Toe Clips

[Jazzy B]

Please could someone explain to me why toe clips are used when shoeing please? And, why is it that the back feet have two toe clips and the front one?

My mare always had toe clips and I just accepted that was how horses were shod - however, my farrier hasn't used them this time when shoeing my horse.

 

[Jazzy B]

nobody knows the answer to this one then?

 

[Topaz Tiger]

I've just had my horse remedially shod at the RVC as she has a negative angle to her pedal bone. The farrier there has a pet theory that side clips on the front feet contribute to this. However my mare has never had side clips on her front feet, but it does seem to be a current fashion. He's shod her with no clips on the front.
Think the clips are to hold the shoe in place and the rear ones don't have front clips, so that the shoe can be recessed back slightly and therrefore be less detrimental if the horse over reaches.

 

[noblesteed]

My farrier uses natural balance shoeing. He keeps my horse's toes short and the feet upright. He doesn't use toe clips at all in front, they don't have any clips. Sometimes he puts quarter clips on for me which he makes himself(2 clips) as my horse sometimes pulls his shoes off when it's muddy, but not always. He never puts toe clips on, in fact they wouldn't fit the way he curves the toes. Other farriers use toe clips, mine doesn't. However I am happy with this method of shoeing as my horse stays sound, his toes are never allowed to get too long etc.