Tell me about studs...

Hoof_Prints

Hoof_Prints

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 October 2012
Messages
2,261
Visit site
(of the shoe variety ! )

I have always been a barefoot enthusiast since my mare had a tendon injury, but recently have put fronts on all of mine for various reasons (cracks, footsore, abscess dug out etc...) and prefer how my horses are moving and how their feet are coping when shod. I do a fair bit of jumping on grass, and am having the horses fully shod with stud holes next week, due to team chases and hunter trials coming up.

Problem is, I know nothing about studs... which ones to use in what ground conditions ! or even how many to put in and where.

So please educate me in studding up :)

Thanks in advance!
 
Well different people have different views but here are my opinions for what its worth.

1. Use the smallest studs necessary for the conditio s on the day - i.e. don't put whacking great studs in unless you need to. Consider if you need them at all if the going is good.

2. Use small pointy studs for harder ground, wider rounded ones for deeper going.

3. If jumping with studs in front, consider using a stud girth if you think your horse is likely to tuck his feet tight under him.

4. There are opposing views as to whether one stud in a foot is better (as this allows the foot to pivot) or whether you should have two (to prevent twisting). I go for two.

5. If your horse is likely to stand on himself or whack his own legs with a foot, put boots on.

6. Bung the holes well after use or you will never get a stud in there again. There are a variety of options for this including "blank" screw in studs and specially made rubber bungs but I prefer to use cotton wool soaked in hoof oil.

7. Ask your farrier to give you a few horseshoe nails to pick the holes out with.

8. Invest in spanners that fit the studs and a wire brush to clean them with. Clean the studs and spray them with wd40 after use.

9. Studding up knackers your back. Train your friends or other half to help with the task!
 
studding up DOES screw your back up, depending on your horse (I had operation in March) only way I can stud up is let him rest his feet on my knee (not pony club but it works for us!).

A lot depends on your horse....type, weight, way of going etc. I have a large middleweight irish draught type he isn't the most footsure but we dressage and jump and I will NOT jump him on grass or dressage without studs. He simple slips over without them!!

I have only the ONE stud on each outside edge of foot. My farrier advised against two in each foot as it gives no "give" should the leg fall at different angle etc, difficult to explain and there are LOTS of different chains of thoughts, go with your gut! I don't find I need two in each foot to be honest, some horses may well do.

Always stud bigger hind feet....smaller in the fronts.....

Don't let horse stand on your foot whilst studded up, it really hurts....

I never bung the holes, even if hacking for weeks before stud use, just get a decent threading tap, and retap the holes.

Stones in holes, chip away gently with farrier nail they will come out if you don't get impatient!! I found unless you are studding each week it is really a waste of time bunging the holes....

Supastuds are fantastic......



3. If jumping with studs in front, consider using a stud girth if you think your horse is likely to tuck his feet tight under him.

4. There are opposing views as to whether one stud in a foot is better (as this allows the foot to pivot) or whether you should have two (to prevent twisting). I go for two.

5. If your horse is likely to stand on himself or whack his own legs with a foot, put boots on.

6. Bung the holes well after use or you will never get a stud in there again. There are a variety of options for this including "blank" screw in studs and specially made rubber bungs but I prefer to use cotton wool soaked in hoof oil.

7. Ask your farrier to give you a few horseshoe nails to pick the holes out with.

8. Invest in spanners that fit the studs and a wire brush to clean them with. Clean the studs and spray them with wd40 after use.

9. Studding up knackers your back. Train your friends or other half to help with the task![/QUOTE]
 
I always go for 2 holes in each shoe, that way you have lots of options.
I stud pretty much whenever I compete so as to avoid slips.
I have super tiny, almost flat studs with a point for really hard ground and then everything available up to massive studs for wet ground.
1. If you are unsure what to put in ask other riders or grooms. Normally they are more than helpful and are happy to discuss what they have put in. If they wont tell you then just spy on them!
2. I would always plug stud hole with cotton wool soaked in oil.
3. The kits you can get are a great starting point and then you can build it up from there. I have a massive box full now and it is my pride and joy! (How sad am I?!)
Be warned though, I have had one of those kit taps snap in the stud whole under not a lot of pressure! Luckily there was a farrier at the event to sort the issue but that isn't always a possibility at small shows.
4. Don't use the screw in stud plugs. I used them once and couldn't get them out again due to stones changing the shape of the allen key hole!
5. Prep stud holes the night before so you aren't worrying the day of the comp. I plug them with ear plugs cut in half as they come out very easily and all in one. They are great for overnight but I found they fall out if you leave them in for any longer so once you take the studs out re-plug with cotton wool.
6. Farrier nails are the best for digging out stud holes.
7. The magnetic trays are a life saver at keeping studs in one place when putting them in and taking them out.
8. Never travel in studs. I have seen people do this and then wonder why their horse has cut themselves! It isn't worth the risk.
 
Thank you for the replies ! all very, very helpful :)

Looks like I am going to have to train a willing (or the least unwilling) friend to stud up then :o and the grand old age of 21 I have a pretty sore back ! My horse is quite a muscly chap who gets very excited jumping and when my sister hunter trialed him I saw him slipping on the turns, he is OK 95% of the time, but it only takes the wrong kind of slip for them to be over or injure themselves. Want my youngster studded up too as we are following and I'm just not risking it.

I also wondered about jumping on grass with firm gravel on the take off and landing points? how would you stud in that situation, as surely that is going to imbalance the foot if there is no sink to the ground.

Thanks again
 
I would still stud up for the ground on the rest of the course as I would be more concerned about the turns than anything else.
If you think the average horse is around 500kg and the amount of pressure going through their feet when they canter and jump, the studs should go straight into the gravel so it shouldn't effect them at all. If the gravel is hard enough that the studs aren't going in then I wouldn't be jumping on it!!
Also forgot to add that if you are doing a ODE and one of the phases in on a surface, don't bother taking the studs out as it is a waste of time. I see people doing this and can never understand why they are wasting their time as they will only have to put them back in.
If you are at an event and you want to put your horse in the trailer, make sure you have some bedding on the floor so that they aren't unbalanced and put travel boots back on so that if they move, they won't catch themselves.
 
Last edited:
I only use studs behind. I have used them in front, but I'm just not competing at a high enough level currently to warrant it & I think it can be a problem with jarring the leg. I use small studs, one in each hind & as others have said, on the outside of the hoof. Really deep going provides some cut & & wont bother with studs. Only really use them when its greasy on top.
Never plug holes, just clean them out on the morning of the event - never had a problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top