Studs. Advise me please.

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FfionWinnie

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I have a SJ lesson on grass in April in Scotland (!). I've never had a shod horse and have never applied studs. I'm getting him shod on Thursday and I'm wondering if I need stud holes for this lesson (we will also be hopefully training xc on grass and eventing this year. Gulp) and what else I need to know.

I am not sure this horse has ever jumped on grass, he has not been turned out on grass for at least a year (I have only just bought him, he will be turned out on grass fairly soon but I don't expect him to become a sure footed Welsh in a few weeks). Lunged him on grass tonight and he promptly fell over (he was messing around which he hopefully wouldn't do with me on him!) however I don't expect him to be at all sure footed and did I mention I absolutely hate jumping on grass.

So what should I do? (Taking up dressage seems like a good option!)
 
There is a school of thought that if you stud up, they end up relying on them a little too much and never find their balance or fifth leg. You're doing low jumps and schooling, so therefore not galloping between jumps however you have no idea what the ground is going to be like. Personally I'd have the stud holes put in, then you can make the choice as to whether you stud or not nearer the time. Get some vaseline and cotton wool, and stuff the holes with cotton wool coated in vaseline as soon as they're done.
 
and remember to remove them before loading the horse onto the rubber floored truck..............tad embarrassing to say the least.
 
Thanks Ladies. I'm thinking he can learn to find his fifth leg next year when there's less of a time pressure...

I'm sure it's right as you say JB. My little welsh runs around like a moron in the field all the time and she has never slipped under saddle regardless of the conditions (and isn't shod) where as Daisy was rubbish on grass and was never one for running around while turned out.
 
Use the smallest studs you can get away with. I use bigger studs for dressage on grass than I do for jumping, as you want their feet to slip a little on landing.

You can use a slightly smaller stud on the inside of the hoof, which lessens the likelihood of them catching themselves.

If your horse could be inclined to dance around a bit after jumping/xc always remove the studs before the boots.

I personally would stud an older horse that is not used to jumping on grass, and remember its fun :D
 
How do I know what I can get away with before I get away with it tho. I think I will get my coach to ride him in that lesson that sounds like a great idea.

He's 10 and has probably spent his entire life on a surface and in a stable I reckon.

I must be mad.
 
I would also stud for expediency.
I used to like little supastuds in front for jumping unless the ground was bottomless, they do one that's like a running spike. And something bigger behind , I'd get a medium conical set and a small sharp set for behind and go with the least you can get away with.
 
Other brands are available ;)

But I liked these https://www.supastuds.com/category_106.html

I used the mini sharp in front or road stud if wetter
Dressage or medium conical behind

That would be a conservative start. He's bigger than my horses but you can always go bigger if you need to later on.

And the travel studs are great if you have the right management, I used to pop them in the night before and then swap them at the venue. Got all the fiddly bit done at home.
 
I'd be tempted to just pop a single stud on the outside of each hood behind and see how you go from there (though there are various schools of thoughts on studding on outside only). Unless you are doing super sharp terms at a small height you will be fine.
 
milliepops said:
Other brands are available ;)

But I liked these https://www.supastuds.com/category_106.html

I used the mini sharp in front or road stud if wetter
Dressage or medium conical behind

That would be a conservative start. He's bigger than my horses but you can always go bigger if you need to later on.

And the travel studs are great if you have the right management, I used to pop them in the night before and then swap them at the venue. Got all the fiddly bit done at home.
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Useful thread as I've started getting stud holed in Fs hinds but I've never studded so don't really know where to start. Those travel studs look useful. And the tip,about filling the holes when they're done. I haven't done that and they are a b ugger to clean out now!
 
The travel studs took all the faff out of it for me. Nothing worse than struggling with a stud hole when you're under time pressure.
Don't be tempted to ride in them or they'll get mangled.
The screw in blanks that you use with an allen key are useless imo as they get stuck as the shoe wears.
 
milliepops said:
The travel studs took all the faff out of it for me. Nothing worse than struggling with a stud hole when you're under time pressure.
Don't be tempted to ride in them or they'll get mangled.
The screw in blanks that you use with an allen key are useless imo as they get stuck as the shoe wears.
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exactly this! ^^ never leave blanks in for any longer than the lorry ride, once in, if they cross or wear away they don't come out!

FFW, I wouldn't worry too much, studding really isn't the science some people make it out to be, it is trial and error as to what works for you/ your horse, better to be slightly under studded than over studded, start small and see how it goes. At the beginning of the season/ pre season schooling i just start with one in the outside of each hind to help with cornering or the un expected and tend to use use a standard square dome in a couple of different sizes depending on how deep the going is, they are good for most eventualities!

A good starting point is blunt/fat for soft ground, thin/ spiky for hard ground.

Your boy seems nicely produced with some good mileage so i would be very surprised if he hadn't at some point, graced the county show circuit, in which case he will have jumped on grass with studs - even if he hasn't, don't worry about it :)
 
Thanks everyone. Appreciate all the tips!

Yes LP spoke to my SJ coach today and he also reckons there are far fewer surfaced arenas in Ireland than here so it's highly likely he will have jumped on grass plenty. He spent a few hours in the field today but did not practice keeping his feet as he was too busy stuffing his face. Only cantered once when I shouted him over to come back in <3

Haven't heard back as to whether the farrier can fit it all in tomorrow yet but fingers crossed. I want to start schooling him in the field asap (well - weather permitting but we've had a few days it's been dry enough already).
 
FfionWinnie said:
Thanks everyone. Appreciate all the tips!

