Feared by rider-owners and well-known for experienced professionals, horse injuries during shoeing can, to some extent, be anticipated.
Whether they are caused by equipment, the horse’s sudden reactions, or human error, Pierre Martinuzzi shares his experience on the subject and provides key insights on adopting the right techniques.
Injuries During Shoeing Caused by Equipment
It goes without saying that horses are unpredictable animals, and some are always on high alert.
A windy day, unusual noises, a change in the environment… There are many reasons why a horse might become anxious.
Whether due to simple clumsiness or fear, their reactions can be unpredictable and may lead them to injure themselves on professional equipment. As Pierre Martinuzzi, head of Maréchalerie Martinuzzi, points out:
"I remember having a bad experience while working for one of my former employers. The tripods we used were homemade.
Over time, the constant friction against the ground had made the feet of the tripods sharp due to wear and tear. One day, a horse moved and leaned against one of these sharp edges. It severed a vein inside its thigh. It was very impressive because it started bleeding heavily. Fortunately, the stable manager present that day had good knowledge of first aid. With a simple compression point, the bleeding stopped within about ten minutes."
The main issues identified by Pierre are mostly due to external factors. A horse, for example, may bump into the tool stands.
Some edges become particularly sharp due to wear and tear and repeated handling of tools. This is especially the case with the compartments where rasps are stored. Over time, as they are repeatedly taken out and put back, the metal edges of the tool stands wear down and become sharp. If a horse comes into contact with them, there is a high risk of tissue damage (skin, muscles, tendons, etc.).
First Aid Techniques Applied to Farriery
Farriery training programs do not include awareness of how to respond to common issues encountered during shoeing.
Experience is what shapes knowledge, as Pierre shares.
Being informed about how to apply a compression point, for example, allows one to know how to react in the event of heavy bleeding due to a cut.
The sudden and violent movements of a horse can also lead to other types of injuries, as Pierre Martinuzzi recalls:
"It was a windy day, and the horse got scared. One of my apprentices was working on the frog with a hoof rasp. The horse moved violently, and the tool partially severed a tendon on the lower part of the limb.
In this case, the veterinarian was called in as an emergency. Ultrasound, evaluation of the severity of the injury… A protocol was then put in place to treat the horse while simultaneously informing the owner of the accident."
While knowing how to react in an emergency situation can be useful while waiting for the veterinarian's arrival, caution is essential in certain situations, as Pierre recounts:
"I remember a horse that had a large lump under its foot. It seemed benign to me, so I was tempted, to save time and quickly return to my work, to take the initiative to cut this mass and cauterize it, as it is easy to do as a farrier.
However, I had my doubts. So, I preferred to have it checked by a veterinarian before touching it, even though some of my colleagues assured me that it was nothing to worry about and that I could proceed with this simple removal at the sole level.
Imagine my surprise when I returned to the horse with the veterinarian, and he removed the mass of tissue, which contained significant blood vessels and resulted in a considerable flow of blood! The practitioner had to apply a tourniquet.
I was glad that I didn't try to handle it myself that day because I would have stepped outside my areas of expertise, potentially leading to an accident."
Injuries While Shoeing a Horse
Usually harmless, injuries during shoeing are well-known to professionals and anticipated by them.
At the slightest suspicion, a preventive approach helps avoid harming the animal, as Pierre explains:
"When learning the trade, mistakes can particularly occur during the second year of apprenticeship. At this stage, students delve deeper into hoof work and may sometimes remove too much material during trimming.
In these cases, some horses may end up feeling like they're walking on eggs in the hour following the procedure.
It is then necessary to assess the horse's sensitivity level to determine the best course of action for the animal. The horse's locomotion is observed, as well as its overall behavior, to identify the appropriate care needed to relieve the horse.
Most often, depending on the situation, farriers use either Animalintex to soften the hoof capsule or Magic Cushion to cool the foot and reduce sensitivity."
Injuries During Shoeing
Nailing is the step where the professional inserts the nails into the hoof capsule. It is a delicate stage, as the farrier has only a margin of maneuver of 1 cm to 5 mm to operate.
At this point, the risks can be as follows:
Tightening the horse: the nail is close to the soft tissues, but they have not been touched. This phenomenon can still impact some horses and make them sensitive.
Puncturing the horse: in this case, the nail has touched the soft tissues.
