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Forging OnOne tool universally associated with a farrier is the forge. Whether creating a horseshoe from a piece of bar stock, drawing clips or hot fitting a shoe, the forge can be as important to the farrier as the horse is to the job. Coal fired and propane gas forges are the two basic types in use today, although, in a pinch and just to ease the shaping process, people have been known to use a charcoal or hardwood fire to soften a horseshoe. The main advantage a coal fired forge has over your basic gas forge is that it has the potential to provide higher working temperatures. This has its advantages when working with larger horseshoes as well as the higher heat makes some welding operations easier to perform. The disadvantage to a coal forge lies mainly with its portability or lack thereof. While it is possible to bank a fire while traveling between barns, you still have to deal with the fact that you do have a live fire in the back of the truck. Additionally, maintaining a supply of good usable coal is not always possible or economically feasible. While the higher temperatures possible with a coal fire can be advantageous, it is also possible to literally burn up a shoe in a coal fire if one's attention is drawn elsewhere and the shoe temporarily forgotten. Advantages of a gas fire include being more easily adapted to travel with the farrier to a jobsite. They can be turned on and off very quickly and their fuel supply is self-contained and relatively safe to transport. While a gas forge will generate high enough temperatures to perform most horseshoe related welding operations, there is less likelihood they will burn up a shoe. A word of caution concerning anytime a farrier uses either kind of a forge while working on your horse. The danger of a fire is inherent with any forge and every effort should be made to anticipate the unexpected. The farrier will probably have a bucket of water to use in cooling off a hot shoe, but quick access to a hose and/or fire extinguisher is advisable. A forge gives the farrier flexibility in performing his job. A forge is essential in making horseshoes from bar stock, whether it be steel or aluminum, flat, round or half-round sticks. In the spirit of recycling, two or more old shoes can be combined to make one perfectly good new horseshoe. A farrier uses a forge to make adjustments to a shoe. Drawing clips, rolling toes, adding traction devices such as calks (corks) or borium and ensuring a proper fit are simpler and/or only possible using a forge. A forge allows a farrier to make a shoe that is tailored to the individual idiosyncrasies of a hoof. Keg shoes come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and types but nothing beats taking a set of measurements and using only the amount of material needed to do the job. No more-no less. Corrective shoes are another situation where a forge may prove indispensable. It is a lot easier to change the shape of a piece of steel or aluminum if it is hot. A number of corrective shoes require altering the shape to such a degree that a forge not only makes it easier, but in some cases, the desired results are not possible unless one heats the shoe. Whatever the use, the major benefit is that a forge makes a farrier's life easier. Hot steel requires less force to shape thereby reducing the severity of the concussive forces generated by the hammer to shoe to anvil action. Simply put, there is a whole lot less wear and tear on the farrier's muscles, bones and joints when shaping a hot shoe compared to the same operation done cold. The term hot shoeing is used to denote anytime a farrier uses a forge when shoeing a horse. Examples include shaping the shoe, drawing a clip, rolling the toe on a shoe or making a shoe from bar stock. Cold shoeing refers to the shaping of a ready-made shoe without the benefit of a forge. Hot fitting, on the other hand, refers to the heating of a shoe and holding it against the prepared bottom of the hoof in order to perform certain functions. These include seating clips and rocker toe shoes. However, the most common use of hot fitting is to determine if the hoof and shoe are fitted properly. Hot fitting a shoe to a hoof involves heating a shaped and leveled shoe to a suitable heat range. The shoe must be hot enough to "scorch" the hoof horn (NOT THE SOLE), which will then indicate the high/low spots in the union between the shoe and the hoof. Hot fitting does not mean that the heat of the shoe is used to burn the hoof to match the shoe. The process is simply used to point out the differences between the mating surfaces of the shoe and hoof while the actual leveling of the hoof should be done with the nippers or rasp. Some farriers will lightly rasp off the scorch marks before nailing on the shoe believing that you would not want to leave the horn tubules seared shut which may interfere with the natural process of the hoof. Failing to heat the shoe to a hot enough temperature results in wasted time and energy, as a cool shoe won't scorch the hoof or provide any indication as to the appropriateness of the fit. Too hot a shoe may result in serious injury to the horse by burning the sole and/or other sensitive parts of the hoof. Additionally, using an overheated shoe may result in your basic flash fire erupting around the hoof followed immediately by the inevitable blow-up and possible injury to one and all. Which brings up the issue of safety whenever a farrier is hot fitting a shoe to a horse. First, the horse should never be securely tied to anything or anyone. Always allow room for the horse to pull back without endangering itself or anyone else. Keep in mind that the horseshoe is going to be hot enough to cause third degree burns on contact with your skin, the farrier's skin or the horse's skin. It is going to hurt and cause a negative reaction from whoever is burned. Therefore, it goes without saying that the horse must be trained to stand still for the farrier. While standing still and remaining calm is a welcome situation during the course of normal hoof care, it is an absolute necessity during a hot fitting session. In addition to injury to everyone involved, a hot shoe, if dropped, most likely will start a fire whether it be onto grass, bedding, wood floor or synthetic mats. Once again, a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher should be a requirement for anyone involved in a hot fitting session. "I thought you were taking care of that!" is of little comfort as the flames lick higher and the horse disappears over the hill. As a rule, horses do not naturally encounter smoke billowing from their hooves. Therefore, they need to be trained to believe that this is not an indication of impending doom requiring their immediate bolting from the area. A little common sense goes a long way in this situation. The first time a horse is hot fitted, the farrier should explain the process to the horse owner (you know you should be there) and together provide a calm, soothing work environment for the horse. Giving the horse a little whiff of smoke to start off with, rather than just grabbing a foot and becoming enveloped in a mushroom cloud of burning hoof horn, will show the horse that his feet are not really being burned off at the knees and most horses readily accept this whole smoke thing as just another in a long line of stupid human tricks. Speaking of tricks, no matter how many times a horse has been hot fitted, how simple is it to adjust everyone's position so the smoke blows away from the horse. Usually, all it takes is a quarter turn and the smoke is no longer a concern. In a barn or on a non-windy day, the owner can gently guide the horse's head out of the way of the smoke plume. The hot shoe is only applied to the hoof for a few seconds at most and is not used to burn it flat. After all, the whole hot fitting process is strictly a simple way to ensure a proper fit between the hoof and shoe. Whether to hot fit or cold shoe depends on the horse's needs, hoof condition, your desires and the experience and choice of your farrier. Not all horses are candidates for, or need hot fitting. Not every farrier wants to do hot fitting or is capable of this kind of work. Something to keep in mind is that cold shoeing does not make for an inferior fit. All that matters is that the shoe and hoof form a perfect match. Cold shoeing requires the farrier to achieve this state by relying on his or her ability to gauge and match the mating surfaces of the shoe and hoof. In most cases, farriers who hot fit lots of horses usually are as adept at cold shoeing as hot fitting and can do either in about the same amount of time. Regardless, there is no getting around the benefits to the farrier offered through the use of a forge. Anything that makes the job easier has got to be a good thing. Some farriers like to make all their own shoes while others farriers prefer to use keg shoes and some do both. Horseshoe manufacturers are turning out more and more specialty shoes that offer the farrier and horse owner a wider choice between making or buying a particular type shoe. The forge has many uses and in the hands of a skilled artisan it becomes a tool beneficial to both man and horse. So, the next time your farrier fires up the forge, you can be sure things are going to get hot. Be sure to offer him or her a cool glass of water. It's the nice thing to do and besides, cooler heads do usually prevail. Buz Riley - 2004 © Back To Buz Riley's Articles Home Page |
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