Yes LP spoke to my SJ coach today and he also reckons there are far fewer surfaced arenas in Ireland than here so it's highly likely he will have jumped on grass plenty. He spent a few hours in the field today but did not practice keeping his feet as he was too busy stuffing his face. Only cantered once when I shouted him over to come back in <3

Haven't heard back as to whether the farrier can fit it all in tomorrow yet but fingers crossed. I want to start schooling him in the field asap (well - weather permitting but we've had a few days it's been dry enough already).
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oh yes if he's from Ireland he will have almost definitely jumped on grass! Would be good to get him riding out in the field though, perhaps start with something like G or M in this picture, if the ground is fairly 'good' underfoot, just behind will likely be fine to start with and then adjust as you see fit
 
LeannePip said:
oh yes if he's from Ireland he will have almost definitely jumped on grass! Would be good to get him riding out in the field though, perhaps start with something like G or M in this picture, if the ground is fairly 'good' underfoot, just behind will likely be fine to start with and then adjust as you see fit
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Thanks. I can't see a picture? He got his shoes. I got him some filter tips and soaked them in oil then bunged them in. He's bringing so many new experiences into my life :D. Where can I get something to hold his bloody fat foot up while I do the faffing!?

I really need to get him in the field just even to school regularly never mind jump.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Thanks. I can't see a picture? He got his shoes. I got him some filter tips and soaked them in oil then bunged them in. He's bringing so many new experiences into my life :D. Where can I get something to hold his bloody fat foot up while I do the faffing!?

I really need to get him in the field just even to school regularly never mind jump.
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Here we go :D

https://horsestand.com/
 
Nothing to add on the stud topic, but I'm sure he'll be fine on the grass even if he hasnt jumped on it before. My horse never had, but didnt react any differently to it compared to a surface, and he was being faced with working hunter jumps that he had never jumped before and usually spooked away from when they were in a corner of the arena. Yours seems more sane than mine so I'm sure it will go fine. Good luck. :)
 
FfionWinnie said:
Thanks. I can't see a picture? He got his shoes. I got him some filter tips and soaked them in oil then bunged them in. He's bringing so many new experiences into my life :D. Where can I get something to hold his bloody fat foot up while I do the faffing!?

I really need to get him in the field just even to school regularly never mind jump.
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Teach him to rest his foot with toe on the ground and shoe helpfully revealed ;) makes it much easier :D
 
You can get a collapsible (not that collapsible!) farrier stand for your horse to rest on. We've had eventers and SJ's for years and had one recently who just would not stand quietly for us to stud. Got a farrier's stand and perfect - no more broken taps, no more strained backs.
 
Shay said:
You can get a collapsible (not that collapsible!) farrier stand for your horse to rest on. We've had eventers and SJ's for years and had one recently who just would not stand quietly for us to stud. Got a farrier's stand and perfect - no more broken taps, no more strained backs.
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Thanks. I saw a good one for the job. My finger was hovering on the buy button last night. I do all their feet (except his!) so it would be useful to have for more than just his heavy legs. I have enough back and arm problems as it is without wrestling with him so I think I will go for it. All the gear and all that ;)
 
TBH I wouldn't bother studding up for a lesson even on grass. We try not to stud ours until the height gets up a bit (NC upwards for example SJ) or if it's really slippery and the ring is tight.
My gangly TB happily ran round BE80 with no studs and the Irish yob did the same, neither were ever studded for XC or SJ clinics on grass. Why not see how you go in the clinic and go from there?
 
I think this is going to bankrupt me!!

Do I need a stud girth he has the dangliest front legs in the world (he is very athletic and just jumps higher than he needs to, to let them blow in the wind!)

Porkchop didn't realise that link was to a pink fat leg holder upper. Super thanks.
 
I've nothing to add of any worth, to the opening question, but rather another question! Whilst I watch racing on the telly, NH and I enjoy it immensely, I very rarely 'go racing' despite the fact that I live a coupe of miles away from the Fakenham course. I was very surprised to see horses jump racing which had no hind shoes on. I'd have thought that shoes on a horse which was jumping would have performed two functions; firstly to protect the foot and secondly to assist with a degree of foot-purchase. Presumably, without hind shoes, the horse is a little safer because it teaches them to find this fifth leg of which others speak. Would I be right in this, would a shod and studded horse be encouraged to be more reliant upon an 'aid' and less upon it's own ability to stay upright?

Alec.
 
None of mine (and I have rather a few!) have shoes except him. They are all good on their feet in all terrain except Daisy who for health reasons is mainly kept on a stone surfaced turnout area and even if out on grass never runs about. She slips a lot on grass.

My experience is shoes do not help with grip at all, shoes and studs I assume must help tho. My welshie bombs around like a moron constantly and she can turn on a sixpence on any ground and never ever slips. She has never been shod.

I had to shoe him because he's not going to at this stage stand up to the work to do a BE80 this year without them. I will try and take him BF again over the winter when there is less pressure on. I would then hope with a year of hacking on all terrain under his belt and daily turnout on grass, he would be more capable on slippery ground anyway. Currently he is frightening on mud/wet grass but I've only had him a few months and his previous life was very different.

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Long way down if he falls over!
 
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To keep the stud discussion going, I have had holes put in Fs hinds but I've never used studs, and don't he he's had them in either. Haven't needed them so far for xc training as we're not doing sharp,turns or anything

Am wondering if we'll need them at all for practice and the be80? I have been told some people stud more for the dressage and sj if it's on grass, than for the xc. So when to use studs and what for?!
 
I used to stud for everything behind and added fronts for dressage and kept them in if there was either no cut in the ground at all, or if it was really greasy.

Basically the purpose (as well as keeping horse the right way up ;) ) was to give confidence :) if you do not fear slipping and the horse trusts it's footing, you tend to ride with more purpose and positivity. You can make better use of the dressage arena, maintain balance and power in the sj and stick to tighter lines on xc.

It's personal choice of course but I far prefer to stud cautiously for everything than go without.
 
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