How to Make a Horseshoe the Right Size

Like humans, horses have different sizes of feet depending on their age, breed and overall size.To keep a horse sound and healthy, it is important to use the correct shoe size when shoeing them. The correct shoe will fit the trimmed hoof and allow it to be nailed on with only minor alterations to the shape. Because a hoof can expand and grow shortly after trimming, you should fit a shoe to a freshly trimmed hoof.

Things You'll Need

Tape measure
Anvil
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Figure out what size shoe will best fit your horse. Lift one of the horse's front hooves off the ground and hold it with the sole facing upward as you would do when trimming the hoof. If you find that you cannot hold the hoof with one hand and measure with the other, slide the horse's leg between your legs from behind and grip the leg with your knee to hold it upright and free your hands.
- 2
  Hold the tape measure over the sole and measure the hoof's width at the widest part, from the outer edge of the hoof wall on either side. Measure the hoof length from the center of the toe to the end of the outside heal on an angle across the hoof. Repeat this procedure on a hind hoof.
- 3
  Refer to the manufacturer's size chart, and purchase the shoe size that most closely matches the horse's foot. Manufacturers have different methods and standards for sizing their shoes, so a size four may not be the same across brands. The type of work the horse does and whether it requires any corrective shoeing may influence the length of the shoe required by the horse, but the width is typically consistent between the hoof measurement and the shoe.
- 4
  Pick up the horse's hoof and place the shoe against the bottom of the hoof. Look for minor adjustments that need to be made in the shape and flatness of the shoe. Place the shoe on the anvil, and hammer the shoe against it to make minor adjustments in the shape so that it matches the foot precisely prior to nailing it onto the hoof.