 2-inch angle and 3/8-inch lag screws on the side rail notched side only.

    • 6

      Secure top of both sides of post with 1 by 4 by 84 -inch boards using 3/8-inch lag screws on outside of post flush with top of post.

    • 7

      Stand each side upright with assistance or bracing for safety. Attach together the top front and rear with the 1 by 4 by 44 inch boards using 3/8-inch lag screws, overlapping the ends of the 1 by 4 by 84 side top boards. Nail two 8d nails at the ends of the 1 by 4s securing the ends together. The bottom of the post should measure 42 inches from outside to outside.

    • 8

      Attach the 2 by 6 by 42-inch floor boards to runners, starting at the rear of the stock, using three 8d nails in each end. Notch the floor boards to fit around the posts allowing the floor to rest on the runner along the inside of each post in the notched area for weight support.

    • 9

      Attach 4 by 6 by 16-inch to the rear of the front post and front of the rear post with two 60d nails. Attach the notched 4 by 6 by 9 1/2 inch to the top of the front 4 by 6 by 16-inch post to form an inverted "L" using three 16d nails.

    • 10

      Attach the sloped 4 by 6 by 17-inch post to the front of the front posts and the rear of the rear post with the 17 inch side to the post using two 60d nails.

    • 11

      Attach the sloped 4 by 6 by 17 inch posts to the front of the front posts and the rear of the rear posts with the 17-inch side to the post using two 60d nails. Secure the side rails to the front posts by centering the 3/8 by 3 by 24-inch flat bar braces and attaching with 1/2-inch lag screws.

    • 12

      Attach additional hardware as suited for securing horse while in stocks.