What shoes do you guys use on your higher level (1.25m + and 3ft +) Hunters and Jumpers? We do have our jumpers drilled and tapped for footing variances and our hunters typically go in Aluminum fronts for a series of shows then back to light weight steel at our farriers recommendation. Luckily, we have never really had a problem, but all the horses in the barn seem to be shod the exact same way, and I am wondering if this is typical or just this farriers default way of doing things. Thanks in advance!
I definitely think each horse is an individual and should be treated as such in all aspects. Whether its riding, turn out, nutrition, or shoeing.
My horse does 1.20m and he goes in steal all around with leather pads up front. He is drilled and tapped if I am going to a show that has questionable footing or we will be going on grass.
For hunters, my previous horse was never going to pin well in the hack whether he had aluminum shoes or not. So he just went in steel all around.
I have my hunters in a special glue on shoe that lasts for 6-8 weeks. It’s a great shoe, has a fiber netting type thing that goes around foot and is glued on. Shoes are VERY light weight. My horses have great feet but I just hate putting nails in their feet if I don’t have too
I also feel that every horse should be shod differently. Not every horse requires the same break-over point because of different conformations.
My hunter has sensitive heels that are low (just his conformation). He has been going really well in a titanium/aluminum mix Natural Balance wedge shoe w/ pour-in pads on the front, and plain steel w/ clips on the hind. These work well for him as he requires a break-over that is set farther back than most horses. He used to be in steel w/ wedges to repair the damage done from a bad farrier, but once his feet were good he needed something that allowed him to move better. He went from not pinning under saddle in any company to pinning middle of the pack-ish in very good company.
All horses have a very scientifically dictated breakover point that is pretty much about 1" in front of the true apex of the frog 
What that makes the foot look like from the outside does indeed depend on the individual. Barring club feet, mini feet, gigantic feet, it’s 1"
My (now semi-retired) jumper showed 1.20m barefoot. Never had any problem with traction or soreness. 
If the horses at your barn are sound and seem to be happy I wouldn’t worry too much about whether they look alike or not.
My [now retiring] High/Med AO jumper went in plain steel all around with no changes from winter to show season.
My current High AO jumper goes in aluminums up front with wedge pads and regular steel behind during the show season. I like the aluminum on him and usually move him to it right before the first show of the year. The rest of the year he’s in steel all around (but still with wedge pads up front).
My 6yo who does the 1.10m/1.15m has a shoe-pulling problem and we just recently moved him to aluminums up front to see if the minor change could help him (it hasn’t), and he’s in regular steel behind.
My baby mare (3’-ish) is in steel all around.
My default is steel all around unless something prompts us to try aluminum. Showing in the hunters (which we don’t do) would be something that would certainly qualify.
