After the feet are trimmed and balanced back into mechanical harmony, the shoes are custom shaped. In this instance the shoes will be shaped with bold and rolled toes in the front; leather pads will also be fitted to add to the desired front end action of the horse.  The shoe will be shaped with extended heels in the back, inside splats, and side roll.

The bold toe allows for effortless break-over in the front. The combination of the bold and rolled toe relieves sole pressure. The extended heel relieves the overall pressure to the foot and spreads the foot out. In addition the extended heel helps the flight pattern remain straight and true with little effort. The side roll also assists in aiding break-over. The splats make the shoe wider at the heel for added support.

After the shoes are heated and shaped at the anvil, the edges are rolled with a grinder to the desired 45 degree angles. After shaping, the shoes should have equal measurements in width and length; in other words the shoe should be as long as it is wide.

At this stage a leather pad is brass tacked to each of the front shoes and then cut flush to the leading edge of the shoe. The pads add more weight to the shoe for more lift and less sink. They also aid in shock absorption. When the shoes are applied they are sealed by applying Forshner's Hoof Packing to the frog. This is preferred to using pine tar or oakum. With pads the idea is to start low with the first shoeing and gradually build height in subsequent shoeings. Of course this is done after proper evaluation of the horse based on muscle structure and confirmation to ensure the proper height for optimum movement in the show arena.

After building and applying these shoes you will find that the horse dramatically develops the inside gaskin muscle in the rear and also builds a high degree of muscle development in the chest and forearm in the front.

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