Hello! What are your favorite books, websites, etc. for learning about which studs to use when?
I’m only competing at BN rat the moment but would like to educate myself more about studs as I hope to eventually move up the levels to at least Prelim. Right now, if I put studs in, they are only short, hexagonal road studs.
I’ve read the Nunn Finer description for studs but is there a more comprehensive resource? TIA!!
Books:
https://www.horseloverz.com/horse-gifts-jewelry/horse-books/horse-training-books/-stud-book
https://www.amazon.com/World-Class-Grooming-Horses-Complete-Competition/dp/15707669why08?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=a62eaa52-6cf4-42d0-9230-c0d7d17b3116 (not only about studs but IIRC there is a section about them).
I also would recommend talking to your trainer about what they suggest using in any given situation and why. You can also ask other competitors what they are using for a given day-- it’s usually a hot topic.
What I found worked for me was to pick a medium sized grass tip stud for firm ground and a medium sized chunky stud for soft ground and buy a bunch of each along with a bunch of medium sized road studs. I pretty much always used one or the other on the outside with a road stud on the inside (except for actually riding on the road when I used the tiny road studs.) I also found that the square studs were easier than the hex shaped ones to screw in and out fwiw. This has worked well for me BN-P on a variety of horses in a variety of weather.
An excerpt…
When to use studs?
Whenever you feel like there is a possibility your horse might slip, you should use studs. This “possibility” is affected by footing, level of jumping, and the individual horse. Ground conditions range from hard and slick to deep and boggy. Different studs are used for different footings.
At lower levels (BN, N) studs often aren’t necessary. The slower speed, lower height, and lack of technicality (few sharp turns) mean that there is more room for error, and a horse doesn’t need maximum power to complete the question safely. Studs allow the horse to transfer more of his jumping effort into “UP” over the fence, instead of sliding his feet in the opposite direction…this becomes increasingly important at preliminary level and above.
Use of studs is also dependent on the individual horse. Some quick, catty horses are more surefooted than half-draft plodders (NO OFFENSE to drafties, I love them!). But some quick, catty horses turn too fast for their own good and “spin their wheels,” so studs can help. Horses with excellent feet, happily barefoot at Novice level, should probably stay that way. Bare feet provide better traction than plain flat shoes… but shoes with studs are better than bare feet.
I generally start using studs at Training level, but it is always dependent on the horse, and what area you live in. Lovely sandy footing like Ocala and Aiken does not require studs like those in clay-based locales.
What studs to use?
This is a very complex question. You really must KNOW the ground, and KNOW your horse to answer it…and it is highly individual. There is no true “right” answer, no mathematical formula that will produce the perfect result. It is a “feel” you will develop over time, riding many courses and knowing your horse. It is good, though, to take a peek at what others are using. Saturday morning, you will frequently find less-experienced riders scampering amongst the barn area, carrying stud kits, or a handful of studs, getting ideas or confirmation from neighbors about “What are you using?? What do you think about This One??” Working for an upper level rider, I fielded such questions frequently: brought them into the stall, picked up a studded foot and explained what and why.
General rules
There are a few general principles to follow, tailor them as you may to suit your needs.
— Use the smallest studs possible to get the job done. By increasing traction, studs also increase the torque placed on the horse’s limbs. Bigger studs = more torque. More torque leads to greater strain on the leg, and risk of injury. When a horse lands off a big jump, the front feet slide just a little…this is desirable. When the horse doesn’t slide, but jams into the ground like a lawn dart, that’s when things go “pop.” Think of an NFL running back making a cut with the ball, avoiding a defender. He needs to push off with one foot; that foot must not slip too much or he’ll fall down. But if the foot excessively “plants” in the turf, he can blow out a knee.
— Smaller studs in front; bigger studs in back. The horse’s jumping power comes from the rear, like a drag racing car. Dragsters have HUGE rear tires to maximize traction, but smaller front wheels for direction only. Same idea applies… use smaller studs in front to limit torque to limbs, but keep larger ones behind to maximize power.
–Bigger studs on outside, smaller studs on inside. This rule can be optional; there are many who believe in equal studding on the same foot. However, I was taught to use the taller, spikier stud on the outside branch, and a shorter/duller stud on the inside branch. The idea is that if a horse steps on himself, or strikes the opposing leg, it won’t get ripped to shreds by a big honkin’ pointy stud. “But, but, but, it’s UNEVEN!!” people always say when they see my horse standing on a hard, flat surface. Yes, but my horse isn’t competing on pavement– on turf, both studs will sink into the ground, allowing her foot to land level and balanced. The outer stud is the more important one anyway– that’s your “rudder” stud to help the horse turn. If you’re in a massive hurry to tack up, and the ground is decent, you can get away with just throwing in one grass tip stud on the outside branch of each foot. You’ll survive a lower level course, jump lesson, or show jumping round just fine without the inner studs. In some instances, as with duller studs on yielding ground, I will use the same stud “straight across” the shoe (both branches) or “all-around” (meaning all 4 feet straight across).
It’s out of print but “The Stud Book” by Malcolm Kelley was quite useful for me. It’s more of a pamphlet really. https://www.equinenow.com/store-item-50849782
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