A PUBLICATION OF PRACTICAL IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS FOR FARRIERS

Volume 1: Issue 3

sider the variables such as the intended use of the horse, conformation, pastern angle and possible lameness prob- Fitting Barshoes lems. Your attention and ex- perience in evaluating the variables is going to be a key FURTHER EXAMINATION OF BARSHOE APPLICATION to your success in applying barshoes. I have some general BY EDDIE WATSON the case of a more upright hoof the length of the bar (how principles I use. with navicular problems. The much support I feel is neces- A. Let the angle of the hoof arshoes should not be important thing is to justify sary). Think of the two heels and pastern help you decide nailed on without good your decisions, it will help you of an open shoe as point A on the length. You should reason. Before you do a better job. and point B. When I deter- B be working to bring the two begin, be sure you understand Barshoes are often per- mine how much support I angles into alignment. why you’re putting a barshoe ceived as being difficult to fit. want to give, point C would on. This will help you with the I think there are a few basic be the end point of the bar. It CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 decision as to what kind of bar, concepts which help simplify is then a matter of connecting how much extension and other the job. My starting point in these points with a radius or Below left: Determine extension, details of the fit. If the pasterns fitting barshoes is to shape the even simpler, the straight bar. connect to points A&B. Below show weakness you may decide shoe to fit the foot the same as The question remaining right: This foot appears to be shod on an eggbar. It may be a I would if it were an open is how to decide the amount very well. The heel extension is straight bar for protection as in shoe. The variable is simply of support. You need to con- correct. I might rocker the toe.

A B C

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

B. The more upright the hoof the less bar you need. The more underrun the heels the farther you need to ex- tend the bar. C. Use a straight bar for protec- tion, an eggbar for support. D. Whenever possible rocker the toe of the shoe and set it back from the toe to en- hance the breakover. E. On performance horses I never extend the bars be- yond the bulbs. Keep in mind what the Above left and right: Front foot horse will be doing. If it is a with eggbar. Shoe is set back turnout, you have to be very nicely from toe and fit at the cautious with the length of quarters is good. Shoe is short, the bar. A horse in training line indicates where I would like kept in a controlled environ- to see the bar end. Right: I ment can usually handle more would shoe this foot with rocker toe eggbars that are not extend- extension of the bar. Pay at- ed quite as far as photo below tention to the details and your left. Below left: For this foot I fit will be much better. Ⅵ would recommend a rocker toe, Eddie Watson is a farrier from egg/heartbar combination Keswick, Virginia. He has been working extended to the mark on the with horses since the 40’s, taking his first “pay” as a shoer in 1948. He has been picture. shoeing for some clients for no less than 20 years, many the second generation. His primary work has been hunters and jumpers, sales yearlings and breeding stock in the Keswick area.

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pritchel to remove efficiently. City nails this dimension is In order to get the most life quite small, making this out of your pritchel you should vulnerable to abuse and break- move 1/16” of the remaining age. You should be very careful TheToolCorner material with a drift. The drift in the use and maintenance of is used to displace enough ma- the drift to get the proper re- BY ROY BLOOM area A is the portion of the nail terial for the area marked C in sults and reasonable lifespan that will be projecting above figure 1. This 1/16” doesn’t for the tool. n Volume I, Issue 1 we dis- the ground surface of the shoe. seem like much but the relief The drift should only cussed the use of the fore- The forepunch displaces mater- that this gives is just enough take one or two quick, light Ipunch. In this issue we’ll ial for area B of the nail. Area to make pritcheling easier and blows to move the 1/16” of continue with the use of the B on a 5 City nail is 3/16” long. more efficient. The drift has material. Do not bottom out drift and pritchel, completing After forepunching to this two important areas, the or drive the drift into the the steps of the shoe punching depth you have 1/8” of material shank and the tip. The tip . To avoid excessive heat process. remaining to be punched should be the exact size of the buildup in the tool do not stay We’ll use the 5 City nail through on a 5/16” thick shoe. nail shank (area C, figure 1) in the hole any longer than and 5/16x3/4” barstock again and should be flat, not pyra- absolutely necessary. You now for the discussion. Figure 1 de- The Drift mid shaped like the fore- have the shoe set up for picts the 5 City nail. To review, 1/8” is a lot of material for a . The dimension of the pritcheling, the final step. drift’s shank must be smaller than the forepunch to allow The Pritchel the drifting without making The pritchel’s sole purpose is to contact with the forepunch slug out a rectangular hole the area. On smaller nails and on exact size of the shank of the desired nail. The measurement Below left: Drift. Below right: of the shank area just below City Forepunch. the head is the dimension the

