Shire horses eliminated from show for bad shoeing practices

[Btomkins]

Interesting article about Shire hoof care and shoeing that may be of interest to some of the hoof geeks on here.

I knew in America practices like this are common and the heavy horse (and other breed) showing classes make me feel sick when I see some of the farriery practices. Never knew similar went on here though!

Shire horses inspected for controversial “couping” horseshoe practice at British horse shows in 2023

At England's recent Staffordshire Show, farrier Grant Moon, FWCF rejected seven exhibitors' horses as violating the breed's published shoeing rules.

hoofcare.blogspot.com

 

[tda]

I saw this last night on fb. Shame it's taken so long to actually put it into practice

 

[The Xmas Furry]

My farrier was telling me about this last week when he came, he was appalled. He shoes just a few heavy horses and also makes his own shoes for competition (Has won a few times too). He's been asked once to make and fit for the ring not the horse, he refused and also contacted the society to tell them why and who.

We have best set of shod feet award at Breed show each year and he'd hand make me shoes for mine, we have to put farrier name down on entry form.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I never knew about this it's awful

 

[rabatsa]

My farrier told me years ago that he stopped shoeing heavy horses as he did not like the way that the owners wanted them shod. He has won best shod awards twice with one of my driving animals at the National Championship show.

 

[ycbm]

About time.
.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I know they show them abhorrently in the US, but I had no idea there was similar (if not as bad) here.

 

[Jenko109]

Gross.

I had no idea this went on.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Really pleased to learn that these abhorrent and outdated practices are being actively policed now.

 

[SEL]

My old YO used to breed Shires and said she often felt she was placed far down the line because hers didn't need shoes of any sort. I thought we'd got rid of this type of stuff in the UK.

 

[Goldenstar]

They do that to Clydesdales as well .

 

[Btomkins]

They do that to Clydesdales as well .

Yes, from the article it’s clear this is still very much occurring with Clydesdale showing

 

[humblepie]

Very interesting article. I had seen something about this but didn't know what or why.

 

[smolmaus]

To see so many people, including myself, putting so much effort and worry and time into getting a conformationally "challenged" horse sound and balanced and fit and then to see people doing stuff like this is sickening.

 

[webble]

Great that people got asked to leave but how awful, think of the long term issues

 

[Tarragon]

I had no idea that this was done! Appalling practise
To think that 7 horses were rejected implies a very high proportion are affected - I am very glad that at last the ban is being put into practise.

 

[JBM]

I’ve never seen this in my life?? What’s the point of that? Looks horrible

 

[splashgirl45]

Very interesting thanks for the article, glad something is being done at last

 

[Snowfilly]

It won’t make the slightest bit of difference on a larger level. Many in hand heavies are shod like that and a lot of judges will only place ones that are. It’s common to see classes of two year olds who are all wearing shoes. It’s also common to see best shod prizes going to those monstrosities.

People will just avoid this show and this farrier in future.

When I had my Clyde, I was often told he couldn’t be placed because he was unshod.

A terrible, horse ruining, thing to do.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I’ve never seen this in my life?? What’s the point of that? Looks horrible

Long story short, to get their hocks closer behind to fit in with breed standard.

 

[Snowfilly]

I’ve never seen this in my life?? What’s the point of that? Looks horrible

Makes the hocks look closer together. Shire and Clyde in hand people are obsessed with close set hocks and close movement behind.

I’ve seen some interesting trimming of back feathers to give the illusion of it but at least that doesn’t hurt anyone!

 

[JBM]

Long story short, to get their hocks closer behind to fit in with breed standard.

Makes the hocks look closer together. Shire and Clyde in hand people are obsessed with close set hocks and close movement behind.

I’ve seen some interesting trimming of back feathers to give the illusion of it but at least that doesn’t hurt anyone!

Thank you for explaining.
It’s horrible what people will come up with at the expense of the horse for “looking better”

 

[Goldenstar]

Long story short, to get their hocks closer behind to fit in with breed standard.

In the past they liked them close behind and cow hocked because it was easier for ploughing .

 

[Birker2020]

Before I get attacked I would like to say that I think this practice is abhorent. But can someone please explain how different this is to shoeing using the lateral extension horse shoe which make horses also place their feet in a different position?

I get that couping is unfair to the horse because it is done by way of an aesthetic change whereas lateral horse shoes are done for health reasons but is there really that much of a difference? I expect there are an awful lot of horse owners whose farriers do this, I had lateral extensions for a previous horse for spavin.

Lateral extensions are useful for horses that brush as it widens the horses gait during movement. It is also used as an aid for the treatment of spavin as it makes the horse place its limbs less midline (which horses do when they are in pain from spavin by way of overcompensating thus causing other issues).

 

[YourValentine]

I think the main difference is one is for human based "aesthetics" itrespective of welfar. The other is done for welfare (spavins) and in consultation with a vet. If a vet is not involved/consulted then it shouldn't be done either.

 

[YourValentine]

For everyone horrified by this, every show you go to find the secretary's tent and ask loudly which farrier they have checking all the heavy horse entries.

Make a noise (not just on social media), remove the social license to show under these conditions.
Write to the breed associations, etc

 

[AandK]

That shoe is still fitted centrally on the foot though, isn't it. Look at the article in the OP, you can see in the first picture how the shoe is not set centrally, and in some cases won't have full heel support on the inside (see second pic in article).

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I'm really pleased to see this report and the expulsions from the two shows but I really hope the breed societies take it on seriously.

It needs to be more common to have horses with couping shoes eliminated, regardless of who is showing them. There are a number of society affiliated shows on last week and into next and there need to be farrier checks at all and competitors should be asked to give their farriers details when registering.

They then need to look at the practice of putting couping shoes on foals to create the cow hock appearance from a young age. I was shocked to see foals shod at a Shire show last year.

There are some big names who are supporters of this practice so it will need quite a strong push to get this practice relegated to the history books as an archaic tradition.

 

[ester]

I think it's good that they had a FWCF checking, that must give some weight to not letting them compete. It would be better if the FRC/WCF was involved their end too rather than just saying it would be best if show judges sorted it.

 

[ycbm]

I think it's good that they had a FWCF checking, that must give some weight to not letting them compete. It would be better if the FRC/WCF was involved their end too rather than just saying it would be best if show judges sorted it.

It is a welfare crime to put them on and the WCF should be policing that.


Deliberately deforming a horse's hind feet to fit a need to walk inside a plough furrow, a need that disappeared about 100 years ago. Why isn't that now a criminal offence?