1. Shoeing the Dressage Horse
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2. What is Dressage? Dressage is a French term meaning “training”.
Dressage teaches a horse to be obedient, willing, supple and responsive.

3. What is expected from the Dressage Horse?
The horse freely submits to the riders lightest “aids” or body signals, while remaining balanced and energetic.
The object of dressage is the harmonious development of the horse in both mind and body, and every horse, regardless of its type or use, can benefit from this training.

4. The Dressage horse in motion.

5. What’s different in footcare with various levels of training?
Young horses may not require shoes.
Upper levels get regular footcare.

6. What Equipment is necessary to shoe these horses?

7. Special Equipment is optional.

8. Is trimming a Dressage horse different than trimming other horses?
More time evaluating = better trimming.
Learn that there is more than one way to trim.
You must get under many horses, with different conformation faults, before you can evaluate with confidence.

9. Trim to achieve normal Balance

10. Hind limb balance.

11. How do you see Balance?

12. What types of shoes do dressage horses wear?
Steel shoes.
Wider webbed shoes.
Shoes with modifications are sometimes necessary.

14. Allow the foot to determine the shoe and the shoe modifications.

15. Are clips necessary for a dressage horse to perform?
Horses in training may not need clips.
Horses doing lateral work may need clips.
Upper level horses usually require clips.

16. Are toe clips or quarter clips preferred for dressage?

17. It is “your” responsibility as a professional farrier, to educate yourself about the positive effects of clips, both toe and quarter. Learn that it is the clip’s placement that will compliment a particular foot!

18. Toe Clip

19. Toe Clips

20. The Type of foot that I use Quarter Clips vs. Toe clips

21. Quarter Clip rear view

22. The type of foot that I use a toe clip vs. Quarter clips

23. Toe clip rear view

24. Break over! Put it where it needs to be!

25. Expansion.

26. Fit.

27. Dressage shoeing educational resources.
Magazine and books.
DVD’s and videos.
Go to a show and observe horses at work.
Functions like the AFA Convention.
Ride with an experienced Farrier.

28. Dressage Shoeing Success
Complete knowledge of an equines individual conformation and movement. Proper trimming, the correct shoe, the shoe placement and your ability to communicate, will determine your shoeing success.

29. Finished.

30. Thank You
for attending
this clinic! We appreciate it.
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