In these instances, some horses may react immediately, while others may not show sensitivity until within 24 hours following the shoeing.
In such situations, if Pierre and his team are informed that a horse is not feeling well the day after shoeing, a visit is necessary to assist the animal. The shoe is removed, and the horse is placed under Animalintex for 2 to 3 days.
According to the professional's experience, things usually return to normal quickly. The horse is not in pain, and the owner is kept fully informed about the situation.
However, if the nail was not clean (having fallen on the ground before being used, for example), and it punctures the soft tissue before being removed, the risks of abscesses increase because dirt may have been trapped in the horse's foot.
If a small drop of blood appears in this type of situation, it's a positive sign for us, as the blood drains and removes dirt while escaping, which reduces the risk of abscesses.
In this type of scenario, the horse recovers very well from these minor injuries, and they leave no lasting impact.
The difficulty arises if dirt is trapped in the foot (either from tightening the animal or when removing the nail), as this can lead to the formation of abscesses in farriery."
The risk of damage during nailing is increased when the wall is thin.
How can you tell if a nail is properly placed?
"With experience, you can tell by the animal's reaction and the sound. The duller the sound becomes, the more the nail is positioned and will exit high in the wall. At the moment of nailing, the horse's reaction provides a lot of indications about its sensitivity. If everything seems correct, the next step also allows the farrier to check whether the horse feels any sensitivity. This is the step of the clinching."
The Stakes of Clinching
For Maréchalerie Martinuzzi, this step in shoeing is of great importance. The clinching pliers from the GE brand are particularly valued for this maneuver, thanks to their specially designed notches for gripping the nails.
“To clinch (the step where the tip of the nail is bent downwards), we make sure to properly grip the tip to fold it down and clinch it, as all professionals do. However, within our team, we are extremely rigorous about firmly pressing the nail's tip against the hoof.
This may seem trivial, but by tightening it firmly at that precise moment, the horse gives us a lot of information about the success or failure of the shoeing.
At the slightest sign of sensitivity expressed by the horse at that moment, we have no hesitation in considering that the nail must be removed, as the horse has indicated a sensitivity that must be taken into account.
Often, professionals use simple pliers to clinch, in order to bend down and flatten the tip of the nail without applying too much pressure.
I really encourage being rigorous at the time of clinching, ensuring to catch the tip of the nail and press it against the wall to detect any signs of pain in the horses.
This operation causes the wall to move, which, despite its apparent rigidity, actually has some flexibility.”
“With experience, by moving the hoof wall and tightening the foot at the moment of clinching, you receive the horse's sensitivity in your hand. At that precise moment, the horse is speaking to us, and it is imperative to listen, as this exchange reveals the presence or absence of pain for the animal.
Generally, horses are more sensitive on the inner sides, as the walls are thinner. From experience, we know that these nails are at a higher risk.
I prefer to have fewer nails than to sensitize the foot. An area that has been sensitized results in a slight inflammation that has developed.
In such cases, I prefer to let the area rest, as reworking that spot could amplify the inflammatory process and increase the risk of pain.
These minor inflammations in the foot can take a long time to disappear if we do not address the issue with enough rigor. And that is not a good thing.
Some horses may no longer be sensitive after 2 days, while others may remain sensitive for 10 days, even after being barely tightened.
In any case, their responses must be taken into account, as it is obviously not our goal as farriers to leave an animal in pain, regardless of its level of sensitivity.” - Pierre Martinuzzi
Tips for Farriers by Pierre Martinuzzi
If I had to highlight a few points of vigilance to prevent injuries to the horse during shoeing, I would encourage professionals to:
• Check the sensitivity of the horses during clinching. It is important to firmly tighten the foot and to flex the hoof wall to highlight any potential sensitivity of the horse that has just been shod.
• Do not be too tempted to add more nails. I prefer to accept the risk of needing to return for a shoe removal rather than having to come back because the horse is not well.
• Observe the horse closely, both during and after shoeing. One must be attentive to any changes in behavior (for example, a horse that positions itself differently than usual or shows a slight hesitation in movement), as these changes may indicate pain for the animal.
One last piece of advice that seems important to me on the subject:
Make sure you are well-informed about the coverage limits of your insurance policy, and don’t hesitate to contact them promptly in case of a problem.
