A shoeing job in Boise made me miss the old forge

Last week I was working on a big draft horse near Boise, Idaho, and the owner wanted aluminum shoes. Three years ago, I would have shaped those by hand at my own coal forge, which took time but felt right. Now I just pull a pre-made pair from my truck and bend them a little with the propane rig. It gets the job done faster, but I don't get that same quiet hour of heat and hammering anymore. Anyone else feel like some of the craft is getting lost with all the ready-made stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

nelson.vera1mo ago

Wait, aluminum shoes on a draft horse? That's wild. I've only ever seen steel for the big ones.

sean_green441mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah, it sounds pretty out there for a heavy horse.

cooper.drew1mo ago

Saw a farrier put aluminum shoes on a Percheron at the state fair last year. Sean_green44, it's not like they're running races on pavement. For a horse mostly in a field or light work, the weight difference probably doesn't matter much. I doubt the horse cares if its shoes are fancy or not as long as they fit right. Seems like one of those things people make a bigger deal about than it really is.