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Above: Step 1 - tip of pritchel smaller than nail. Above cen- ter and right: Upset the tip. Right: Produce small flats. Far right and bottom: End should now be the same as nail, with slight recess. pritchel should be set for. In order to properly and pre- cisely punch to the desired dimension you need to un- derstand a few techniques. 1. The pritchel should work like a mini punch press. It must the slug from the stock. In order to do this efficiently the stock must be rela- tively cold. This would be a black heat approximately 400-500 degrees. The blow must be sharp and straight. pritchel is driven in the pritchel and then draw the producing small flats. If the heat is higher (if you material, the taper forces end out until it is smaller at Check the size now with detect a red coloration in the hole to expand. The the tip than the dimension the nail shank. Another the steel) the material is farther you go in the bigger of the nail you will be tap or two on the end too elastic and will not the hole becomes. The tip using. Place it back in the should finish it for you. It allow a clean shear. In- of the pritchel should be fire and take a short heat at should match the nail stead it will drag material backed up to produce a tip the tip only. Do not heat it shank exactly. Set it aside down with the tip leaving the exact size of the desired too much, a dull red is fine. and let it air cool. a on the backside. nail, leaving a slight recess Now start tapping (upset- With practice and at- Numerous blows to the behind it. By setting your ting) the tip with the flat of tention to the details of the pritchel will also cause the pritchel in this manner, the your . Continue to nail shank and pritchel you same result. You need to tip will shear out the slug take short heats and work will learn how much to back make a single sharp and the pritchel will end the tip until a small up and how much to flatten straight blow to get maxi- up in the recessed area. amount of the material is to get the desired result. Set- mum shearing effect. The pritchel will not en- upset. Keep the pritchel tip ting and using your pritchel 2. The tip of the large the hole and will now going straight, don’t let it in this manner (along with pritchel should be prepped also be loose in the hole. get crooked or bent. Take using a good drift) will allow to achieve the best results. another short heat, set the you to use your pritchel for All pritchels come with a Backing it up. upset area on the anvil more shoes with less need straight taper. As the Heat the tip of your edge and tap down on it, for adjustment. Ⅵ

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Bloom Forge New Products Hoof tester BLOOM FORGE AND KERCKHAERT INTRODUCE NEW PRODUCTS KERCKHAERT SX-7 SIZE 2 - Kerckhaert is now producing a size two unclipped SX-7. It is available in front and hind patterns. Bloom Forge has recently introduced a hoof tester. The total length of the tool is 14” and it opens to approximately 5”. Bloom is also offering a heavy pritchel made from 3/4” S-7 stock Bloom Forge heavy instead of the 5/8” of the normal pritchel. This is a tool well pritchel, 3/4-inch. Right: 5/8-inch. suited to gaited shoes and shoes. Ⅵ

ductions can be helpful at the end of the year. 2. Notes about automo- Tips On Recordkeeping bile useage should include be- fore and after mileage, tolls ith all of the ad- and purpose of each trip. vantages of being FINDING A GOOD TAX ADVISOR 3. Notes related to busi- Wself-employed, one ness meals and entertainment area that can cause you prob- CAN SAVE YOU MONEY (especially these days- as the lems (or at the very least, give IN THE LONG RUN. deduction comes under more you a headache) is the issue of scrutiny) should include taxes. When self employed, Many self employed peo- that will make your life easier whom you entertained and you suddenly find that you are ple find themselves in trouble (and keep the tax man away). the specific business purpose. responsible for your own in- because they simply did not Good recordkeeping is es- 4. Make notes in your tax come tax and self employment understand the rules. It may sential. Following these tips concerning your return tax. And it becomes further be hard to find the time to will help you file your income and how you arrived at the complicated if you hire em- keep abreast of tax changes tax return with minimum ef- numbers. ployees, for whom you must and if you have a very busy fort and will be essential if you Note: The IRS has six withhold and pay payroll practice, finding a good tax should be faced with an audit. years to challenge a return, so taxes, including Social Secu- advisor can save you money in 1. Keeping a daily log be sure to check with your tax rity, unemployment insurance the long run. There are, how- where you document travel, advisor on how long to keep and workers’ compensation. ever, steps that you can take meals and entertainment de- tax related documents. Ⅵ