Studs in shoes

[Fuzzycat]

Hi all, I competed in dressage on grass on Saturday, the ground was awful and my horse hated it. I wasn't using studs but wish I had!

Next time the farrier comes I'm going to get stud holes - is it sufficient to have one hole in each hind shoe? (Low level dressage, jumping and mini cross country) it was the hind legs that felt like they needed more grip.

Also I need to buy some studs, is there a kit you would recommended? What are the essential items I need?

Thanks!

 

[be positive]

One stud should really help, I tend to put two holes in just in case but rarely use the inside one in normal conditions.

You can buy a kit but will be getting studs you never need, a farriers nail to clean the holes, a tap to get thread clear and a spanner to tighten the studs, plus obviously studs, should be all you require, supastuds don't need the thread doing so one less thing to get if you go for them, make sure you get extra studs in case you lose one, a magnetic tray is really useful if you are alone to keep everything together.

 

[Bernster]

Just venturing into the world of studs myself! Supastuds have a nice range and do a starter kit and magnetic wrist band. Just bought myself a magnetic tray too for the bigger stuff.

There's a kit from shires that is sold in lots of places too although the wire brush thing has broken on mine already with limited use, and the keepers fell out. I'm trying the cotton keeps instead which seem to be better but only just starting using them.

BP - you mention the supa ones not needing the thread doing but I've had trouble with both hinds and he was only shod recently. Think I need to try doing the thread again but the supa ones didn't fit either.

 

[milliepops]

I was always a supastuds fan, but I did find that if the stud holes were worn they benefitted from being tapped - i think supastuds are marketed as self cleaning rather than self tapping.

Like BP i favoured one stud in each foot most of the time though everyone has a different opinion on that I think most of the kits sold are useless tbh as they tend to be sold with studs that aren't the most useful! Better to make your own IMO. a decent tap, a good spanner ( I like the flat ones that are separate to the tap), a few nails to pull out the bungs...

and for anyone who studs regularly I always popped the flat travelling studs in the night before, then your stud hole is clean, well threaded and easy to just swap the travel stud for the proper one when you arrive. Nothing worse than struggling with a little stone in a stud hole when you're late for your time, lol!

 

[Bernster]

Ah yes, I got some travel ones from supa studs on MPs recommendation �� I suspect I need a new threader thingy as the shires one doesn't seem to cut it. So I'm slowly recreating my own kit anyway!

 

[Fuzzycat]

Thanks for the replies, really useful. So I'm looking at the supastuds. It says the small conical is the best selling and is for a wide range of conditions. Would this be the best one to go for initially?

 

[milliepops]

how big is your horse?
the one I evented is 15hh so fairly small, the conical stud would have been too much for her unless fairly soft ground. I used the dressage stud a lot, great in hard to good ground. I put the small conical in when there was quite a bit of cut in the ground, and large conical in pretty bottomless ground. Less is more :wink3:

 

[Fuzzycat]

Ah I see. My horse is a really substantial 15.2 Welsh cob, with big powerful movement.

Also, if I buy the supastuds do I still need a tap thingy? Does the hole need tapping each time or is it only if the stud won't go in? Is it best to get a decent adjustable spanner for screwing studs in or is one of the tapping/spanner combo things ok?

 

[milliepops]

you will still need a tap in my experience, towards the end of the shoeing cycle the collar of the stud hole can get a bit distorted from roadwork etc and then you might well need to re thread it. Depending on the kind of surfaces you ride on/how frequently you stud you might not need to tap every time, no.

I hated the taps where the spanner was attached (my worst nightmare is the horse wriggling the leg free and standing on the tap!) there are a number of newer designs where that would be less of an issue, not sure how good they are but this is what I'd investigate if I was needing a new one http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/equipment/studs/stud-accessories/the-safety-spin-tee-tap

the supastuds spanner is great if you can get hold of one and would be quicker & easier than an adjustable spanner IMO but it's personal preference really.

In your position I'd get some small ones for hard ground and some larger ones for soft ground, then when you arrive at the show try pressing the stud into the ground - it should go without much resistance but still give some stability. the less you can get away with the better

 

[rara007]

I use the spanner and tap in one thing with my non-kicky pony, I find it quite handy If I had a kicky (or even just sharp enough not to stand perfectly at the box) I use the one that is sort of inset into what looks like a round rubber curry comb.
I use the square (often sold as road studs) studs for softer going and spiker ones for harder- one behind and two infront.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

I've used the spanner and tap in one before, but having seen the thing MP just posted I might look into those as H is quite a handful at comps at the moment and is quite fidgety, whereas R would always stand quietly. I haven't used the supastuds, as I just tend to pick them up when I'm in the shop and they don't stock them, but I have these http://www.stromsholm.co.uk/type-h-studs-74-p.asp which I use on almost every kind of going. I have some pointier ones for hard ground, but don't use them often (though given what the ground is like at the moment that may change soon!) and also some bigger ones for when it's really wet. I don't have travel studs and just plug with cotton wool, usually clean and tap the night before and then just check everything is still in place in the morning. I wouldn't bother with the special cleaning brushes you can get, I find the wire part always breaks and the pointy bit isn't long enough to dig around properly if there's a lot of dirt in the hole, I just go for a farriers nail. And like the others, I've always used one in each foot most of the time (sometimes just one in each hind if the ground is good). MP seems to be giving good advice though!

 

[CrazyMare]

I have Supastuds and I use a box from Screwfix designed for screws etc with separators inside plus a magnetic tray from the car parts shop. It's my own personalised kit, as my ponies are only small.

 

[LeannePip]

i've gradually made up my own kit, if I'm at a carrot and theres studs i always pick up a few and add it to the kit!

I started off with some all around general studs and have gradually adapted what i use each time. My go to is something like E in the link below but with the little road pin at the end;
https://www.fourstarbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/horseshoe-studs-supastuds.jpg

But i love the look of the dressage ones MP linked to - so will be adding those to the kit!

I also just use one in the outside hinds

 

[only_me]

Everyone has their fave combo of studs

I like to use one stud in outer of each front and 2 behind. The ones in front were a bit like road studs but slightly bigger, like no. J on the pic. Behind I had larger squarer ones, like no. K on the pic. They did for most grounds tbh, unless was extremely hard where would have had sharp pointy ones in or v wet where get larger domes.

https://cdn.horseloverz.com/horse-e...-tip-studs-pack-of-10-O480560.jpg?h=300&w=300

I think they are good all rounders really!

A magnetic dish is your friend when studding, and i tapped night before and put the travel studs in then so easy for next day. Always buy more extras of the studs you have, they ALWAYS go missing!
Farrier nails are also excellent for getting dirt or stones out, keep them from next shoeing.
A good tap is essential, and the cotton wool plugs are excellent!!

I just use a standard bits and bobs box from B&Q, it has movable little boxes so easy to organise!