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Actually, your horse would probably do just fine without clips. However, [a
short clinic on clips] the clips are there for several reasons. Primarily , so
that we don't loose a shoe pre-maturely. Clips actually take the "shear"
stress away from the nails by locking the shoe into the hoof. Since they are
burned in, this molds the hoof around the clips [the hoof responds to heat
much the same as plastic would] and provides a "lock" so that the shoe can
neither twist or move forward / backward, in theory and practice. Naturally,
since we are talking about horses, they do find away from time to time to
defeat this. Secondary to not loosing the shoe pre-maturely by removing the
shear" stress on the nails, it aids in preventing the shoe from torqueing
against the nails [which the shoe WOULD do without the clips.] and causing the
wall to be weakened and in-turn the wall to be separated from the hoof or
compromised in its integrity to keep the shoe on. So, basically, this is a
long way around the barn" to say they are good for the overall health of the
hoof. They are , in short, preventive measure's. There is no problem, that I
am aware of, with ******'S feet . "Does every horse require clips?" no they
don't , of course. I put clips on most of the horses I do that are in training
or are competing athletes or both for the reasons I have stated. Clips are a
somewhat controversial "tool". Some believe that when a horse looses, or
partially looses a shoe, they can step on them and puncture the hoof. In
truth, if they are made correctly and are applied correctly, and the horse
does step on a clip, because the clip is weaker at the top, substantially, the
clip will simply fold over and its affect on the hoof is negligible at best.
There is another school of thought that argues clips, "cause the foot to
contract". ""NUTS!" Again, if the clips are made and applied correctly, they
promote normal and healthy growth and have no more of an adverse affect on the
horses hoof than the horse shoe by its self. Clips improperly made and applied
can and do cause many problems, the least of which, are the "arguments"
against them that I have listed above. They are the prevalent arguments. Those
"activists" should concern themselves with what is much more of a concern with
improperly made and applied clips. Such as "blood supply" being restricted due
to excessive hammering in placement of the clips. If they are burned in that
is not necessary. Or they should be concerned about "hoof capsule distortion",
caused from the improper location of a clip. "Clips" should be part of a hoof
not hammered to -or forced on- a hoof. This is more than you wanted to know ,
I am sure. But I believe in educating/arming my clients with what they need
and invite them to ask questions. And I am ALWAYS open to criticism.
Hope this helps and is not "T. M. I."
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