Use of calks?

[Where_sMyWhite]

Did a search and didn’t really find anything discussing this.

Yesterday in the Robert B Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita, Kid Cantina broke down entering the backstretch and was subsequently euthanized (from the BH article).

The Equibase chart noted that Kid Cantina was vanned off (which is consistent with the BH article IMO).

At the end of the Footnotes, it was noted that Kid Cantina wore calks.

In your (the royal ‘you’ ) can calks increase the risk of a breakdown or was this more of an anecdotal mention in the race footnotes?

Do horses wearing calks have to be declared as such to appear in the morning line odds information?

[merrygoround]

When the horse’s foot hits the ground, heel first, as it should, there is a certain amount of “slippage”, Calks would, by their design, depending on their size limit that.

https://www.paulickreport.com/horse-…ness-forecast/

[PNWjumper]

Searching for “caulks” might get your more information than searching for “calks.”

[Texarkana]

@PNWjumper

Searching for “caulks” might get your more information than searching for “calks.”

In racing, they are usually referred to as calks. I don’t know why the “u” got dropped in the racing industry.

Once upon a time, there wasn’t much regulation on shoes. But from the 1990s through the 00s, there’s been a much-needed crackdown on all the huge mud calks and toe grabs that were once allowed.

While they still can be used some places, legal heights are in the millimeters. Barely a wisp of traction compared to what you might see on a serious working cart horse, an XC horse, or a jumper.

There was a study done on the current bitty toe grabs and calks that can still be used in racing, and it was found they had little effect on the biomechanical forces of the leg. The surface itself created far more loading. (Source)

[PNWjumper]

@Texarkana

In racing, they are usually referred to as calks. I don’t know why the “u” got dropped in the racing industry.

That’s interesting, Texarkana!

The Paulick Report article used “caulk”…I just thought that if searching for “calk” didn’t come up with much, maybe changing the spelling would pull up a few more articles? It might also bring up more articles and studies from other disciplines who use them (which might have limited relation to racing as a whole given the greater size and ultimate impact).

[Where_sMyWhite]

FWIW, I also thought caulk but the Footnotes in the Equibase results spelled it calk

Are calks a mandatory disclosure for the program?

Santa Anita yesterday the track was sloppy… I think some of the horses were looking for the Ark

[Texarkana]

@Where’sMyWhite it varies state to state. I’m pretty sure you have to declare shoeing changes most everywhere, but I don’t know if they are always published.

[On_the_Farm]

@Texarkana

@Where’sMyWhite it varies state to state. I’m pretty sure you have to declare shoeing changes most everywhere, but I don’t know if they are always published.

Tex, I think it’s a small “c” in the equipment column in the PPs.

[Where_sMyWhite]

Thanks on having to declare it. Not surprised state by state.

Part of me that sometimes when I read/see something I wonder ‘why’. Don’t recall ever seeing calks mentioned in the results before (not that I read them all for every track every day either) and just wondered co-incidental with the breakdown or causitory.

I used to have a like to the CA stewards reviews of track fatalities. Might have to see if I can dig that up and find it again.

[merrygoround]

@PNWjumper

That’s interesting, Texarkana!

The Paulick Report article used “caulk”…I just thought that if searching for “calk” didn’t come up with much, maybe changing the spelling would pull up a few more articles? It might also bring up more articles and studies from other disciplines who use them (which might have limited relation to racing as a whole given the greater size and ultimate impact).

In eventing they are called “studs”. They can vary in size. See attached:

https://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/NFS.htm?gclid=CjwKCAiA4t_iBRApEiwAn-vt-5bSpP-s5ArHL0zX4cV9h1x6Ck5x278c-iPOsnwyeIB07xhgh03ZQRoC6MIQAvD_BwE

[jbonifas]

The racing caulks are not studs that are removable like are utilized in eventing, They are more like the end of the horseshoe has been folded over so just the ends of the shoe are thicker than the rest of the shoe. When I was showing during the summer grass arenas can become very slick so these caulks gave a very small amount of dig to keep you from slipping.