Studs for schooling in grass menage?

Apalacia01

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Hi,

Where the horsey is, they only have a grass menage. I have only been there a week and a half, but I am finding that it can be slippery underfoot, even though it hasn't rained. She is fine in walk and trot, but I am worried about canter, as she has slipped behind quite a bit, and I find that I am now only cantering up and down the long sides which is not paticularly good....

So....would it be silly for me to get some stud holes next time she is shod, and if I was how many/what sort of studs should I use. I know it will be a lot of effort to do everytime I school, but really getting me down.

Thanks!
 
Would definitely get stud holes put in. Grass schooling can be really dangerous - I always stud up for dressage competitions on grass and would never expect to school on grass without.

I would just put in one hole on the outside of each foot. And then use the type relevant for the going. In dry conditions - spiky ones - in wet conditions chunky ones.
 
Thats what I thought - in terms of dangerous....wasting time at the moment as constantly worried and can't do anything smaller than a 20m circle, let alone lunge!

So....what about 2 in each hind foot? I was looking at small jumping studs? Currently its not 'wet' just clay, so slippy.....where can I get them from? Also...what is tapping?

Argh...will ring farrier in the morning to see what he has to say.
 
I have the farrier put road studs in my mare's shoes. Its much easier than messing anout with studs just for schooling.
They will probably last quite a while if you don't do too much road work
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You can put 2 in each hind foot - but I would never put 2 in each front, I damaged a horse showjumping because I put two studs in each foot jumping. And because of the way he jumped he landed and turned and the studs stopped the pivot and he damaged both fetlocks.

One in each should be enough.

You want spiky studs - long ones have more bite so would go for those.

You can buy them from any saddlers. Tapping is basically using a stud tap - buy it when you buy the studs. You get the holes put in by the Farrier - give him some cotton wool to stuff in the holes. Then when you want to put studs in you use a spike of some type to pull out the cotton wool and any muck thats in there - then use the stud tap to recreate the thread in the hole. Then just screw your studs in - you may as well by an all in one stud tap and stud spanner when you buy your studs.

And always by more studs than you have holes as I can guarantee you will always lose at least one.
 
I have only ever had a grass paddock to work in! Never used studs. Far too much hasstle to stud up (especially when I currently have 3 horses in work and dont even get home from work until 6.30 everyday...!). Im just careful about what I do. But yes, I generally dont do much canter work which is quite a challenge when trying to get 2 horses eventing fit!
 
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