Shoeing a Draft Horse in Belgium

The Annual Farm Days in Mons, Belgium and the demonstration of shoeing a draft horse on the Grande Place.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• horses
• Belgium
• blacksmith

[horsesaremylife31899]

was it supposed to be smoking like that

[drjohnson98]

@horsesaremylife31899 I've watched this demo for several years running. The horses don't react to this step when it seems they are seating the shoe. They don't kick against the rope or the frame they are in. It does smell terrible when it smokes.

[HerOdyssey]

As an aside, it's so Belgian to see people standing around with glasses of beer. LOL

[drjohnson98]

Thanks for both comments. Around here draft horses are very common. Having watched this demo for years, had no idea the video get so much criticism.. I should say that the first 6 or 7 years we saw this demo it was the same, older guy doing it. Maybe his technique would have been more acceptable than of the new young guys. As for the beer - didn't catch it on video but the farriers also have one close to hand - never saw one pause for a drink of water. Hope you can get your drafts shoed.

[fastcob]

what a butcher

[drjohnson98]

If fastcob is a farrier (I'm not) then three experts have said what a poor job was done on this horse. Surprising - demo is done by a farrier school. We watch it every year & I decided to record & post purely for interest. Given how bad a job this is, I'm considering taking the video down. On the other hand, the expert comments may be helpful for others. Meanwhile, the hooves looked bad (cracked, etc) at the start - any comments on the before hooves? Should they have been seen to sooner?

[JCaizn]

I know a lot of people would be appalled at the burning the shoe in, but its very helpful for a level fit. Also you need the clips to be flush with the wall. However, this guy burns the crap out the hoof. Waaay too much. To the point that the sole is higher than the hoof wall when the hoof wall should be the only thing (along with the frog) touching the ground. Once you burn on the shoe you can tell his shoe shape is terrible. And worst of all instead of reshaping the shoe, he reshapes the foot

[horsewhisperer76]

I've been inspired by your video and I've built a stock for my 5 years stallion. it is the best draft horse ever but we have a big work for shoeing.I wish to be so patient like this.

[HoffmannMoritz]

i'm sure that guy ate a lot that day :D

[IrisMaeConn]

he is so lucky that that horse is docile, if it has panicked with its foot tided up it could have broken its leg x

[LeslieWest224]

horses hooves are not supposed to be cracked like that

[jmaritz328]

@horsesaremylife31899 yes, they were fitting the shoes and the heat agains the hoof forms a mold to better the fit.

[ThePENNY1999]

@horsesaremylife31899 NO... IT WAS NOT supposed to be like that... these guys are IDIOTS.

[ThePENNY1999]

What IDIOTS...... 

[Saartje05]

They shouldn´t have put new shoes under these terrible damaged hooves. They should have waited and given the hooves the time to heal. This is the worst job ever. I´d be ashamed taking a horse with such bad hooves to a market for demonstration.

[Saartje05]

I wonder who the owner of this horse is and if someone told him to take his horse to the farrier weeks earlier. Letting it come to this is pure animal abuse.

[54cowdog]

It may not be the farriers fault for the condition of the hoofs.I have never used stocks to shoe a draft,but i don't think it would be a problem if the horse was calm.You should not burn a shoe on for more then 5 seconds.the heat will transfer to live sole.The shoes were to long at the toe and to tight at the heels.He left better then he arrived,but not much better