Bar Shoes & Bumper problems

[system]

I am writing from New Zealand and would be very grateful for advise from the horsey world in the states (or elsewhere) as I am new to all of this ?

One of my friends (who doesn’t have a computer, therefore I am the one writing about this) has a top racehorse, who raced last year in the Auckland Cup, and who has been having serious problems with his heel (bumper) baring down whereby he needs bar shoes.
However, the bar shoe that NZ races seems to allow is actually “too small” for him, and he ends up with very sore if not bleeding bumpers.
We fear greatly that if this continues, his feet will hurt so much that he will not race anymore, associating racing with pain ?

We have heard about a new sort of bar horseshoe, made in the USA of a combination of alloids apparently, that would do the trick ? We heard that the USA supplies these bar shoes to the States and Hong Kong (which are thus accepted in races there) but these shoes are not yet imported to NZ.

Does anyone know of this heel/bumper problem, or of this “new” bar shoe we have heard about, or any other solutions to the bumper problem ?

We would greatly appreciate any advise on this, as well as anyone who can help link us up with a supplier for these ‘new’ bar shoes or other solutions for us; in the states as far as my information goes?

greetings, Anna

[NoBSshoer]

What ever happened to having your blacksmith fabricate a shoe that fits the horse properly?

Forget about makes and models of factory produced stuff. Get a competent shoer to make you one:yes:

[beatsworking]

Hi Anna - I am not sure a bar shoe is what you need, A skilled trimmer/farrier/vet should be consulted. You will likely get better advice than you will off the net. With that being said, sometimes sore heels result from low heel/long toe trimming. This style of trim makes the breakover more difficult causing strain to the suspensory apparatus. Sore heels are another symptom. These hooves tend to look very oval rather than round. Severe cases exhibit collapsed heels which aggravates heel soreness.

Farrier Ian McKinlay has issued several videos on youtube showing how he treats this type of problem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KymPeQAkXg

A source of specialized racing plates is http://www.horseshoes.com/supplies/alphabet/thorobrd/en-us/dept_21.html

Hope this helps.

Chuck